Sinclair Armstrong's first goal for 11 months earned Bristol City a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Birmingham City at Ashton Gate, a result that keeps the Robins in the Championship play-off places and delivers a third straight league win for the first time since December 2023.
In a contest ultimately decided by a single, training-ground counter-attack, Gerhard Struber's side struck three minutes before half-time and then spent much of the second period without the ball. Chris Davies' Birmingham dominated possession after the break and introduced a raft of attacking substitutes, but they lacked a decisive edge in the final third and rarely forced home goalkeeper Radek Vitek into serious work.
Training-ground move provides the decisive moment
Struber handed Armstrong a start in place of the injured Emil Riis after the 22-year-old had impressed as a substitute in the 3-1 midweek win over Southampton. Ross McCrorie was also restored at right wing-back in place of Mark Sykes. Birmingham, buoyed by their 1-0 victory at Preston North End that brought a first away league win since 16 August, made two changes of their own as Marc Leonard and Patrick Roberts replaced Lewis Koumas and the suspended Bright Osayi-Samuel.