Bristol City 4-1 Blackburn: Robins come from behind to seal emphatic win

Bristol City moved into the Sky Bet Championship play-off zone by coming from behind to beat Blackburn 4-1 at Ashton Gate.

The visitors took a 13th-minute lead in bizarre circumstances as City allowed a low, inswinging Charlie Mulgrew corner to enter their net unaided, with goalkeeper Niki Maenpaa flat-footed and no one defending the near post.

But Lee Johnson’s men were level at half-time thanks to Josh Brownhill’s effort and they turned things round in the second half with further goals from Marley Watkins, Famara Diedhiou and Marlon Pack.

Blackburn had goalkeeper David Raya to thank for not falling behind early on. He parried a fierce Jack Hunt drive and did even better to get a hand to Andreas Weimann’s close-range shot from a Niclas Eliasson cross.

Brownhill curled a shot wide but Mulgrew’s goal had an effect on both teams and it was Blackburn who started to look more dangerous.

They almost went two up on 26 minutes when Kasey Palmer volleyed against the woodwork following indecision between City left-back Lloyd Kelly and Maenpaa.

Elliott Bennett sent a low shot wide following a fast break and Adam Armstrong had a shot blocked by Tomas Kalas as the home side started to surrender possession in dangerous areas.

However, the hosts were level on 38 minutes when Brownhill found the top corner with a sweet right-footed free-kick from a central position just outside the box, awarded after Ryan Nyambe fouled Matt Taylor.

Blackburn nearly regained the lead within a couple of minutes, Maenpaa saving well from Armstrong. City defender Adam Webster appeared to be fouled in the build-up and head coach Johnson was shown a yellow card by referee David Webb for his protests.

The hosts began the second half in the same fashion as the first and Raya had to produce another fine save to keep out a shot from Taylor, whose moment of inspiration then allowed Watkins to make it 2-1.

Taylor chested an Eliasson cross into the path of the Wales international, who had time and space to shoot past Raya from 10 yards.

Johnson made a double change on 66 minutes, introducing Diedhiou and Callum O’Dowda for Watkins and the excellent Taylor.

Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray had used three substitutes by the 72nd minute – but it was City who finished stronger.

Diedhiou netted the third goal with a low drive in the 73rd minute. Fed by Weimann on the break, City’s club record signing – making his first appearance of the season following a six-match ban – scored with the aid of a slight deflection.

Captain Pack rounded off a sparkling second-half display, heading home from eight yards with eight minutes left after a cross from the right had been flicked on.

The managers

Lee Johnson: "It wasn't the perfect performance because we conceded a really strange goal. But this is a new group of players getting to know one another's game, which might explain it. We are still a work in progress, but we have more depth in certain positions thanks to new players being brought in.

"I particularly wanted to address the back-line because my teams will always score goals. In Tomas Kalas, we have brought in a real warrior."

Tony Mowbray: "I thought the result was cruel. If we had been three up at half-time it would have been no more than we deserved. After going in front, we had a one-on-one with the goalkeeper and hit the woodwork. It was a very frustrated dressing room at the interval with the score 1-1 because they had not done a lot to be level.

"We set out to entertain. I have never parked the bus as a manager and we will continue to be positive and attack when we can."

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