Two identikit first-half headers from Aden Flint saw Bristol City to a 2-1 victory over the Blues at Ashton Gate, sub Brett Pitman pulling one back for Town after the break against his old club.

Town boss Mick McCarthy handed Ben Pringle and Kevin Foley their Blues debuts in a 3-5-2 system with Foley and Jonas Knudsen wing-backs and Christophe Berra in the middle of the three central defenders. Kevin Bru took up Cole Skuse’s usual anchor role in midfield with the Bristolian one of those on Town’s lengthy injury list.

Chances were rare in the opening quarter of an hour, Pringle shot against a defender, then the on-loan Fulham man saw a cross from the left cut out.

Bristol City went close to going in front in the 17th minute when a Luke Freeman freekick was cleared to Korey Smith, who hit a shot through a crowd of players which took a deflection and Bartosz Bialkowski, last week’s man of the match at QPR, made a superb reaction save down to his left to keep it out.

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But three minutes later, the Robins went in front when Flint headed the first goal of new manager Lee Johnson’s time as boss, across goal and into the net off the post from Luke Freeman’s corner on the right.

Freddie Sears shot wide after good work from Pringle and Sears as the Blues looked to get back on terms, then Bristol City skipper Smith curled a shot not far past the post.

There was a scare for the home side on 27 when keeper Richard O’Donnell’s clearance hit Maitland-Niles, but the on-loan Arsenal man was unable to profit from it.

The Blues switched their formation to 4-4-2 with Foley moving to the centre of midfield with Bru and skipper Luke Chambers to right-back. Pringle moved to the left with Maitland-Niles on the right.

On 33, with Town increasingly on top, Tommy Smith shot wide following a corner, but two minutes later the home side doubled their lead with Flint again the man on target, once again heading home a Freeman corner from the right.

The Blues were unable to pull a goal back before the break and the scoreline remained 2-0 at half-time. That both goals came from set pieces is unlikely to have gone down well with manager McCarthy.

Eight minutes after the restart, former Robin Brett Pitman replaced Ainsley Maitland-Niles, allowing Sears to move to right midfield. Moments later, Smith did well to block Kodjia’s shot from the right of the area.

Daryl Murphy chased a ball over the top in the 55th minute and hit a shot which O’Donnell did well to block. From the resultant corner, Chambers headed over, while being manhandled according to the Blues captain.

The Blues were beginning to threaten more and more and just after the hour mark Murphy forced O’Donnell into a superb save from a powerful header down to the keeper’s left from Sears’s cross from the right.

Pringle sent the ball back in from the left, Murphy nodded back across goal and Pitman flicked his header wide.

But the ex-Bristol City man wasn’t to be denied a goal for long. In the 62nd minute Murphy sent the Jersey-born striker away on goal towards the left and he held off his man before shooting low across O’Donnell and into the net to claim his 10th goal of the season.

As promised, Town’s reluctant super sub celebrated against his old club but without going over the top.

Luke Varney replaced promising debutant Pringle on 67, seconds before Freeman sent a dangerous ball across the Blues area.

The Robins were looking the more threatening side with Bialkowski making another impressive stop when he pushed sub Kieran Agard’s low shot past the post, before Bristol City skipper Smith screwed an effort across the face of goal.

Foley picked up the first yellow card of his time with Town for a somewhat cynical pullback on Agard as the home side broke following a corner.

On 76 Smith seemed certain to restore the home side’s two-goal lead when he was found in space in the area but superbly got across to challenge.

Soon after, Bialkowski made another excellent save down to his right from Nathan Baker’s header from Marlon Pack’s freekick, although referee Tony Harrington had already blown his whistle for a foul.

With the game now in its final 10 minutes, a Varney cross from the right deflected out to Smith, who hit a powerful shot which flew just wide of O’Donnell’s goal.

But it was Bristol City who were looking the more dangerous side, Joe Bryan failing to find the target with a volley and Bialkowski making another save from Smith, although with the flag having been raised.

Larsen Touré replaced Foley as the game moved into five minutes of injury time, then - after Christophe Berra had found the net from but with the referee having pulled back play - Smith went close to putting the Blues back on terms. The New Zealand international did well to get to Knudsen’s freekick from deep but headed just wide.

However, the home side saw the rest of the additional minutes out comfortably and referee Harrington’s whistle confirmed Town’s fourth successive away defeat in all competitions, three in the Championship.

