Daryl do nicely
MURPHY GETS IN GEAR TO STOP KAR CRASH
A TALE of two strikers finished with honours even – and both managers reasonably satisfied.
New Bristol City hitman Andreas Weimann – hardly renowned as a prolific marksman – opened his account at Ashton Gate inside five minutes with a fine header.
But that was not enough to secure an opening-day victory for Lee Johnson’s hosts, after Forest hitman Daryl Murphy levelled less than 60 seconds into the second half.
Forest boss Aitor Karanka later admitted he was fuming at the break and had told his expensively assembled side their display was unacceptable.
The blast did the trick and the Spaniard said: “I can’t tell you what I said at half-time.
“They got some medicine from me – the right type.
“It was about attitude and desire. Bristol had that in the first half, we didn’t.
“But in the second half it was the opposite. A draw was a fair result.”
There were a few raised eyebrows when Weimann, 26, was picked to lead City’s line.
But almost immediately the Austria international – who was signed from Derby as a replacement for Bobby Reid – underlined why he was the lone targetman.
A beautiful backward header drifted into the top corner, via the bar, to get him and his new club off to a flying start against much-fancied Forest.
That improved the mood of the home fans who were downbeat before kick-off, with last season’s thrilling run to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup – when they knocked out Manchester United along the way – long forgotten.
The sale of local favourites Reid and Aden Flint in the summer had deepened the sense that this would be a tough season.
But once Weimann broke the deadlock City were a different animal.
With their trademark quick-thinking and passing on show, the West Country outfit were unlucky not be 2-0 up after 15 minutes, with skipper Marlon Pack seeing his towering header cleared off the line.
Only then did Forest begin to show their obvious qualities with Murphy looking the main danger to the Robins.
The Irish striker first fired a pass across the six-yard area but the ball evaded all of his team-mates.
Then, picked out in acres of space, much-travelled Murphy squandered the chance of the half, delaying his strike before clipping the post.
However, within seconds of the second half starting, the veteran made amends.
Adlene Guedioura’s cross was perfect and Murphy out-jumped a sleepy defence to nod a beauty into the bottom corner.
Both managers rang the changes in the final stages in a bid to snatch victory and City sub Corey Smith saw his drive saved by Romanian keeper Costel Pantilimon.
Robins boss Johnson said: “Hopefully the fans can see that we are up there competing against a side like Forest who have spent a lot of money in the summer.
“It was great start by us and we could have been two up.
“The second half was different. They have very good players – and that quality drains you.”