Bristol City produced a ruthless first-half response and then survived a second-half onslaught to claim a 2-1 comeback victory over Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park, ending Michael O'Neill's early winning run in charge. Yuki Ohashi's clinical opener had Rovers on course for a third successive Championship win, but Emil Riis and Scott Twine turned the contest on its head before the break and the Robins, aided by several key saves from Radek Vitek, clung on under intense late pressure.
For Bristol City, it was just a third win in their last nine league outings and one that propelled them up four places to eighth before their play-off rivals were in action. For relegation-threatened Blackburn, who created a raft of chances after half-time but could not find an equaliser, it was a 16th league defeat of the season that leaves them 20th, four points above the relegation zone. The result encapsulated both sides' campaigns: City's flashes of attacking quality and vulnerability under pressure, and Rovers' renewed energy under O'Neill undermined by costly defensive lapses and missed opportunities.
Fast start from Rovers, rapid response from Robins
Buoyed by three wins in their previous four matches and the momentum of O'Neill's early tenure, Blackburn flew out of the blocks. With less than six minutes played, Ryoya Morishita surged down the flank, beat Rob Atkinson for pace and cut the ball back sharply towards the near post. His compatriot Yuki Ohashi, rewarded with a start after his injury-time winner against Preston, arrived with perfect timing to sweep a first-time finish into the roof of the net. The instinctive strike rocketed into the top corner, leaving Manchester United loanee Vitek helpless and briefly sending Ewood Park into full voice.