Johnson backs Maynard to be a hit at Bristol City
City’s manager is backing his £2.25 million capture from Crewe to rediscover his scoring touch sooner rather than later despite seeing him struggle in front of goal at Blackpool on Saturday.
Maynard netted a hat-trick on his debut in a friendly against Belgian side Royal Antwerp the previous week and was the focus of attention at Bloomfield Road.
But the 21-year-old’s first League appearance in a City shirt ended in disappointment
after he squandered a golden
opportunity in the 65th minute to open his account.
Johnson afterwards leapt to Maynard’s defence, backing the striker to be a success in English football’s second tier.
“Nicky Maynard will be in double figures for goals come the end of the season,” said Johnson. “I don’t doubt that for one moment.
“I want my strikers to get themselves in dangerous positions and to pose a threat in the penalty area. Although he had a bit of a quiet game, Nicky still did that and, on another day, could easily have had a couple of goals.”
Substitute Steve Brooker saved Maynard’s blushes, rifling in a superb last-minute winner to deliver what Johnson described as the “perfect start” to the campaign.
City’s margin of victory would have been wider had the new arrival not missed an open goal midway through the second half. But Maynard is determined not let his opening-day disappointment get the better of him.
“It was disappointing not to get on the scoresheet, but we got the win and that’s the main thing,” said Maynard.
Of the 65th-minute chance that got away, the striker said: “I saw a defender on the line and tried to be a little too clever by putting the ball the other side of him.”
Maynard was relieved to see Brooker’s left-foot volley fly into the far corner of the net in the dying seconds. He said: “I was just made up, to be honest.”
On the down side, City lost first-choice goalkeeper Adriano Basso to a thigh strain at half-time, to be replaced by Chris Weale for the second period.
If Basso fails to recover in time, Weale will deputise in tomorrow’s Carling Cup first-round tie against Peterborough United at Ashton Gate (7.45pm).Marvin Elliott missed Saturday’s game with a knee injury. Johnson will hope he is ready to face Derby County next weekend at Ashton Gate.
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