Dean is keen to put it right

WINGER Callum O’Dowda believes he can ignite a Championship play-off challenge for Bristol City.

He missed much of last season following ankle surgery and has been dogged by setbacks again in the current campaign.

But after marking an eye-catching display with the Robins’ second goal he said: “I feel like I am back now. I’m still not 100 per cent but it’s nice to be in the starting line-up.

“I’ve been unlucky but hopefully that is now behind me. I tried to use my pace to good effect against a very good side and it was great to score an important goal.’’

Norwich struck first through Marco Stiepermann. Famara Diedhiou levelled then O’Dowda scored on 53 minutes before Max Aarons headed a deserved BIRMINGHAM defender Harlee Dean believes his side need to stamp their authority on games as they look to climb further up the Championship.

The Blues fought back from 2-0 down thanks to two goals in two minutes – a Craig Gardner penalty and a close-range strike from Che Adams.

While the outcome spoke volumes about their spirit, Dean believes they need to impose themselves more in the coming weeks.

He said: “We know we’ve got the character and the desire and we know we’ve got the quality, but it’s about using it a little bit more than we have been.”

Next up for Garry Monk’s side is a trip to Wigan as they look to make further inroads into the five-point gap to the top six.

The Latics are on a poor run but Dean is not reading anything into their form.

“We are in a good place,” he said. “We feel confident and walk away happy from here. Before we go to equaliser. Robins boss Lee Johnson said: “I was delighted with the way we matched a very good side.

‘‘Callum O’Dowda has had a real stop-start season, but sometimes you feel it when a player is coming back into form.”

Norwich boss Daniel Farke said: “It’s a good point for us.

“We had a difficult week with flu, as well as injuries, affecting a number of key players.

“To come back from 2-1 down again showed the character in the team.

“After 70 minutes we changed formation to 3-5-2 to try and use the wings more.

‘‘But it is still up to the players to make it work.

“We always knew Bristol would be a tough test and they were.” Wigan we will work hard on marking people from crosses and hopefully we’ll be alright.”

Rovers led thanks to Danny Graham’s header from Harrison Reed’s free-kick.

Striker Adam Armstrong drilled in the second from a Bradley Dack backheel but said: “We are a hard-working group and hopefully we can put it right next week.”

Rovers have a tough run of fixtures starting with Norwich next Saturday followed by meetings with Leeds, Sheffield United and West Brom.

Rather than be daunted, however, Armstrong is looking forward to getting back on the pitch and applying lessons learned from Saturday’s draw.

“We didn’t see the game out but we’ll go again next week,” he said.

“It’s one we are going to take with both hands and put it right.”