Nathan Broadhead’s goal has given the Blues a 1-0 half-time lead against Bristol City at Ashton Gate.

Kayden Jackson replaced the injured Wes Burns wide on the right in a Town team otherwise unchanged from the one which beat Preston 4-2 prior to the international break.

Former Robins youngster Burns suffered a shoulder problem when away with Wales, while Freddie Ladapo also missed out having picked up an achilles injury in training. Janoi Donacien and Cameron Humphreys were on the bench.

For Bristol City, Irish international Jason Knight, who was interesting the Blues in the summer prior to the signing of Jack Taylor, replaced defender Haydon Roberts as they switched back to 4-3-3.

There was a change of referee with Josh Smith, who was previously in charge of the Stoke and Southampton matches, taking over from Tom Nield, who was originally slated for the fixture.

Following a minute’s applause in tribute to England and Manchester United legend Sir Bobby Charlton, who died at the weekend, the home side began on the front foot, Sam Bell hitting an early shot through to Vaclav Hladky in the Town goal.

The Blues, who in the opening couple of minutes weren’t given any time on the ball by the home side, began to get into their stride with Conor Chaplin cleverly playing in Jackson on the right but the wideman’s cross was cut out, as was a later ball in from a similar area.

On 10, Tommy Conway will feel he ought to have put his side in front when he headed a Mark Sykes cross from the right goalwards, however, his effort was too close to Hladky, who saved.

But Town were starting to take control and a minute later, Chaplin struck a shot which Robins keeper Max O’Leary saved down to his right.

O’Leary was in action again in the 12th minute, palming Massimo Luongo’s curling effort towards his right away for a corner with the ball looking destined for the net.

From the flag-kick, the Blues again threatened, Broadhead, twice, and Chaplin seeing opportunities blocked as the home side struggled to clear their lines.

On 14, Jackson was shown the game’s first yellow card for a foul on Cameron Pring before the increasingly dominant Blues created another double chance.

First, George Hirst turned a ball in from the left against a defender, then Broadhead’s follow-up was similarly blocked.

But the 3,000-plus Blues fans in the Atyeo Stand at the other end didn’t have too much longer to wait for a goal.

In the 16th minute, Luongo played the ball inside from the left to Hirst, who laid it off to Broadhead. The Wales international brought it forward a couple of paces unchallenged before smashing a shot under O’Leary, who will have been disappointed to get down so slowly, and into the corner of the net.

Broadhead knee-slid into the corner to celebrate his sixth Town goal of the season, his third goal in four games for club and country.

Having gone in front, the Blues saw most of the ball but without creating a chance to add to their lead.

And on 28 Bristol City went close to levelling when Taylor Gardner-Hickman brought the ball a long way forward on the left, cut inside and struck a shot which Hladky helped over the bar.

From the corner, the Blues made heavy weather of getting it clear after Matty James smashing a volley against a Town defender after the flag-kick had been headed out to him on the edge of the box.

In the 33rd minute, Leif Davis cut in from the left and rather scuffed a right-footed effort against a defender with the Blues largely still in charge, although allowing Bristol City one or two dangerous counter-attacks.

Three minutes later, after Luke Woolfenden had stood motionless on the ball unchallenged just outside the area for a lengthy spell with the early Robins pressing having disappeared, Chaplin played another clever pass for Jackson to chase down the right, but the former Accrington man was unable to get any power on his cross.

Town continued to look the more likely scorers of the game’s second goal and in the 40th minute Hirst worked his way round the outside of his man on the right of the box but his shot from a tight angle was pawed wide by O’Leary.

The Blues subsequently tried to tee-up Broadhead and then Luongo but the ball wouldn’t fall kindly and the danger was eventually cleared.

Skipper Sam Morsy became the second Town player to be booked in the 42nd minute for a foul on Bell just outside the area, much to the annoyance of the Blues players and fans with Pring having earlier avoided a caution for two fouls on Jackson within a minute, the second a cynical trip as the Blues broke forward.

The Egyptian international went within a whisker of doubling his side’s lead in the final scheduled minute of the half. Chaplin swept the ball wide to Davis, the former Leeds man’s cross was cleared to Morsy 30 yards out from where he struck a brilliant shot which left O’Leary standing but hit the outside of the post.

In injury time, seconds before the whistle, Davis curled a 20-yard free-kick, awarded for a foul on Hirst, off the top of the wall and over.

The Town fans were those cheering at the whistle with the Blues fully deserving their lead, despite starting slowly.

Perhaps there were some cobwebs to blow away after 18 days without a match, while the home side started determinedly.

However, Town quickly got on top and Broadhead’s excellent goal had been coming in the spell before he scored it.

The Blues had chances to double their lead after that and, with the Robins having threatened on one or two occasions on the counter-attack, a second goal after the break is required to settle nerves.

Bristol City: O’Leary, Pring, James, King, Knight, Weimann (c), Conway, Dickie, Sykes, Bell, Gardner-Hickman. Subs: Bajic, Cornick, Mehmeti, Roberts, Knight-Lebel, Yeboah, Nelson, James, Idehen.

Town: Hladky, Williams, Woolfenden, Burgess, Davis, Morsy (c), Luongo, Jackson, Chaplin, Broadhead, Hirst. Subs: Walton, Clarke, Donacien, Ball, Humphreys, Taylor, Hutchinson, Harness, Scarlett. Referee: Josh Smith (Peterborough).

Photo: Matchday Images

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