Bristol City player ratings as ‘needed' 8/10 and 7 6/10s see Robins frustrated in 1-2 Watford loss

Bristol City returned to Ashton Gate on Friday night looking to make another statement in their play-off pursuit, hosting Watford for the second time on home soil this season. The Robins ran riot in the previous meeting, dismantling the Hornets 5-1 in the FA Cup, and were aiming to replicate that authority in a league contest carrying significant weight at the top end of the table.

History has often favoured the hosts in this fixture. Watford have managed just two Championship victories in 11 visits to BS3 and have won only four of their last 32 league meetings at Ashton Gate. The Robins, meanwhile, have found late drama on home turf in recent weeks, most notably when Max Bird’s stunning stoppage-time strike rescued a point against Phil Parkinson’s Wrexham in their bid to break into the play-off places.

However, consistency has proved elusive since that emphatic FA Cup win over the Hornets. The reds have picked up just three victories in their last eight matches, underlining the importance of turning promise into points if they are to extend their season with a play-off run similar to last year’s charge. A defeat at Swansea last weekend was steadied by a midweek win over Blackburn Rovers, restoring belief among the Robins faithful.

With Watford arriving just two points behind them in the table, Gerhard Struber’s side knew a victory under the lights would move them to within one point of the top six and send a timely message in an increasingly congested promotion race.

The City boss made three changes to his side, with Rob Atkinson, Mark Sykes and Sam Morsy making way as Neto Borges, Adam Randell, and Ross McCrorie came into the starting XI with Struber looking to freshen things up for another crucial night under the lights at Ashton Gate.

Meanwhile, newly appointed Hornets boss Edward Still continued his search for a first away victory of the campaign in just his fourth match in the Watford dugout. He made three changes from the side that fell to Ipswich Town in midweek, with Matthew Pollock, Jeremy Petris and Marc Bola dropping out with Jeremy Ngakia, Saba Goglichdze and Edo Kayembe drafted in, the 35 year old hoped for better fortunes than his brother, who tasted a 3-1 defeat at Ashton Gate earlier this season, by claiming three points in BS3.

The evening could hardly have begun better for Still’s side. Inside seven minutes, a surging run from Kayembe split the City defence before he squared unselfishly for leading scorer Luca Kjerrumgaard, who applied a simple finish to hand the visitors an early advantage.

The Robins responded with intent as Tomi Horvat wriggled his way through a crowded Hornets defence before picking out Ross McCrorie at the back post, the Scotsman striking a well-timed volley that forced Egil Selvik into an early save. It was a warning sign, but Watford continued to threaten, particularly from set pieces. Imran Louza, the Hornets’ chief creator, delivered a dangerous ball that found the head of Goglichidze, whose effort rattled the post.

However, Horvat remained at the heart of the Reds’ attacking play, driving forward once more and unleashing a left-footed strike from the edge of the box that again tested Selvik. The Robins’ persistence was eventually rewarded with Adam Randell, who returned to the side with purpose, whipping a pinpoint delivery in from the right and Scott Twine met it with a diving header to bring City level and ignite Ashton Gate.

Watford emerged from the interval with renewed purpose and almost regained the lead inside ten minutes. Louza, again pulling the strings in midfield, shifted the ball out of his feet and unleashed a well-struck effort from the edge of the area, only for Radek Vitek to produce a superb full-stretch save to keep the scores level.

The Hornets continued to press as a clever backheel from Kayembe released Chakvetadze into space, and the Georgian drilled a fierce ball across the face of goal. However, the delivery carried too much pace for Nestroy Irankunda, who could only blaze his attempt high over the crossbar with Vitek scrambling across his line.

Watford’s pressure eventually told just before the 80-minute mark, with Kayembe once again central to City’s problems. The midfielder burst forward on another driving run before picking out Jeremy Ngakia on the edge of the box. With time and space to set himself, the full-back unleashed a thunderous right-footed strike that flew beyond Vitek and into the corner, leaving the City goalkeeper with little chance as the Hornets snatched a late lead in the South West.

The hosts nearly hit back immediately when Ross McCrorie found himself with a golden opportunity to restore parity, but the Scotsman could only drag his effort high and wide, failing to truly test the Hornets’ number one and leaving him visibly frustrated as the chance slipped away. Deep into stoppage time, substitute Bird almost produced another moment of late drama, rising highest in the box in an attempt to recreate his last-gasp heroics against Wrexham. However, his header was well kept out by Selvik, leaving Ashton Gate groaning as the chance to snatch a point slipped away.

This unfortunate defeat see’s Struber’s side sat four points adrift of the play-off spots with the rest of the weekend’s fixtures still to play, but City have an opportunity to put their focus elsewhere with a trip to Port Vale next on the cards in the FA Cup, and a victory would see themselves host Premier League outfit, Sunderland in the next round.

