Blackburn Rovers 2-1 Bristol City: Hosts beat Robins to end losing run

Blackburn Rovers survived a second-half fightback from Bristol City to win for the first time in three Championship games and lift some of the gloom around Ewood Park.

Jon Dahl Tomasson’s Rovers were on the back foot for much of the first half but when a chance did come, they converted; a cute round-the-corner pass by Sammie Szmodics found Arnor Sigurdsson and the Iceland international coolly fired past keeper Max O’Leary.

Bristol City had been the better side but only had Tommy Conway’s fierce rising drive to show for it before going behind, and they were two goals down when Scott Wharton buried a header from brother Adam’s corner early in the second half.

Finally, it seemed the Robins had a response in them when Mark Sykes smashed past Leo Wahlstedt after good work from Taylor Gardner-Hickman and Jason Knight.

Former Derby forward Knight entered a personal duel with Rovers keeper Wahlstedt after that and was denied by the German three times as Manning’s side rallied.

At the other end, Sigurdsson failed to match his first-half effort for Rovers as he hit a rising effort, while Szmodics had the ball in the net but was clearly offside.

For Rovers, it was just what boss Tomasson had been seeking from his side, as top scorer Szmodics highlighted his value beyond sticking the ball in the net, showing his overall quality, and they avoided adding a seventh home defeat from 11 games this term.

Manning and Bristol City will rue the fact they failed to take their chances when they were on top, and equally the form of Wahlstedt, who was outstanding.

Blackburn boss Jon Dahl Tomasson told BBC Radio Lancashire:

“They always work hard but we were really digging in today. I’m delighted with the win, it wasn’t our best performance.

“In the first half we turned down the chance to play forward, we weren’t brave enough, Bristol City were defending really well but we should have played more forward.

“We scored an excellent goal, an extremely clinical finish. We spoke at half-time about being brave and started well in the second half. After that we conceded the goal and we got a bit nervous.”

Bristol City boss Liam Manning told BBC Radio Bristol:

“I thought we controlled the game OK, but as the half went on they scored and knocked the wind out of us, and I felt we felt a bit sorry for ourselves for the first time I’ve seen from this group.

“The changes came on and had a positive impact, we looked really strong and showed real fighting belief that we showed in the last 25 minutes that we need to show from the start of games.

“Performance-wise we’ve not necessarily had the results that we should have done, but you can’t carry that emotional hangover and have doubt, you have to have belief, confidence and fighting spirit.”