Report: Blackburn Rovers 2-1 Bristol City

A second-half fightback sparked by a triple substitution and a Mark Sykes goal was not enough for City who left Ewood Park empty-handed.

Sykes’ 60^th-minute goal gave the Robins hope of overturning a two-goal home advantage secured by Arnor Sigurdsson in the 36^th minute and Scott Wharton in the 54^th.

The goal came after Head Coach Liam Manning made a 58th-minute triple substitution with Harry Cornick, Taylor Gardner-Hickman and Anis Mehmeti on for Sam Bell, Tommy Conway and Joe Williams.

But despite renewed energy and dominating the last 30 minutes they gave themselves too much to do.

Manning made one change to the XI that started against Huddersfield Town – Cameron Pring replacing Andi Weimann in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

And it was a bright start from the Robins, Conway having a left-footed shot from the edge of the box deflected and collected by Leo Wahlstedt.

City kept the pressure on the hosts, Williams winning the ball back quickly to allow another long-rage effort for Conway which went over, while Sykes cut in and found Knight in the box but his fellow Irishman could not get a shot in.

Blackburn were dangerous in possession and won a free-kick on the edge of the area which former City midfielder Sammie Szmodics curled wide of the far post.

Szmodics turned the provider in the 36^th minute when he turned the ball around the corner for Sigurdsson to nip in and beat Max O’Leary from close range.

Blackburn had their second goal within 10 minutes of half-time, Scott Wharton getting inbetween the markers to head in from a corner.

The triple substitution paid off on the hour-mark with Gardner-Hickman wining ball high up the field and finding Knight, who laid off to Sykes and his shot deflected off Wahlstedt and in.

The huge momentum shift saw City mount wave after wave of attacks, including a turn and low shot from Knight to force Wahlstedt into a save, while the midfielder also got on the end of a cross from Sykes and then headed at the keeper from Cam Pring’s cross.

Mehmeti proved a threat down the left – including a potential penalty shout for a shirt pull – and there was further energy injected with Weimann and Ephraim Yeboah coming on 10 minutes from time.

However, City could not make their late comeback count and Rovers saw the game out.

Team: O’Leary, Tanner, Vyner, Dickie, Pring, Sykes (Yeboah 79), James (C), Williams (Gardner-Hickman 58), Bell (Mehmeti 58), Knight (Weimann), Conway (Cornick 58). Substitutes (not used): Bajic, Knight-Lebel, Meerholz.

Att: 11,092 (336 away).

UP NEXT AT ASHTON GATE – FESTIVE DOUBLE-HEADER WEEKEND

City’s next game is against Sunderland AFC on Saturday, December 16th (3pm) as part of a Festive double-header weekend at Ashton Gate with City Women hosting Chelsea the following day, Sunday, December 17th (2pm).