NOTT’M FOREST 1
IT took only 45 minutes for Aitor Karanka to dish out the first rollicking of the season.
The Forest boss was fuming with his side’s first-half display and let them have it at half-time.
Andreas Weimann put the hosts ahead with a fine header inside five minutes, but Daryl Murphy – with Karanka’s blast ringing in his ears – levelled 60 seconds after the break.
The Spaniard revealed: “I can’t tell you what I said. 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, it was the opposite. A draw was fair.”
There were a few raised eyebrows when Austrian international Weimann was picked to lead City’s line here. But almost immediately the 26-year-old, signed from Derby as a replacement for departed Bobby Reid, underlined why he was the lone target man.
A beautiful backward header drifted into the top corner, via the bar, to get him and his new club off to a flier against muchfancied Forest. That improved the mood of the supporters.
The sale of local favourites Reid and Aden Flint in the summer had deepened the sense that this would be a tough season.
Yet, after Weimann struck, City were a different animal.
And the West Country outfit were unlucky not be 2-0 up after 15 minutes, with skipper Marlon Pack’s towering header cleared off the line.
Only then did Forest begin to show their obvious qualities, with Murphy, 35, the main danger.
The Irish striker squandered the chance of the half, delaying his strike before clipping the post.
But within seconds of the second half beginning, he made amends.
Adlene Guedioura’s cross was perfect and Murphy nodded a beauty in the bottom corner.
Ashton Gate boss Lee Johnson said: “Hopefully, the fans can see that we’re up there competing against a side like Forest, who have spent a lot.
“It was great start by us and we could have been two up. The second half was different. They have very good players.” BRISTOL CITY N FOREST 6 ............ Shots on Target ......... 6 0 ........... Shots off Target ......... 4 2 ............. Blocked Shots .......... 6 7 ................... Corners ................ 9 8 ...................... Fouls .................. 17 0 ................... Offsides ................. 1 0 ............... Yellow Cards ............ 4 0 ................. Red Cards .............. 0 71.7 ....... Passing Success ...74.0 10 ................... Tackles ................ 14 40.0 ...... Tackles Won % ..... 42.9 48.9 ....... Possession % ........ 51.1 44.6 .... Territorial Adv % ..55.4 367 ........... Total Passes ........ 393 24 ............ Total Crosses .......... 17 48.9 ...... 1st Half Poss % ....... 51.1 48.9 ..... 2nd Half Poss % ...... 51.1