PLAYER RATINGS

Radek Vitek (GK): No surprises, the Manchester United loanee was in between sticks for the 30th time in the championship this season. Not much the keeper could’ve done about either goal tonight, with the first being from close range, and he didn’t have enough time to react, and the second was a stunner from Ngakia that any keeper would’ve struggled to keep out. 7

Ross McCrorie: The one-time Scottish international returned from a concussion to take his place back in the Bristol City starting line-up after missing three games. Started on the left and ended up on the right is a game plan that McCrorie has had to deal with a lot over the last year. He had a great opportunity to make the score 2-2 not long after Watford had gone ahead for the second time, but his shot was scuffed and wide. 6.5

George Tanner: After devastating injuries to both Rob Dickie and Rob Atkinson, it means that Tanner has even more of a crucial role to play in the back three. Gerhard Struber is now relying on Tanner to stay for the rest of the season due to the pace he brings to that right centre-half role to deny quick wingers getting in behind. Tonight, he had to deal with Chakvetadze, who isn’t known for his pace but more for the technical ability he brings, and Tanner did struggle with that at times tonight. 6.5

Noah Elie: Bristol City’s new Swede in defence made his opening bow in front of the Ashton Gate crowd and backed up his solid two away performances with a ok one tonight. As the only fit central defender at the club for probably the rest of the season it means that Elie has an important role at Ashton Gate after being at the club for less than a month. Elie clearly has potential, and there was nothing really off about his performance, but there was nothing amazing about it either. 7.5

Neto Borges: The Brazilian was one of three changes as he replaced the injured Atkinson on the left side of the back five. Could have possibly done more for the first goal, as he let the goalscorer, Kjerrumgaard, get goal side of him and have space for the finish. Apart from that, it was a quiet game from Borges and one he will look to improve on next time around. 6

Mark Sykes: The Irishman made a rare back-to-back start this season in the right wing-back role. It was a mixed performance from Sykes tonight as there were quite a few near moments from the Irishman, and his overall wing-back play was ok, but Struber and City fans might expect more from Sykes. 6

Adam Randell: After not starting against Blackburn, which was the first time this season that he had not started a championship game, Randell returned to the starting lineup. His first-half impact was much needed as he delivered a cracking cross to assist Twine and grab his third assist of the season. 8

Jason Knight (C): The skipper knows he has five games after tonight to make an impression on Irish manager Heimar Halgrimsson and his staff to try and get in the squad for the boys in green for their critical World Cup qualifying games in late March. Tonight was a decent performance by Knight, but there wasn’t a worldly special about his time on the pitch tonight. 7

Double Figures

Scott Twine: Twine made it two goals in as many games with his first-half effort after he got on the end of Adam Randell’s cross to make it all level, and it meant he went into double figures for the season. However, apart from the goal, it was a quiet 60-minute cameo from Twine but he will be happy to have double figures in the goal category. 8.5

Tomi Horvat: Second start at Ashton Gate for the deadline day signing from Sturm Graz, but it wasn’t as explosive as he was against Wrexham. He had chances and good moments tonight; however, sometimes the final pass just wasn’t there for the Slovenian. His best moment came when he managed to keep the ball away from several Watford defenders, and despite Ashton Gate crying out for a shot, it never came, and he was disposed. 7

Emil Riis: It’s clear now that Emil Riis will have up and down days in a Bristol City shirt, and today was one of those down days. After scoring a hat-trick against the same opposition in the FA cup just less than 50 days ago, he was fairly non-existent tonight, but not due to the lack of trying from the Dane. Due to City’s style of play in the first half, it meant that he was predominantly doing hold-up play and couldn’t get involved in or around the box. 6

Substitutions

Sinclair Armstrong: Although fans were expecting the Irishman to come on at half-time after Riis’s quiet showing, he was made to wait 16 minutes into the second half, and as always, his introduction got Ashton Gate going again. Unfortunately, Armstrong couldn’t make a massive impact on the game. There were some good moments like his hold-up play and a very impressive nutmeg on a Watford defender, but that was about it. 6.5

Max Bird: Just like against Wrexham, Bird was kept on the bench again, but tonight’s impact wasn’t like last Tuesdays where he secured City a point with a stunning late strike. He was playing further forward after replacing Twine, but couldn’t replicate the impact that City’s number 10 had on the game. 6.5

Cameron Pring: Pring’s introduction meant that McCrorie switched sides, and while Pring’s energy definitely added some much-needed speed to Bristol City’s attack, which was desperately needed at the time, he couldn’t help City find the equaliser. Had a moment late on where a ball looked to be perfectly chipped for him to have a go with a volley, but he decided to take the ball down and try to cross for a teammate. 6

George Earthy: After the last home game, where Gerhard Struber said that Earthy “has to be a little bit patient,” regarding gametime when he was left out of the squad but was then starting 4 days later away at Swansea, it set the scene for quite a confusing tail of George Earthy’s second spell at the club. On the bench again tonight, but when he was brought onto the pitch, the work rate was there, but opportunities and time on the ball were limited, and he couldn’t make an impact. 6

Delano Burgzorg: On the pitch for six minutes plus stoppage time meant that while there was time for an impact from Burgzorg, it would have to be fast, but there was no impact from him. Tried to get amongst it with pressure and making himself available, but there was no clear-cut chances in front of goal for the Brazilian tonight. 6