Rovers succumbed to their first defeat of the season after Bristol City ran rampant at Ashton Gate, as Lee Johnson’s side did well to turn the game on its head, after Rovers took the lead inside the opening 15 minutes of the game.
With the game delayed until 1:30pm on Sunday, Rovers boss Tony Mowbray spoke on Friday, about how he was expecting a tough game from Bristol City and how he didn’t expect his side, despite their good start to the season, to go to Ashton Gate and dominate the ball.
The starting 11 who were tasked with the challenge of trying to get 3 points down in the west country, saw 2 changes to the side that scraped past Brentford last week, as Adam Armstrong and Danny Graham were brought into the side, in-place of Joe Nuttall and Joe Rothwell, both of whom, had to settle for a place on the bench. Additionally, new signings Harrison Reed and Ben Brereton were also given places on the Rovers bench, as Tony Mowbray looked to bleed them into the side.
The game was kicked off by Rovers, who, backed by 1,058 fans, were looking to repay the faith of those who had made the near-200-mile journey down to Bristol, with a victory that would see them move up to 3rd in the table.
Although both sides came into the game on a high, it was the home side who had the first chance of the game, which came through former Derby forward, Andreas Weimann, after only 120 seconds. The Austrian managed to find space in the box before nodding the ball towards goal, in an attempt to give his side an early lead, but thankfully for Rovers, they weren’t punished for their lapse in concentration, as the Austrian headed wide.
On the 9th minute of the game, David Raya was brought into action for the first-time, as Jack Hunt tried his luck from range, which resulted in Raya flapping at the ball, before Rovers’ skipper, Charlie Mulgrew cleared the ball behind for a corner, which came to nothing.
The hosts’ early pressure continued as Weimann forced Raya into another save on the 11th minute, after the Austrian broke free of Rovers’ backline and found himself through on goal. With Weimann and Raya facing off, it was looking almost certain, that the hosts would take the lead, however David Raya had other ideas, as he did well to rush out, off his line and deny Weimann with a good save.
From Raya’s save, Rovers countered, as Adam Armstrong’s shot, was deflected behind for a corner, which led to the opening goal of the game. Charlie Mulgrew, who stepped up for his usual corner-taking duties, whipped in a vicious, curling ball towards the front-post that deceived everybody in red, before ending up in the back of the net, as Rovers went 1-0 up after only 14 minutes played.
From the goal, Rovers looked to be in the ascendency, as they dominated possession of the ball and created chances right up until the stroke of half-time. On the 26th minute, Kasey Palmer nearly put the Blues 2-0 up, but was denied by the woodwork from close range. As Amari’i Bell headed the ball into the area from out wide, the ball bounced and landed at the feet of Palmer, who had drifted centrally for the move. Despite evading a Bristol City challenge, Palmer saw himself 1-on-1 with City ‘keeper, Niki Mäenpää, before the Chelsea loanee side-footed the ball towards goal. Although his hard-work deserved the finish, Palmer’s strike cannoned back off the woodwork, before being cleared.
6 minutes after Palmer’s effort at goal, Elliott Bennett tried his luck, after a good Rovers counter-attack, saw the midfielder shoot from range. Although Bennett did well to initially dribble the ball out of Rovers’ half and towards the Bristol City box, his effort was one that won’t be remembered by himself, or any of the Rovers fans, as he dragged the shot wide, despite having considerable time and space to take a different route.
On the 34th minute, and with Rovers still dominating, Corry Evans set Armstrong off on the counter, after the Northern Irish international did well to dispossess the sloppy Bristol City defence. Armstrong, who received a well weighted pass from Evans, then used his pace to get away from the defence, before his eventual shot was again blocked behind for a corner, which, despite Rovers’ good pressure, came to nothing.
Armstrong was soon to rue his missed opportunities, as, on the 38th minute, a clumsy foul by Ryan Nyambe, saw the hosts level the scoring, at 1-1, from the resulting free-kick. Former Preston North End midfielder, Josh Brownhill, opened his account for the season with a lovely effort that deceived David Raya, as the well struck effort flew past the Spaniard, and ended up in the top corner that he was guarding.
With their lead gone, Rovers, from the restart, went up the other end and tried to retake the lead, as Adam Armstrong and Danny Graham combined, before the former’s attempt at goal was well saved by the Finnish international, Mäenpää.
As referee, David Webb, signalled for 2 added minutes at the end of the first-half – after bizarrely booking Bristol City manager, Lee Johnson for what can only be described as descent – nothing more came by way of chances for either side, as, despite Rovers’ dominance throughout the first 45 minutes, they were unable to put the game out of sight, before allowing the home side back into the game, courtesy of Brownhill’s free-kick.
With both sides in their respective dressing rooms for their half-time briefings, there is little doubt that Tony Mowbray would have been fuming at the manner of Bristol City’s equaliser, despite his side being on top for a majority of the opening 45 minutes. Although there was an element of luck behind Mulgrew’s goal, Rovers, over the course of the half, had more than enough chances to enter the break with the scoreline at 2 or 3-1.
Lee Johnson, in contrast, would also, not have been in the best of moods during the break, especially after his name was taken by the referee. Johnson’s players, who had only lost 1 of their opening 5 league games, would have been looking around the dressing room thinking where their solid performances of both, the start of the campaign, and last season, had gone.