Having gone two goals down in the first half, the Blues always faced an uphill struggle. Pitman’s goal gave them a lifeline but despite having chances they never really put the Robins under significant pressure having reduced the lead, while at the other end the again excellent Bialkowski remained the busier of the two keepers.

The result and Birmingham’s 0-0 draw at Rotherham sees the Blues drop to eighth behind the Midlanders on goal difference and now three points behind Derby, who are now sixth following their 1-0 home defeat to the MK Dons, Sheffield Wednesday having climbed to fifth via their 4-0 victory over Brentford.

Bristol City: O’Donnell, Little, Flint, Baker, Golbourne, Pack, Smith (c), Tomlin (Agard 64), Bryan (Wagstaff 88), Freeman, Kodjia (Wilbraham 63). Subs: Fielding, Vyner, Pearce, Reid.

Town: Bialkowski, Foley (Touré 90), Chambers (c), Berra, Smith, Knudsen, Pringle (Varney 67), Bru, Maitland-Niles (Pitman 53), Sears, Murphy. Subs: Henly, Kenlock, Digby, Tabb. Referee: Tony Harrington (Cleveland). Att: 15,736 (Town: 1,443).

Photo: Action Images

BlueandTruesince82 added 10:36 - Feb 14 Should have won, even with our 3 best players injured.
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Lightningboy added 10:37 - Feb 14 Told you Mick was getting his excuses ready on Friday. To me the whole point in having Mick McCarthy as manager (in this league anyhow) is to guarantee a play-off place at the very least,otherwise why would you employ him? It certainly isn't to entertain the fans or to play attractive football week in week out or to bring through loads of promising youngsters. I know this season isn't over yet but if he doesn't at the very least get us into the play-offs come May then he needs to go. No more worrying about what will happen without him..I for one am losing the will to live with some of his decisions and the constant dross he get's us churning out week after week. I think he may have taken us as far as he's capable of.

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Stato added 11:16 - Feb 14 My campaign is please stop singing 'super Mick mccarthy' or the board will think we still want him. Unfortunately the majority still do but the fed up numbers are growing.
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Geoff added 11:24 - Feb 14 Lets get FFP right you are allowed to have a loss of 39 million over a 3 year time scale this equates to 13 million a season. This started this season ME opposed this as he did not want to compete with other clubs spending (It says it all) Yet every season season ticket prices raise and standards fall. What he is is a asset stripper he proved this when he tried to buy portman road from Ipswich borough council.He has lost interest now as there is five clubs up for sale with no buyers coming forward. So now he is happy to just sit back and run our club as a tax loss. It is time for us fans to stand up against him and oppose his ruination of our once great respected club.

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bluey123 added 11:47 - Feb 14 Wonder what Evans has done with the training ground just ask the question !!!!!
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Gazelle added 12:18 - Feb 14 Where was the man on the far post when their goals went in. Alan Curbishley asked that question on the box.
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oldegold added 12:28 - Feb 14 I know the knives are out as usually happens when we lose or go on a losing run but nothing seems to change as far as the playing style is concerned. It is absolutely horrendous and never changes and what is more is that all the teams we play against us rumbled. What on earth do McCarthy and co practice on during the week? It is the most inane and grim type of soccer I've seen in over 40 years of following Town and McCarthy seems hellbent on playing to this style of just kicking it up and hoping for the best. Surely he knows we will go nowhere as recent results have demonstrated. We used to be known for good football but if anybody were to witness the tragic demise of our great club, the person would wince. I am trying desperately to keep my son interested in Ipswich but more than us losing it's the style of football which in awful gruesomeness is just driving him and I imagine others away.

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yorksblue added 12:37 - Feb 14 Radical overhaul from top to bottom required. Now!
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yorksblue added 12:41 - Feb 14 What a pleasure to switch on the tv on a Sunday and watch 2 teams going for it right from first whistle. Ars v Leics Pleasing on the eye
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yorksblue added 12:47 - Feb 14 Bergholt. I did PR one wet night vs Stockport 0-2 in front of 8000 ish
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Stato added 14:22 - Feb 14 Evans doesn't pick the team or decide tactics. He invests circa 6 million a year and that is fair enough. It doesn't make him some great savior as he is a business man taking a calculated gamble but it doesn't make him our enemy either. Mick is the big problem as until he goes it's going to be ground hog day.
2

