Tale of the match: Mehmeti and Knight lead Bristol City fightback against Hull City
Bristol City came from 2-1 down to defeat EFL Championship rivals Hull City 3-2 at Ashton Gate on Friday night.
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Hide AdTommy Conway gave the hosts an early lead from the penalty spot before Aaron Connolly and Ozan Tufan gave Hull a half-time lead.
The Robins rallied in the second half and Anis Mehmeti and Jason Knight completed City's fightback as they ran out narrow winners.
The result moves Liam Manning's side into the top half, just four points off the play-off places.
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Hide AdThe Tigers enjoyed the lion’s share of possession in the early stages and looked to craft openings through Liam Delap on the right wing.
However, the hosts soon began to assert themselves and prevent Hull from playing out from the back with any ease.
Mehmeti and Cam Pring linked up well on the left flank as the latter’s cross eventually found Knight, whose dangerous effort was gathered by Ryan Allsop.
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Hide AdLiam Rosenior’s side though were quick to remind the Robins of their threat. A long pass from Jean Michael Seri set Connolly free, and it took a brilliant last-ditch tackle from Zak Vyner to deny the forward from opening the scoring.
The visitors were made to rue the missed opportunity when they conceded a penalty before the half-hour mark.
George Tanner’s cross was flicked goalward by Conway, but only onto the outstretched arm of Jacob Greaves.
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Hide AdConway stepped up and calmly sent Allsop the wrong way to net a spot kick for the second game in a row.
After the goal, Hull came back into the game and went close through Delap and Tufan before they levelled the scoring in the 33rd minute.
Connolly picked the ball up on the edge of the area and was allowed too much space to make a yard and get a curling effort away which flew past Max O’Leary.
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Hide AdFive minutes before the break, Hull notched a second. Pring was adjudged to have brought down Greaves in the area, despite there seemingly being minimal contact.
But the referee pointed to the spot, and Tufan stepped up and slotted down the middle of O’Leary’s net for 2-1.
The Robins struggled to set the tone at the start of the second period as the pace and flow of the game dropped.
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Hide AdVyner made a good block from Connolly’s overhead kick attempt and Tufan headed wide from a corner as Hull went in search of a third goal to kill the game off.
As the clock ticked down, the match appeared to be drifting away from the Robins, but Mehmeti had something to say about that.
The Albanian twisted and turned on the edge of the area and fired a low effort at goal, which curled around the outstretched Allsop and into the bottom corner.
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Hide AdMehmeti’s goal sparked the hosts into life, and in the 84th minute, Knight put his side back in front.
The midfielder picked the ball up 18 yards from goal and fired a shot at goal which deflected off Alfie Jones and past Matt Ingram in the Hull goal.
The visitors pressed for a late equaliser but the Robins held firm to make it consecutive home wins.
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