As the sides returned for the next 45 minutes of play, it was the hosts who restarted the game at the kick-off, as they looked to build on their positive end to the first-half, in order to try and turn the game on its head.
Whatever Lee Johnson must have said during the interval, clearly worked, as the Robins started the second period with the intent of taking the lead, firmly within their sights, as they registered their first shot of the half, 7 minutes after they had kicked-off. A strong shot by Bristol City’s number 10, Matty Taylor, was the end product of a fine passage of quick passing by the hosts, but luckily for the 1,058 travelling supporters, David Raya was on hand to the deny the former Bristol Rovers man.
Lightening didn’t striker twice for Raya, as 3 minutes after denying Taylor, Marley Watkins put the Robins ahead on the 55th minute, after he scored his first goal for the club. Matty Taylor was again involved in the move, as he teed the ball up for Watkins, after receiving a cross, before Watkins sweetly struck the ball into the back of the net to put his side 2-1 up, as he wheeled away in celebration of his first Robins goal.
Rovers reacted directly after conceding, as Ben Brereton was introduced for his debut, in-place of Danny Graham. With Brereton easing himself into the game, Rovers made a double change, as Ryan Nyambe was withdrawn for Joe Rothwell, which subsequently caused Elliott Bennett to drop in at right-back. The final Rovers switch saw Joe Nuttall introduced in-place of Kasey Palmer.
Simultaneously to Rothwell’s introduction, Lee Johnson made a double change of his own, as he threw on, Callum O’Dowda and Famara Diédhiou for Marley Watkins and Matty Taylor, respectively, in an attempt to try and grab the goal that would kill the game off.
With all of Rovers’ substitutions made, their focus turned purely into an attacking mindset, as they tried to get the goal that would draw them level. Despite that, however, Tony Mowbray’s men left themselves vulnerable at the back, which soon showed, as Bristol City capitalised with a double blow, to make it 3-1, shortly followed by 4-1. The goal to make it 3-1, saw City hit Rovers on the break, as Andreas Weimann combined well with substitute Diédhiou, who increased the Robins’ lead with a smart finish from just inside the area.
Bristol City’s fourth goal, came as a result of Rovers’ poor defending at a corner. After failing to clear their lines, the ball fell out of the box and only got as far as Swedish midfielder, Niclas Eliasson, who sent the ball back, towards the far-post, with a deep cross. His lob was met by the head of the onrushing Marlon Pack, who dispatch a thumping header from close-range, as the scoreboard ticked over to 4-1.
With the hosts capping off a fine second-half performance with a fourth goal, Lee Johnson made his final change of the game as he withdrew Andreas Weimann, who left the pitch to a standing ovation and replaced him with Jamie Paterson.
On the 87th minute, the hosts nearly made it 5-1, as Adam Webster looked to add to the scoreline which would have then thoroughly embarrassed Rovers. A cross into the area, saw the Bristol City centre-back direct a powerful header towards goal, but despite his good positioning in the area, his header lacked the direction to trouble Rovers’ Spaniard between the posts.
The final chance of the game, which came in the 89th minute, fell to Rovers, who were still trying to fight for every ball, despite the frustrating scoreline. A cross in towards Ben Brereton, saw the loanee backheel the ball, in mid-air, towards Joe Nuttall, who narrowly missed the opportunity to poke the ball into the open net, as Tomáš Kalas did well to clear the ball behind for a corner, which came to nothing.
Although referee David Webb added on a further 3 minutes to the end of the game, he soon blew for full-time, as Rovers were put out of their misery, following a shambolic second-half, which saw them go from, being in control of the game, to being well beaten.
On reflection, the first-half that Tony Mowbray’s side played, was a solid one, bar the Brownhill free-kick, as the Blues could have easily entered half-time 2 or 3-1 up, as mentioned previously. Although credit can be given to Tony Mowbray for trying to get back into the game at 2-1 down, there can be an argument that his substitution of Joe Nuttall and his policy of going ‘gung-ho’, came a bit too early, as it then allowed the hosts to pick off Rovers’ defenders and grab the 2 goals they needed to end the contest. Defensively, it can be argued that Rovers weren’t as bad as the scoreline suggests, due to the manner of the goals. Discounting the free-kick, had the scoreline stayed at 1-1, following Pack’s goal, there could have been an argument to say that the third and fourth goals may never have occurred, as Rovers wouldn’t have pushed that high up. Regardless of potential excuses, the Blues now have 2 weeks off to recuperate their thoughts, and relax their bodies, before returning to first team action, after the international break, where we can all hope to see the return of Bradley Dack.
As the unbeaten run comes to an end, so does Rovers’ occupation of the playoff spots, as they now find themselves in 13th place, with 9 points and a -1 goal difference to their name.
With the international break coming up, Rovers don’t return to action until 15th September, where they host Aston Villa at the later 5:30pm kick-off, as it will be shown live on Sky Sports. Following their clash with Villa, Rovers travel to Derby, 3 days later, on the 18th, as Tony Mowbray goes head-to-head with Frank Lampard, with kick-off scheduled for 7:45pm. After travelling to Derby, Rovers stay in the midlands, as they face Stoke City, at 3pm, at the Bet365 Stadium, on Saturday, 22nd September.
