FULL-TIME: Bristol City 4, Peterborough United 2
Bristol City beat fellow strugglers Peterborough United to register their first home win in four months and throw themselves a Championship lifeline.
Sam Baldock's double and further goals from Paul Anderson and Stephen McManus inspired a much-needed victory, their first at Ashton Gate since Cardiff were beaten way back on August 25.
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Bottom of the table before kick-off, the Robins are now 22nd and just three points adrift of Sheffield Wednesday and safety.
Bidding for a first home win in 10 attempts, City enjoyed a dream start, Anderson firisng them in front after five minutes.
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Reduced to 10 men when Lee Tomlin was sent off for violent conduct moments later, Peterborough equalised through Grant McCann from the penalty spot.
But Baldock swept City back in front shortly before half time and McManus headed a third on 60 minutes.
Baldock made the game safe three minutes later, smashing his ninth goal of the season from the penalty spot after man of the match Anderson had been brought down.
Dwight Gayle pulled one back for Posh a minute from full-time, but it was nothing more than a consolation.
The result was a personal triumph for under-pressure City boss Derek McInnes, whose team selection surprised many inside Ashton Gate.
He dropped centre-back Liam Fontaine for the first time this season, retained the 3-5-2 system he had planned to use against Watford on Boxing Day, deployed Albert Adomah and Richard Foster as wing-backs, switched Cunningham to the centre of defence and recalled Anderson.
If City supporters were left scratching their heads, so were Peterborough, who appeared nonplussed by City's approach.
They were left chasing shadows as the Robins took the lead after just five minutes. Cole Skuse set Baldock free on the right flank and the striker looked up and picked out Anderson with a cross that rendered the midfielder's header straightforward.
It was only Anderson's second goal since arriving from Nottingham Forest in the summer and represented his most important contribution to date.
City should have doubled their lead moments later, Baldock ghosting in behind a shambolic Posh defence, only to drag his shot wide of goal with only keeper Bobby Olejnik to beat.
Controversy flared in the 12th minute, Posh striker Tomlin elbowing Cunningham in the face in an off the ball incident and leaving referee Andrew Madley with no option but to show him a straight red card.
But the 10 men bounced back strongly and City's hopes of keeping a first clean sheet of the season were dashed on 19 minutes. Cunningham should have dealt with a high through ball played by Joe Newell, but left his back header short. Tom Heaton rushed from his goal to trip George Boyd and referee Madley pointed to the spot.
Heaton escaped with a yellow card but was powerless to prevent McCann equalising from the subsequent penalty.
Undeterred, City continued to create the better chances and Jon Stead shot weakly straight at Olejnik after being set-up by Baldock, while Peterborough's keeper made a smart save to deny Anderson a second goal, dropping to his right to gather a low shot from just inside the 18 yard box.
Just when it looked as though City might pay the price for missed chances, they regained the lead eight minutes before half time. Baldock ran at the Posh defence, played a neat one-two with Anderson and produced an emphatic finish to beat Olejnik from 10 yards out and register his eighth goal of the season.
He should have doubled his tally on the stroke of half-time, receiving a sublime through ball from Stead and hitting the post when everyone inside Ashton Gate expected the net to bulge.
Stead's ability to pick a pass and Baldock's pace continued to cause Posh problems after the break and the latter was denied a clear sight of goal only by Tommy Rowe's last-ditch intervention.
But there was no stopping the Robins and their third goal arrived on the hour mark from an unlikely source. Adomah directed a corner towards the far post where McManus rose high to head his first goal for the club.
And City put the outcome beyond doubt three minutes later. Anderson was tripped inside the 18 yard box by Michael Bostwick, referee Madley awarded a penalty and Baldock stepped up to beat Olejnik from the spot.
City's defence was again undone by a lofted through ball a minute from time, Gayle netting his seventh goal in six games, but City were already home and dry.
City (3-5-2): Heaton; Bates, McManus, Cunningham; Adomah, Skuse, Danns, Anderson (Kilkenny 77), Foster (Bryan 53); Stead (Davies 81), Baldock.
Peterborough (3-5-2): Olejnik; Bostwick, Zakuani, Knight-Percival (Brisley 51); Little, Newell (Swanson 62), McCann (Ferdinand 57), Boyd, Rowe; Tomlin, Gayle.
Referee: Andrew Madley (West Yorks).
Attendance: 12,991
Comments
by CiderheadNott
Monday, December 31 2012, 3:48PM
“@johnbristol3 - good one - made me laugh. COYR”
by Vonner
Monday, December 31 2012, 10:43AM
“At least we ended the year at the Gate like we started it - 4 goals and some optimism...