dirtydingusmagee added 14:42 - Feb 14 to add a bit of spice to a season that i think is going to just fade away ,we COULD have had a proper f#####g go at the cup,but that was dismissed as a worthless exercise as usual , i really cant believe how the Club has declined .I for one am thinking i can spend my time and money in better ways than following a club with no real desire or ambition.
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RegencyBlue added 14:53 - Feb 14 Whether you are an MM 'inner' or 'outer' one thing is certain. Having just been handed an extended contract by Evans MM isn't going anywhere soon!
2

essexboy added 15:55 - Feb 14 With MM having a long contract it means,should some club come in for him we can get compensation should he wish to leave.That is the only reason I can think of as to why ME extended it.Dont get me wrong he has done a good job,but now it is time for him to go and for this club to get a manager in who can give us a better style of football.I rest my case.
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grumpyoldman added 16:36 - Feb 14 Essexboy who the hell would want him, his tactics are from a bygone age, most other fans & clubs think we are a boring one trick pony, so who in their right mind would pay us a penny for his services
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essexboy added 17:35 - Feb 14 Grumpy,I quiet agree,but in business everybody has to have a safe guard ,don't you think.Somebody out there must want him. 😄😄😄
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yorksblue added 17:36 - Feb 14 Regency - unless he's hounded out!
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RegencyBlue added 18:22 - Feb 14 yorksblue I know what you are saying but no real sign of that yet, other than a lot of bluster on forums like this! My own view, for what its worth, is that MM will keep us in the Championship but its never going to be pretty. If Evans isn't going to increase the transfer budget, and there is absolutely no sign of that happening, I think he has decided keeping MM at Portman Road is the best chance of retaining Championship status, hence the new contract.

4

grumpyoldman added 18:35 - Feb 14 Essex we can all live in hope
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bluekevin added 19:43 - Feb 14 What's going to happen when season tickets come out it won't be long,are they going up or will they be redused (ha ha)
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yorksblue added 20:04 - Feb 14 Regency - yes, you're probably right. Only time will tell. However, dwindling season ticket sales and a poor start to the new season, or, a lousy end to this season, may force Evans' hand.
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dirtydingusmagee added 11:54 - Feb 15 i think Evans should be given a parachute payment ................errrr no just a parachute,and make him bale out over the Bolivian jungle .
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thebeat added 16:57 - Feb 15 Ive kept quiet lately on here cus i was just bored of all the pointless arguing. But ive decided im not renewing next season. Im fed up of putting the effort in when the chairman and manager clearly dont. Evans is happy to try and go up on the cheap or settle for mid table mediocrity. And Mick isnt bothered cus while hes getting no investment to spend he knows Evans cant put pressure on him. He can just keep plodding along signing washed up yard dog freebies while playing his favourites (sometimes out of position for 3 years ) to the detriment of the team. Add to that the boring hoofball and the reputation we now have with fans of other clubs as an anti-football team and enough is enough for me.

5

BooM76 added 15:45 - Feb 16 You all must share a flat together or live in the same building lol you all have the same rhetoric and it sucks to watch the boys play trash and be stuck in a match where we all want to see a bit of magic! but lets be real on the clubs situation, it seems as a business it is investing and changing strategy that failed in the past ( tons o cash on the dark lord and crew) to a manager that is doing a well fair job of picking players on a orphans pocket money. Wages are what they are these days and we save on transfer fees well. We have some great blues injured right now and some newbies getting debuts, all good. Flow goes off a bit, we miss those players indeed, but other clubs face the same challenges and we seem to rise above it each season. The club, the manager, the players are all in need of our support and positive thoughts to help forge the direction we are pushing and pulling for. Lets dig in and show some grit!!COYB!!!

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hkbluey added 07:09 - Feb 18 Nowhere near good enough for a playoff spot. . . We need a consistent striker first and foremost. .. . Hooper is going to be a steal at SW.... We have McGoldie (starting to make Sturridge look invincible) and Murphy (one good game a season vs a cr@p team does not cut it). . . I would out the pair of them for someone with a bit of fire in their heart. . . Oh for McCormack . . (he wouldnt be that daft though) . . We have to face it , we are a mid table team and have been for 15 seasons . . . We cannot live with the top 8, do ok vs mid table and drop points vs bottom 8 . . . Do the sums, we are heading in 1D. . . .

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