Bristol City 2-0 Nottingham Forest: Aaron Wilbraham double sinks Forest

Veteran striker Aaron Wilbraham netted two early goals to lift Bristol City off the bottom of the Championship table with a 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest at Ashton Gate.

And but for an outstanding second-half display from Forest goalkeeper Dorus de Vries, the hosts would have marked their first home win of the season with a more emphatic scoreline.

City poured forward from the start and took a fourth-minute lead when new loan signing Elliott Bennett saw his right-wing cross flicked on by Jonathan Kodjia for Wilbraham to sidefoot home at the far post with the aid of a deflection.

The 35-year-old frontman was celebrating again seven minutes later after rising powerfully to head home a Derrick Williams cross from the left.

Wilbraham had been preferred to another new loan recruit, Simon Cox, up front and it proved an inspired decision by boss Steve Cotterill, in charge of City for the 100th time.

Forest almost replied on 17 minutes when a Jack Hobbs header from Henri Lansbury's corner brought a brilliant save from Frank Fielding.

But it was a rare first-half threat from the visitors. Luke Freeman's shot from long range was inches wide and Kodjia had a volley deflected for a corner as City continued to look the more dangerous side.

Kodjia's direct running often had the visitors in trouble, while Freeman and Korey Smith were energetic forces for the hosts in midfield.

Forest's attack lacked a quality final ball and most of their first-half efforts came from distance. Lansbury failed to trouble Fielding from 30 yards, but the visitors were gaining a greater share of possession as half-time approached.

Forest began the second half brightly, with Daniel Pinillos and Lansbury shooting wide from outside the box. City had a narrower escape on 57 minutes when a poor clearance fell to the impressive Lansbury, whose volley from the edge of the box hit the angle of post and crossbar.

Wilbraham went close to a hat-trick when volleying over on 65 minutes. At the other end Forest substitute Jamie Ward saw his angled drive pushed wide of his near post by Fielding.

De Vries kept the visitors in the game with outstanding saves from Kodjia, Luke Ayling and Wilbraham twice as City looked to press home their advantage. The home fans cheered their team to victory in the dying minutes and gave them a standing ovation at the end.

"We never deserved to be bottom of the table because we have played like that in other games this season and been punished for errors," Cotterill said after the game.

"Looking at the table over the last fortnight has made us angry, rather than despondent, and tonight brought the reaction I expected.

"It was a really good team performance. I have a great group of lads who give everything and enjoy the way we play, but we are still adapting to Championship football."

Nottingham Forest boss Freedman admitted: "We lost the game in the first 11 minutes. There is no way I can defend the way we played in the early part of the game.

"City were sharper and picked up a lot of second balls, which was the key. I was proud of my players in the second half and once we got our passing together we should have had at least a goal.

"But our decision making in the final third is not good at the moment. I credit City's players for getting a lot of blocks, but we should have had something to show for our efforts.

"You can get emotional and start throwing the tea cups at half-time, but I don't believe in that.

"The positive was that they didn't throw the towel in and with a bit of fortune might have got back into it."