Bristol City

David Pottier
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Bristol City consolidated their position in the play off positions in a thrilling game at Ashton Gate as they beat faltering West Bromwich Albion 2-1.

The teams were all square at half time although City would have taken a deserved interval lead were it not for two stunning saves from former Bristol Rovers loanee goalkeeper Josh Griffiths.

Nahki Wells keeps rolling back the years - he's 35 in June - and the Bermudian showed his class to turn the defender and stroke the ball into the far corner almost on the hour to give City the lead that their high energy display deserved.

For a few minutes, they really turned on the style before a calamitous misunderstanding between Max O'Leary and Cam Pring presented Alex Mowatt with and easy chance to equalise. That heralded a period of dominance by the Baggies and with both teams introducing four subs each (65 minutes in for West Brom; 75 mins for City) the game moved towards its closing finale.

O'Leary atoned for any blame that might have been attached to him for the goal conceded with two saves and then the visitors had Jayson Molumby sent off for a rash challenge on Joe Williams.

With five minutes of added time signalled, City were camped on the edge of Albion's area probing for a way through and it actually came in the 96th minute when a corner was only half cleared and Rob Dickie slipped the ball to Haydon Roberts to prod home, the goal going between the keeper's legs.

The roof literally came off Ashton Gate as the crowd erupted, such was the importance of gaining all three points against a fellow play off challenger.

It drew comparison with Korey Smith's late goal against Manchester United in 2017 and in the play-offs when Christian Roberts earned victory over Hartlepool to see Bristol City the 2004 final.

City are hitting form at just the right time and need fear no one at this critical point of the season.

You can hear more from David Pottier on the fans podcast Forever Bristol City, external.

Image source, Getty Images

Bristol City manager said Haydon Roberts' 96th-minute winner in front of a roaring Ashton Gate crowd to give his side a 2-1 win against play-off rivals West Brom was a "memory that will stick" with the players and fans.

"We've been on the other end of a few of those this season so to come away scoring so late and picking up three points in an important game is a great feeling and probably a memory that will stick with a few of the lads and fans I'm sure – a terrific evening," Manning told BBC Radio Bristol.

"Top energy, top atmosphere and a top performance. Up to their goal I thought we were excellent. The bravery to play, the quality, the way we went through them at times and there was a real purpose to our play which I really enjoyed and credit to the lads for that.

"To let them back in against the run of play you just get a major momentum shift, you allow them back in through us and it flips and they get the momentum and go on top.

"We stuck at it, we kept believing, we kept fighting, we kept running, we kept being brave and we got the rewards at the end."

West Bromwich Albion will make the trip to Ashton Gate on Tuesday (19:45 BST) to try and knock Bristol City out of a play-off place.

Victory for the Baggies will see them level with the Robins on points but with a better goal difference.

However, Albion are winless across their past four league matches and have lost both of their past two.

Whereas, their hosts have only lost one in nine and will be hoping their form continues to see the West Midlands side drift further afield.

• Bristol City have only won one of their last nine league meetings with West Bromwich Albion (D2 L6), a 2-0 away win in October 2022.

• West Brom have kept a clean sheet in each of their last four league meetings with Bristol City. Only against four sides have they avoided conceding in 5+ consecutive league meetings in their history: Nottingham Forest (5 ending 1898), Birmingham (7 ending 1923), Brighton (5 ending 1990), and Middlesbrough (5 ending 2016).

• Bristol City are unbeaten in their last seven midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) league games (W3 D4), last going on a longer such run which ended in September 2015 (16).

• West Brom are winless in their last 12 away league games (D7 L5), only twice before enduring a longer run outside of the top-flight, going 13 without a win from October 1929 to March 1930 and 14 from August 1994 to January 1995.

• West Brom's Tony Mowbray has won just one of his last six away league games against Bristol City (D2 L3), a 2-0 victory with Blackburn in December 2019.

Gary Owers
Former Bristol City player and BBC Radio Bristol summariser

Image source, Rex Features

City were dominant against Watford on Saturday - they were outstanding, they were comfortable, and they deserved to be comfortable at half-time.

They took a little bit of a backward step in the second half which allowed Watford to build a little more confidence, make one or two passes in central areas.

And all of a sudden Louza picked out Doumbia on the edge of the box, one turn and shot and City were heading towards the closing stages of the game a little bit nervous.

