Bristol City 2-1 Reading: player ratings, MOTM, heroes & villains as Robins hold on to beat the Royals

Bristol City edged past Reading to record a sixth home win of the Championship season, with a 2-1 victory at Ashton Gate on Wednesday evening.

Nigel Pearson was announced as missing the game due to a ‘scheduled routine medical procedure’ before the match, but in his stead assistant manager Curtis Fleming oversaw victory in BS3.

The Robins were coming off three games on the road, as an Antoine Semenyo goal and a Michael Morrison own-goal either side of the break saw the side in red home.

Substitute John Swift had netted from the spot in the second half to reduce the arrears but despite Reading asserting late pressure, City held on.

Reading had lost six of their last seven fixtures, made four changes and offered two debuts (to Hein and Ince) and pushed to the final seconds of the match to steal something late from their trip down the M4.

But it was not to be as City saw the game out, weathering late attacks from Veljko Paunovic’s men, unlike so often this campaign.

Tale of the game

With either side out of form, a cagey opening played out, with both goalkeepers dashing from their lines to cause alarm but put the South Stand in fine voice.

Massengo almost won the ball in a dangerous area in the first 10 minutes, before a poor Klose pass led to Reading breaking and Dele Bashiru’s deflected shot was inches away from giving the visitors the lead.

After 17 minutes the Frenchman was withdrawn for Joe Williams, however, after an early knock was sustained stopping the previous Royals counter-attack.

Semenyo shot into the side netting on 20 minutes before drawing a yellow from Holmes with an adroit turn 30 yards from goal and City were improving after a slow start.

Kalas was then booked after 30 minutes for leaving a late foot on Lucas Joao. It looked a mite harsh as the Portuguese forward was soon back on his feet while referee Oliver Langford was not in his best form.

In the 35th minute Dasilva shot low as Hein parried before Weimann headed an arcing Pring cross over the bar following a period of Royal possession and territory.

With 90 seconds left before the break, City snatched the lead as Semenyo grabbed his fifth goal of the season: Pring burst past two players and fed Weimann whose initial shot was saved - with an improvised pass to his fellow forward enabling the easy task of slotting in first-time.

City up at the break and further ahead a few minutes after the restart. Scott flicked the ball infield into the run of Martin who played across to Semenyo, who delayed the pass out to the overlapping Pring, in a manner the Bristol Bears would be proud of.

Pring’s excellent low cross was turned in at the near post by Morrison, though Scott was alert and on the scene and may have finished if it were not an own goal, with 47 minutes played.

The South Stand were jubilant and eight minutes later Kalas was threatening from a corner after Semenyo had rampaged into the box, smashing low at goal before Williams unleashed a good whipped volley at goal, blocked at the last.

Dele-Bashiru shot over the bar, Weimann flashed across goal and Dasilva ran at goal as the Robins had found their groove.

Sub Swift shot from range but O’Leary collected (after Vyner squandered the ball) and Semenyo volled the ball against the post with 25 minutes to go, as City looked to kill off the game.

Dasilva was booked and all was going smoothly until Klose was penalised for a foul on Ince inside the area after some dreadful defending from the home side. Swift made no mistake from the penalty spot, and another nervy ending for the home side.

A frantic moment with 10 minutes left saw Reading have sights of goal but unable to convert as City survived another late penalty shout and more pressure from the men from Berkshire.

O’Dowda was subbed off late with a late injury as Robbie Cundy offered some extra height, as the home side stood tall and saw out this nip-and-tuck encounter that should all but see City achieve Championship safety for the campaign, at the least.

Heroes

Joe Williams: The all-action central midfielder came on after 17 minutes and snapped into plenty of tackles. His extensive passing palette saw clever balls brushed out to either flank to keep City rolling forward.

Timm Klose: The Swiss defender made his home debut at Ashton Gate and showed several classy touches, as well as winning plenty of duels both in the air and down his left flank.

Antoine Semenyo: Another terrific attacking display to show why plenty of clubs are chasing the 22-year-old. A simple finish from Weimann’s pass in the first half, and whacked the post with a volley in the second.

Villains

Lucas Joao: The Reading forward let out a yelp to make the most of a fall that saw Kalas booked in the first half. The Portuguese striker has been a thorn in the side of the Robins before, and with fellow pain Tom Ince, the pair pushed City all the way in this Championship contest.

Han-Noah Massengo: Not a villain by any means, just unlucky to pick up an early knock as the 20-year-old has been in great form recently. Picked up a knock after 10 minutes, soldiered on before being replaced by Williams after a quarter of an hour.

Referee Oliver Langford: The official began the game in overly pernickety fashion and stopped the game from flowing. Thankfully he improved after half an hour as he warmed up, but then gave a soft penalty to the visitors with 20 minutes to play.

Player ratings

Bristol City (3-4-1-2): Max O’Leary 6, Zak Vyner 7, Tomas Kalas 8, Timm Klose 8; Jay Dasilva 8, Alex Scott 8, Han-Noah Massengo 6 (Joe Williams 8, 17’), Cam Pring 6 (Callum O’Dowda 5, 67’; Robbie Cundy n/a, 86’); Andreas Weimann 7; Antoine Semenyo 7, Chris Martin 6

Reading (4-2-3-1): Karl Hein 6; Andy Yiadom 6, Tom Holmes 6, Michael Morrison 6, Baba Rahman 6; Andy Rinomhota 7 (Danny Drinkwater 6, 67’), Josh Laurent 6; Tom Ince 7, Tom Dele-Bashiru 6 (John Swift 6 60’), Junior Hoilett 7; Lucas Joao 6

Man of the match

Alex Scott: Another top showing from City’s young playmaker in the middle who was close to scoring and instrumental in the scoring of the second goal.

What’s next?

Bristol City head to Swansea on Sunday, while the Royals host Coventry on the weekend.