Report: Bristol City 2-1 Rovers

A deflected strike from substitute Nahki Wells was the difference as Rovers suffered their third successive defeat and leave Ashton Gate empty-handed following a 2-1 defeat in the south-west.

Wells found the net for the 10th time against Rovers in his career, with his effort taking a deflection off Danny Batth before finding the back of the net with just 14 minutes left to ensure the Robins continued their fine recent league record on home soil.

Rovers certainly had their spells in the contest before and after Wells’ winner and were deserving of at least a point they had when Bristol City old boy Andi Weimann equalised just before half time.

The Austrian poached to score from a few yards out after Makhtar Gueye’s header bounced against the post and back into his path, which allowed him to level after Scott Twine’s early opener.

The boss made four alterations to the team at Ashton Gate, with ex-Robin Weimann starting against his old employers.

The 33-year-old joined Aynsley Pears, Dion Sanderson and Adam Forshaw in earning starting berths, with the quartet coming in for Joe Rankin-Costello, Balazs Toth, Owen Beck and the injured Todd Cantwell.

Rovers worked an opportunity with only eight minutes on the clock when Tyrhys Dolan skipped beyond Luke McNally and burst into the box, only to blaze over the upright from close range when opting for power over placement.

Rovers were made to pay at the other end a few minutes later when ex-Burnley man Twine curled home a free kick from 20 yards out after Batth brought down Sinclair Armstrong on the edge of the box.

The attacking midfielder stepped up confidently and found the bottom corner with his right-footed strike which went over the wall and found the net despite Pears getting a right glove on the attempt.

The goal gave Twine a lift and after another free kick cannoned into the wall, the City No.10 then thumped a couple of yards wide of Pears’ right-hand post soon after as he went in search of his and his side’s second goal of the afternoon.

There were five minutes of the first half remaining when Rovers found an equaliser, with Weimann coming back to haunt his hold employers with a tap-in from close range.

Dolan’s excellent cross from the right gave Gueye something to get on the end of, with the Senegalese rising to head against the post, with Weimann waiting to pounce on the rebound to level things up from inside the six-yard box.

However, City almost regained the advantage a couple of minutes later when an error from Dom Hyam allowed Anis Mehmeti to take a touch and strike towards goal from inside the box. Fortunately for the Scot, Pears was there to save his team-mate’s blushes, rushing out to get a vital block on the Albanian international’s effort before Hyam got back on the line to stop the lively Armstrong from nodding home as the teams went in all square.

Although the second period took a little while to get going, a key moment came just after the hour mark when Callum Brittain brilliantly got back to hack a Wells effort off the line.

The Bermudan, on as a substitute just moments before, pulled Max Bird’s pass down from the sky and was in behind with just Pears to beat. The Rovers stopper came racing out to rush the striker, who lifted it over the goalkeeper, but Brittain charged back to ensure his efforts were rewarded by hacking off the line and preventing a certain goal.

However, there was nothing that Brittain or anyone else on the visiting team could do with his next chance as Wells gave the Robins the lead for the second time in the contest with 14 minutes remaining.

Good movement from the forward saw him dart and latch onto a pass forward, with his left-footed attempt taking a deflection off the sliding Batth and going to the right of Pears as the goalkeeper dived to his left, expecting the shot to go across goal.

Twine then looked to kill off any hopes of a Rovers fightback with eight minutes left, but his curling strike was held well by Pears to ensure the door remained ajar for Rovers to take something back north with them.

A late chance came with four minutes remaining when lovely footwork from the excellent Brittain saw the right-back play in substitute Amario Cozier-Duberry, who took on and beat Haydon Roberts before delivering a cross that was headed towards goal by Gueye, but it lacked the power needed and was comfortable for Max O’Leary to hold.

Rovers came close again soon after, this time it was the falling Harry Leonard who was falling as he attempted to poke towards goal, with O’Leary once again holding on tightly in the final action of what turned out to be a frustrating day for Eustace’s charges.

Rovers are next in action on Friday night when Preston North End make the trip to Ewood Park in our final Lancashire derby of the season, kick-off 8pm.

Attendance: 20,945.