The atmosphere at the start of the game and the atmosphere at the end... it's the first time I sensed that the City fans really believe that we're in this now, we're in this seriously and we've got an absolutely brilliant chance of finishing in the top six.

The roar for the two goals in the first half was incredible, but the best moment of the game for me was in the second half near the end when George Earthy made that tackle and the crowd absolutely erupted.

Moments like that stick in your mind.

Image source, Rex Features

Bristol City forward Nahki Wells is having a "really strong season", says manager Liam Manning, who has praised the example the striker sets within the team.

Wells scored his ninth league goal of the campaign and set up another as Bristol City beat Watford 2-1 to move into the Championship play-off places.

The 34-year-old is the oldest player in the Robins squad and the only player over the age of 30.

"He's having a really strong season when you look at his goal return and beyond that his performance level has been excellent as well," Manning told BBC Radio Bristol.

"He's the only senior [player] we've got in the group - Rob's [Dickie] the next one - but he does an outstanding job of every day bringing energy, staying calm, role modelling what you want from a professional."

Image source, Rex Features

Bristol City manager Liam Manning praised his side's game management after the 2-1 win over play-off rivals Watford.

Manning told BBC Radio Bristol: "I love working with the lads. I'm proud of them.

"I thought the lads were outstanding. I'm delighted to get the three points and so many positive aspects from the performance as well.

"You look at the profile of [Watford], you know it's going to be a really physical tough game and especially as they've got some talented individuals that can change it in a moment.

"You have to manage that by taking care of the ball and I think first-half was excellent as to how we did that. We kept them penned in.

"Second half was one of those where they had a lot of the ball but didn't carry as much threat as we did on the counter. It's that stage of the season where it's about finding a way to win and we did it."

Bristol City host Watford in a game which could have a significant impact on the play-off race on Saturday (15:00 BST).

Liam Manning's men sit eighth but outside the top six on goal difference alone, with fifth-placed Coventry only two points ahead.

A win would take the Robins seven points clear of the ninth-placed Hornets with six games remaining, but defeat would close the gap to just a point in a congested battle for the two final play-off spots.

• Bristol City have won just two of their past 11 league games against Watford (D5 L4), a 2-0 home win in January 2013 and a 4-1 away victory in December 2023.

• Watford are looking to complete a league double over Bristol City for the first time since the 1998-99 campaign.

• Bristol City have won seven of their past nine home league matches (D1 L1) and have only conceded five goals across these games.

• Watford scored fewer goals than any other side in the Championship in March (2), despite having the sixth-most shots of any side (64).

• Only Middlesbrough's Finn Azaz (77) has created more chances in the Championship this season than Watford's Giorgi Chakvetadze (73).

Image source, Rex Features

Bristol City midfielder Mark Sykes insists the Robins are desperate to have something to play for at the end of the season as they continue their chase for a play-off place.

The eighth-placed Robins are level on points with West Bromwich Albion in sixth and two points behind Coventry in fifth, despite last weekend's loss at Burnley.

They take on Watford on Saturday - a club one place and four points below them - in their first of seven games remaining.

"We've given ourselves a right chance of being up there in the mix with seven to go, of course we're allowed to be excited," Sykes told BBC Radio Bristol.

"That's what we play football for to be in amongst it. We don't want to, come the end of the season or with a few games left, not be playing for anything, so we've got to put things right this weekend and I think we're in a good position to do so."

Sykes, whose contract with the club was extended through to the end of 2026 in February, joined Bristol City in 2022.

"There's been a few mid-table finishes since I've signed, this year's a bit different but that's a good thing," Sykes said.

"We want to be up there - the tough games are coming, but we've got to beat the teams around us definitely and see where we end up."

Gary Owers
Former Bristol City player and BBC Radio Bristol summariser

Image source, Rex Features

City dug in there against Burnley and had one or two outstanding individuals at the back - Rob Dickie in particular. They were brave, they got important blocks in, they got interceptions in.

There will be an element of disappointment because when the goal came, it was a set play. But at the top end of the pitch - and there's no shame because Burnley are watertight at the back, we know that - they didn't really cause too many problems.

They've just come up against a really good team. If you say, 'is there a gap between where City currently are and the top of the division in Leeds, Sheffield United and Burnley?' there probably is.

Those three teams are going to fight it out for the top two positions and hopefully City haven't picked up any injuries and can look forward to two home games - against Watford and West Brom - at Ashton Gate.

