Lacklustre 10-man Bristol City suffer first defeat against Birmingham City

Bristol City went down 2-0 losers to Birmingham City at Ashton Gate on Saturday, courtesy of goals from Koji Miyoshi and Lukas Jutkiewicz.

Miyoshi thundered in a brilliant volley late in the first period, before the Blues’ no.10 finished from close range with five minutes left.

Rob Dickie was dismissed with 15 minutes to play after he received his second yellow card of the day.

The Robins came into the match on a high following last weekend’s dramatic late winner at Millwall, however, it was John Eustace’s side who began on the front foot.

Siriki Dembele progressed down the left and whipped in a cross for Scott Hogan, whose header landed on the roof of Max O’Leary’s net.

Juninho Bacuna and Keshi Anderson both began to enjoy some space in the Robins’ half early on, but the home side began to offer a threat of their own through Anis Mehmeti and Harry Cornick.

As the clock neared the half-hour mark, the hosts began to turn the screw. Cornick’s delivery was met by Jason Knight who couldn’t direct towards goal before Dickie’s header flashed inches over from a corner.

Nigel Pearson’s side continued to threaten but couldn’t find the final piece of quality in the final third.

Bacuna then twisted and turned past Joe Williams on the touchline before firing a curling effort at goal, but O’Leary shifted across to gather.

Ethan Laird was forced off injured on the half-hour mark, and it was his replacement, Miyoshi, who was the difference maker towards the end of the first half.

The Japanese midfielder saw his close-range effort saved brilliantly by O’Leary before he reacted swiftly from a resulting corner to thunder home a volley from an acute angle.

The Robins’ boss made a double change at the break as Mark Sykes and Haydon Roberts were introduced, and the new faces brought some added pace and intent to Bristol City’s play.

However, the home side were almost two behind before the 60-minute mark. Bacuna skipped past Dickie and unleashed a powerful left-footed effort at goal. The shot looked goal bound but skimmed off the upright and went behind.

The hosts began to dominate the play without forcing any openings, and they nearly went further behind after 71 minutes. Lee Buchanan’s long-range strike was prodded goalward by Jordan James, but O’Leary’s reactions were razor-sharp to gather the ball.

With 15 minutes left, the Robins were reduced to 10. Jordan James was brought down by Dickie on the halfway line, and Sam Barrott brandished the centre back with his second yellow of the afternoon, following his first for dissent in the first period.

The Robins almost equalised in the closing minutes, Bell sprinted down the left flank and fired a low cross into the area where Wells’ stretching effort rolled inches wide of the gaping goal.

And Wells was made to rue his miss, as moments later the away side broke up the right flank and picked their passes swiftly to net a second goal and secure all three points.