This season is starting to look very much like the last - a change to 3-5-2 and a trip to Millwall. Lets hope it goes the same way again. Fontane had to be dropped - since the Southampton 'interest' he has totally gone and it will do him good to try and sort his head out away from the firing line. Now up to Skuse to lead by example as he is not really a shouter. We have missed Cunningham and why Anderson has not had more chances up till now is a costly mystery. We have goals in us with a quality striker but until we start getting clean sheets and not having to score at least 2 we still won't get out of this...”
by Vonner
Monday, December 31 2012, 10:27AM
“That's fine NiceCityBoy - we know our board are clueless when it comes to transfer dealings.
Will look forward to you playing you next season as you fail in the play-offs again, with any luck to Brighton - can still see that David Noble shot flying into the top corner at your slum of a ground...”
by RedNemesis1
Monday, December 31 2012, 10:22AM
“Good morning Jim Smith:- bad xmas was it? Feeling a bit bitter that you didn't get the xbox you wrote Santa for?
Never mind Jimmyboy, school starts again next week and you can tell all your playmates how wonderful Yannick is and that you couldn't care less BCFC clipped your eagles wings by 4 - 1.”
by nicecityboy
Monday, December 31 2012, 10:14AM
“P.S. We will be coming for Adomah next. He's too good to be involved in a championship relegation scrap, I'm sure he'd enjoy the prospects of being promoted and playing in the premiership more than the thought of dropping into League One.”
by nicecityboy
Monday, December 31 2012, 9:11AM
“So earlier in the season we gifted you 3 points and in return you gave us Yannick Bolasie. What a player he is, and to think your clueless manager wasn't even picking him in the first team. LOL!
Thanks Bristol City for giving us one of the top players in the league for a measly £150k. Spend it wisely in January.
EAGLES!”
by johnbristol3
Sunday, December 30 2012, 9:35PM
“CiderHead Notts, yes it does feel good ,had a big grin all day , now the misses thinks I been upto something ,”
by rocketbob
Sunday, December 30 2012, 9:16PM
“1982 and administration is still in the psyche at Ashton Gate.
There is a level of debt that the club can reach with Mr Lansdown`s help but no more. On gates of 14,000 City do well to stay in a Division where players can earn up to £15,000 per week.
Football is about opinions some of the imports by all our past Managers have not proved successful, probably because they have to invest in players either coming back from injury or from lower leagues.In other words they have to take chances to get players that are within budget.
With new legistration and transfer windows the task gets more difficult every time.Very difficult for us all to accept, especially when we wait 13 years for a stadium which would help to increase revenue in the long run.
Mr Lansdown tried to rally the fans, i might not agree with some of his signings, but thank God we have him, otherwise we would be in a similar position to the Rovers who have similar problems. Thanks to the Legends who turned up saturday, most played in the 2nd and third divisions, but they will always be heroes to many of us.”
by Red_Emerson
Sunday, December 30 2012, 8:55PM
“Don't hold your breath for those players coming in next month, McCluless said Morris was the answer to our midfield problems, showing he knows nothing about what is required, in the Championship.”
by CiderheadNott
Sunday, December 30 2012, 8:31PM
“Well I went to Ashton Gate yesterday expecting little but coming away happy - and having experienced a lot.
1) The team were joy to watch. There was some skill, some fight, some excellent play and some self belief. But there is still a long way to go. We recorded only our 3rd home win (scoring 4 goals in each) against the club directly above us in the league so let's not get too carried away. We have some testing fixtures coming up and I do believe that if we can stay clear of injuries; buy well with regards to midfielders and defenders (and we need 3 defenders and 2 midfielders at least to bolster the 'squad'); and win our home games then we will stay up.
2) I listened to Mr Lansdown's speech with interest. He was passionate and wants what we all want - success. However he has not brought any to date and he has more influence than us fans and is able to dictate what happens next. I say to you Mr Lansdown - BRISTOL CITY MUST REMAIN A CHAMPIONSHIP CLUB - AT THE VERY LEAST. A THIRD DIVISION SIDE IS NO GOOD FOR THE CITY OF BRISTOL NOR FOR THE FANS OF A CLUB THAT MUST GO FORWARD AND ATTAIN THAT SUCCESS YOU TALKED BOUT - AND THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE NOW, NOT AT SOME OBSCURE DATE IN THE FUTURE!
3) Finally a word to all my fellow Bristol City fans - WASN''T IT GREAT TO SEE CITY WINNING? WASN'T IT GREAT TO BE ABLE TO CHEER 4 HOME GOALS? DIDN'T IT CHEER US ALL UP?! COYR MORE OF THE SAME IN 2013 PLEASE! :)”