HOLDEN TIMES AWAIT BRISTOL
New boss has the Robins flying
IF the Championship was a sprint and not a marathon, Bristol City would have been promoted years ago.
For the past three seasons City have been well in the promotion race and then fallen away in the last few months.
It cost manager Lee Johnson his job two months ago and now his former assistant, Dean Holden, has the task of ensuring City last the distance.
This impressive victory makes it four successive wins – two in the league and two in the Carabao Cup. Since succeeding Johnson, Holden has won six of his nine games in charge in all competitions, losing only once.
“We’ve got good belief within the group,” said Holden.
“We’ve had a brilliant start, four wins from four is outstanding, but that’s all it is, a start.
“We are nowhere near where we want to get to but we are growing every day.”
For a team that are rebuilding themselves around a stronger defence, the way Stoke conceded their first goals of the season was dreadful. “We lost a really poor goal just before half- time,” agreed Stoke boss Michael O’Neill. “It gave us a mountain to climb.”
Chris Martin was sandwiched between defenders when Jack Hunt’s cross came over in the second minute of first- half injury time, but Martin was still able to get the ball across to Nahki Wells, who swivelled and hooked his shot in from close range.
And, with a minute left, Andreas Weimann added the second, getting the ball back from Antonio
Semenyo, and driving home to secure the three points. STOKE Davies 7; Chester 6, Martins Indi 6 ( Tymon 80), Batth 5; Smith 6, Powell 6, Mikel 6, Clucas 6, Fox 6; Vokes 5 ( Fletcher 64, 5), Brown 7 ( Campbell 65, 5).
Bentley 6; Vyner 7, Moore 7, Mawson 7; Hunt 7, Paterson 7 ( Brunt 76), Weimann 9, Bakinson 7, Rowe 7; Martin 8 ( Sememyo 76), Wells 7 ( Diedhiou 82). Wells 45, Weimann 89.