Wells and Nagy on target as City move up to third in Championship
BRISTOL City’s top-six ambitions were boosted last night after a topsy-turvy game but ultimately a 2-1 win against QPR.
Nahki Wells returned to west London to score his fifth league goal of the season and find the net in back-to-back matches, while Adam Nagy rifled in shortly after half-time to see City make it three league wins in a row at QPR.
The Robins were outplayed in the first half but some subtle changes from head coach Dean Holden, with a slight change of formation to 4-2-3-1 and a substitution at the break, saw the match flipped around after Rob Dickie’s 12th-minute headed opener.
After a chastening defeat at the Madejski Stadium on Saturday, and with a third of the season now played, we get to gaze on a fully formed - albeit injury-hit - Holden Bristol City side: here was a chance to further consolidate in the top six of the Championship and push on. And it was taken.
The head coach was boosted by the return of captain Tomas Kalas, while former Watford defender Adrian Mariappa came in for his first start of the season, replacing Jack Hunt down the right as City switched back to the 4-3-3 system we have seen of late, with Wells - against his former side - and Semenyo down the wings.
The game started in pulsating fashion, with chances at both ends: Ilias Chair reached the byline breezing past Jay Dasilva to dolly up the cross, with Lyndon Dykes heading wide.
Then a huge chance for the visitors after just four minutes as Nagy played a one-two with Martin and charged into the penalty area only to drag his shot wide. with just Seny Dieng to beat. That miss would prove costly as QPR ran up the pitch, and after Dan Bentley had stopped Bright Osayi-Samuel from rounding him after the offside trap was sprung to no effect, Chris Willock inflected the first blow: a wonderful cross after a delightful drag from his right to left foot, hung up for Rob Dickie to power home his first goal for his new club since signing from Oxford United in the summer.
A frenetic game continued as Kalas headed a corner over, OsayiSamuel fired in low at Bentley and former Spurs and Swansea midfielder Tom Carroll went close as he found himself in the right place to meet a cross that fell invitingly for him, his shot deflecting off Nagy and going over somehow.
Then Zak Vyner cleared off the line to deny Willock, who also went close with a low cross. City were hanging on to the game by their fingertips. And it proved vital as the Robins somehow went into the break level, as Wells scored once again at QPR, only this time in a red shirt, poking home after good work by Callum O’Dowda .
Shortly after half-time, with Tommy Rowe having replaced Dasilva at the break, the Robins took the lead as O’Dowda again rampaged down City’s left and crossed low for the ball to fall for Nagy, who cleverly cut past his marker and slid a shot into the corner.
Thereafter, City were mostly comfortable, bar Macauly Bonne wriggling free in the box and firing wide when well placed, though Wells hit the post late with a freekick. Osayi-Samuel missed a great chance at the near post in the final minutes, and City held out for the win as they became only the second side to take three points at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium this season.
City moved up to third and are just one point behind leaders Norwich, who play at Luton tonight.