Yuki Ohashi’s first-half stoppage-time winner gave Blackburn Rovers a hard-earned 1-0 victory over Bristol City at Ashton Gate, securing a third successive Championship win for Valerien Ismael’s side and deepening the Robins’ early-season malaise.
Bristol City, thrashed 5-1 at Stoke at the weekend and nudged out of the top six, produced another toothless attacking display in front of more than 22,000 home supporters, failing to register a single shot on target on a night punctuated by injuries, rain and long stoppages that repeatedly broke the game’s rhythm.
Right-flank threat sets the tone
Blackburn settled more quickly in swirling rain and were largely in control of a first half that City head coach Gerhard Struber later described as one of total frustration for the hosts, who could not lay a glove on visiting goalkeeper Balazs Toth. Instead it was City keeper Radek Vitek who was called into action, producing a full-length save to claw away Ohashi’s sweetly struck 21st-minute volley before diving bravely at the feet of Andri Gudjohnsen later in the half, an intervention that earned the Blackburn forward a yellow card.