It's a very winnable game next [against Watford] but you can't take anything for granted. Middlesbrough turned that result around against Oxford and they will chase Coventry and West Brom in the positions that we're trying to be in ourselves.

Lots of twists and turns to come. Hopefully we can recover after defeat and get back to winning ways as quickly as possible.

David Pottier
Forever Bristol City Podcast

Image source, Rex Features

City's unbeaten run of seven games came to an end and Burnley extended theirs to 26 matches. The scoreline had a predictable element with the Clarets' opponents scoring '0' for the 28th time in 39 league games!

Burnley were better than City, there is no argument about that, but for all their intricate passing and pressing, they only had one goal to show for it and Max O'Leary did not have a busy afternoon.

When you are 1-0 down, you are very much still in the game but it would have been seen as an unexpected point had Yu Hirakawa's snapshot found the net with seconds remaining.

City's travelling fans have a right to feel disappointed as at no time during the game did they go for it. Even Liam Manning said aspects of the team's play was "sloppy" and too many of the players had flat rather than outright poor performances.

Apart from Middlesbrough getting three points against Oxford to leapfrog City, the results left the table very much in an 'as you were' status.

Fifth and sixth is being fought over by four clubs: Coventry, Middlesbrough, West Brom and City.

The outcome is still in the Robins' hands right now but come 10pm on Tuesday, 8 April, the picture will be a lot clearer as by then City will have entertained Watford and then WestBrom at Ashton Gate. Anything less than four points from those games and City will then be relying on other clubs dropping points as well as getting at least another 10 of their own from the five matches remaining.

You can hear more from David Pottier on the fans podcast Forever Bristol City, external.

Image source, Rex Features

Bristol City boss Liam Manning was frustrated by his side's display in the 1-0 defeat against high-flying Burnley at Turf Moor, but praised their battling qualities.

Manning told BBC Radio Bristol: "You want to test yourself against a good team.

"I am proud of the lads for fighting to the end. The group have been terrific at that this season.

"Burnley are a very good side with great depth, but I know we are capable of playing better so that's why there is frustration there.

"We blocked shots, put our bodies on the line and kept going to the end but we were a sloppy at times and a bit careless with the ball.

"They created a lot of chances. As the games goes on, you think 'can we nick a point here', but it wasn't to be."

Image source, Getty Images

Bristol City have to "take confidence" from their draw at Sheffield United when they visit Burnley on Saturday, says boss Liam Manning.

The Robins scored a 90th-minute equaliser to draw 1-1 with the second-placed Blades the week before the international break.

The Clarets, who are third, have the best defensive record in the Championship and are also the only team to have not lost at home this campaign, having only conceded five goals at Turf Moor.

"You look at their defensive record especially but even some of their attacking stuff, I think it's excellent," Manning told BBC Radio Bristol of Saturday's opposition.

"Everybody knows how difficult they are to play against. But we were saying that a few weeks ago against Sheffield United so we have to take confidence from that, belief from that and go there and 'do us'."

Burnley won 1-0 in the reverse fixture in November and while Manning was full of praise for Clarets manager Scott Parker, he said his side should not be "fearful".

"[It will be a] tough game, one we should face head on and definitely not be fearful of, it's one that we should relish," he said.

Both Burnley and Bristol City will be looking to cross their respective lines when they meet on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

For the Clarets, they are are eyeing a spot in the automatic promotion places. Just two points separating them and the two teams (Leeds and Sheffield United) above them.

Whereas for the Robins, they are even closer to a place in the top six. Seventh placed Bristol City are level on points with sixth placed West Bromwich Albion and two away from fifth placed Coventry City.

Both in form, both with a big potential prize on the line.

• Burnley have won each of their last seven league games against Bristol City, winning those by a combined aggregate scoreline of 18-7.

• Bristol City have failed to win any of their last six away league games against Burnley (D2 L4), since a 1-0 victory at Turf Moor in December 2007.

• Burnley are unbeaten across their last 25 league games (W15 D10), the Clarets' longest victory without defeat since a 30-match stint between September 1920 and March 1921.

• Bristol City are unbeaten across their last five away league games (W1 D4), last enjoying a longer run without defeat on the road between November 2022 and February 2023 (six games).

• Bristol City have hit the woodwork 14 times in the Championship this season; only Norwich City (15) have done so on more occasions.