Breaking bad for Johnson

IF EVER there was a team for which the international break came at the wrong time it was Bristol City.

On a roll with four straight wins when they were forced to take time off, the momentum of their unexpected charge to a place in the play- offs has been broken.

After failing to score for only the fifth time this season on Saturday, they were always second best as goals from Paul Gallagher and Callum Robinson gave Preston their first win in eight games.

‘I didn’t recognise my team in the first half,’ said boss Lee Johnson. ‘We had too many individuals making poor decisions. We’ve done so well that the players have earned the right to have an off day, but we had six or seven of them on the same day.’

Veteran midfielder Gallagher’s instinctive turn and shot just before half- time was the 33-year- old Scot’s first goal for more than a year. Robinson then swept home 12 minutes from time to make Cauley Woodrow’s injurytime shot no more than a consolation.