Bristol City 1-2 Coventry City: Player ratings, MOTM, heroes & villains as Robins are hit by late counter
Bristol City were caught by a late Coventry City sucker punch at Ashton Gate on Tuesday evening, with the Robins losing 1-2 with just seconds of regulation time left.
It was a cruel ending for the home side who had put in a forceful second half to take the game to opposition, who in turn had dominated the first period and deservedly taken the lead through Chelsea loan star Ian Maatsen on 25 minutes.
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Hide AdThe Robins rallied at the break and equalised on 62 minutes when Andi Weimann headed across goal for Chris Martin to net at the far post for his ninth goal of the season.
As the home side pushed on and created chances, it was the Sky Blues who nicked it at the death, against the run of play: the irrepressible Gustav Hamer carried forward and played in Viktor Gyokeres for a low finish and the three points on offer.
Tale of the game
With Alex Scott inheriting the “front sweeper” role of Joe Williams the game before (with Ayman Benarous coming in to the side), it took seven minutes for the first attack of note: Benarous winning the ball in midfield with his pace before Weimann eventually crossed low, with Dominic Hyam conceding a corner.
The game was end-to-end, with the travelling Coventry contingent in fine voice and going through their repertoire.
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Hide AdIn the 15th minute Weimann almost silenced them as he flung himself at an arcing Scott outswinging free-kick, before Massengo let fly with a daisy-cutter from the edge of the box.
But after some fancy Dasilva footwork, the hosts opened the scoring.
A diagonal pass from Hamer cut open the City rearguard and on-loan Chelsea utility man Maatsen neatly volleyed into the corner of the goal. Straight after, Gyokeres was in on goal to drag wide of the far post, before a timely Scott challenge stopped the Swede converting from a narrow angle minutes later.
The Sky Blues were in the ascendency and penning the home side in, as City were failing to get Semenyo into the game until Kane’s dreadful back pass played the Bristol City man down the home side’s left channel. Semenyo shot wide.
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Hide AdO’Hare was booked for dragging back Massengo but McFadzean was handling City’s no.18 well and, with the Bell experiment not working well on this occasion, the Robins were failing to penetrate.
A Semenyo penalty appeal was turned down after the break before the former SGS College striker smashed the cross bar as he rose to meet Scott’s free-kick, this time in front of the South Stand.
City were beginning to force back the Midlanders and Massengo drove at goal but without success.
That spurred Coventry into life as O’Hare ran through three challenges to find space in the box for Bentley to pull off a big stop and Dasilva to complete the evacuation.
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Hide AdSemenyo and Dominic Hyam were booked for a coming together by the Dolman Stand before the hour mark and the Robins were slowly turning the screw.
When a deep cross found Andi Weimann in space in the 62nd minute, the reward came. The Austrian intelligently headed across goal for Martin to head in from a few yards out with Ashton Gate rocking and parity restored.
City were now laying siege to the Coventry goal as Weimann volleyed a Semenyo cross skyward with 20 minutes to go before Benarous let fly high into the South Stand.
Coventry weren’t done however, and Hyam headed a corner against the post before Maatsen shot from the edge of the box, drawing a great reflex save from the excellent Dan Bentley.
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Hide AdAnd after Martin was unable to lift Semenyo’s through-ball over Moore inside the box with four minutes to go, the visitors took advantage.
A lightning break from midfield saw the outstanding Hamer carry towards goal before he released Gyokeres to slip the ball under the advancing Bentley with just a minute left. A cruel suckerpunch for City who had played very well in the second period.
Another late goal conceded - a 16th in the final 15 minutes of games - but plenty to savour from a Bristol City perspective, as a younger midfield than the average age of the side that played in the U23s game earlier in the day showed such promise.
Heroes
Jay Dasilva: The left-back showcased his technical skills to help City get forward in the first 20 minutes but the West Country outfit couldn’t take advantage of his promptings.
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Hide AdChris Martin: The City no.9 was in the right place to head home Weimann’s eighth assist of the season, and help the Robins capitalise on a good spell of control after the break. Just couldn’t convert Semenyo’s through ball on 86 minutes, with Moore rushing from his line, which may have changed the course of the game.
Gustavo Hamer: Finished with two assist as he fed 19-year-old Maatsen for a smart low drive into the corner, before running at goal and setting up Gyokeres for the winning goal in the final seconds of normal time.
Villains
Kyle McFadzean: The veteran centre-back managed to neutralise the physicality that Antoine Semenyo brings in attack, and the Robins were blunted for much of the game as a result.
Viktor Gyokeres: Both here and villain! The Coventry City forward appeared to catch Alex Scott with an errant hack at the ball with the ‘Guernsey Grealish’ on the floor in the first half.
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Hide AdReferee Dean Whitestone: Denied what looked like a penalty as Scott was upended in front of the South Stand with 10 minutes to go.
Player ratings
Bristol City (4-1-2-1-2): Bentley 6; Dasilva 7, Klose 7, Kalas 6, Bell 5 (Pring n/a, 76’); Scott 7, Massengo 6, Benarous 5 (Williams n/a, 76’); Weimann 6, Semenyo 6, Martin 8
Coventry City (3-4-2-1): Moore 7; Clarke-Salter 6, McFadzean 7, Hyam 7; Bidwell 6, Allen 6, Hamer 8, Kane 7 (Dabo n/a, 82’); O’Hare 7, Maatsen 7 (Shipley n/a, 82’); Gyokeres 8
Man of the match
Gustavo Hamer for the 1,832 away fans. Chris Martin for the 19,192 home supporters.
What’s next
Bristol City head up to Nottingham Forest, and Coventry City host Preston.
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