Bristol City stun Rotherham with last-gasp winner as Championship relegation battle heats up

A last-minute strike from captain Andi Weimann earned Bristol City all three points as they defeated relegation-battling Rotherham United 2-1 at Ashton Gate.

Tommy Conway headed the hosts into the lead after 15 minutes following a brilliant cross from Cam Pring on the left flank. Nigel Pearson’s side missed a glorious chance through Harry Cornick to extend their lead before the break and could’ve been awarded a penalty when Conway went down under Cameron Humphreys’ challenge.

With 25 minutes to play, a defensive error from Zak Vyner saw Jordan Hugill go down under the defender’s challenge and referee Josh Smith pointed to the spot. The ex-West Ham United man made no mistake from the spot as he sent Max O’Leary the wrong way.

City pushed for a late winner and got their wish when Weimann slotted home from close range after Kal Naismith’s initial shot was blocked.

The result sees the Robins remain in 14th, while Rotherham drop a place to 19th as their quest to stay in the Championship continues.

Eager to avenge back-to-back defeats, the Robins started the match positively and could’ve taken the lead within 30 seconds.

Naismith’s lofted pass picked out Sam Bell, who cut inside and looked to bend into the left-hand corner of Viktor Johannson’s goal, but the Swede reacted well to parry.

Despite the early pressure, the Millers’ responded well and threatened to cause problems themselves in their quest for survival.

It was City though who took the lead after 15 minutes. Pring’s whipped-in cross from the left flank was perfectly measured for Conway to power home a diving header into the top corner.

The game then quietened down for a while, as City gained control of proceedings and the visitors offered very little going forward.

Bell was the main source of danger for the home side, and almost turned provider for Cornick to tap home a second goal of the afternoon.

The youngster’s slick play down the left made a yard of space and as he fired low across goal, the ex-Luton forward failed to hit the target from close range.

Late in the half, Conway twisted and turned in the box and looked to have been brought down by Cameron Humphreys, but referee Smith said no penalty.

Rotherham controlled the early parts of the second period but struggled to find any rhythm in the final third.

As Matt Taylor’s side went in desperate search of an equaliser, more space opened up in their defence.

Bell travelled forward and the ball eventually fell to Cornick in the area. The striker did well to sort his feet out and prod the ball to Conway, who took a touch and fired at goal with his left foot.

The effort looked sure to be sailing into the corner, but Johannson spread himself well to divert behind for a corner.

Though the Millers had only recorded one shot on target in the opening 65 minutes, they were handed a golden opportunity to level the score with 25 minutes to play.

Chiedozie Ogbene‘s cross wasn’t dealt with by Vyner, and Hugill retrieved the loose ball. The striker went down under Vyner’s pressure and won Rotherham a spot kick, which he coolly converted into the bottom corner of O’Leary’s goal.

The City players, bench and fans were incensed by the referee’s decision to give a penalty, and Pearson received a yellow card.

The atmosphere inside Ashton Gate grew as City went in search of a winning goal, but it was Rotherham who almost snatched the advantage with five minutes to play. Shane Ferguson fired a powerful left-footed effort towards goal from 25 yards out, and O’Leary was fortunate to hear the effort clip off the post and back into play.

As the match entered additional time, it seemed destined to end level. But, in the 91st-minute skipper Weimann reacted the quickest to prod home from three yards out after Naismith’s initial effort was blocked.

The stadium bounded into celebration as City ended their three-match winless run.