Weimann double ends long wait for home win
BRISTOL CITY BARNSLEY 2 1
ANDI Weimann’s first-half double finally brought an end to Nigel Pearson’s Ashton Gate nightmare as Bristol City came from behind to beat Barnsley in a tense Sky Bet Championship game.
The visitors took a 28th-minute lead when Devante Cole got behind City’s defence and pulled the ball back for Aaron Leya Iseka to shoot home from close range.
The home fans were becoming restless until Weimann broke on to a Nahki Wells through ball on 42 minutes and thumped the equaliser past goalkeeper Brad Collins.
Weimann then netted his second with a precise side-footed finish from Chris Martin’s cross after a defence-splitting pass by Han-Noah Massengo in first-half stoppage time.
City lived on their nerves in the second half but held on to record their first home success in 18 games, stretching back to February – 15 of them under boss Pearson.
Tyreeq Bakinson fired narrowly over for City on 15 minutes before wing-back Jordan Williams, looking a threat on Barnsley’s left, was denied by a Daniel Bentley save.
Leya Iseka’s opening goal gave the Tykes a boost and Bentley did well again to parry a Callum Brittain drive on 38 minutes.
Boos were starting to ring around Ashton Gate from disgruntled City fans, but Weimann’s quick double transformed the atmosphere and Pearson’s men left the pitch to cheers at half-time.
Williams had a curling effort saved by Bentley as Barnsley looked to level, and they came within inches of doing so on 62 minutes when a bout of pinball around City’s six-yard box saw Liam Kitching hit the bar before two goalline clearances.
City could have sealed the points on the break on 67 minutes when Wells shot over after a slick move, but their defence was coming under heavy pressure.
Bentley produced a reaction save to keep out Cauley Woodrow’s 73rdminute header after more good work by Williams and Cole.
By then Pearson had given a debut to 18-year-old midfielder Ayman Benarous as substitute for Bakinson.
Martin had a shot blocked, but much of the action was at the other end, Barnsley forcing a string of corners. Cole shot over from the edge of the box on 84 minutes and the visitors piled extra men forward.
Cheered on by their long-suffering fans, City held on by the skin of their teeth. At the final whistle Pearson turned with both arms outstretched to the stand behind him, while the supporters celebrated as if their team had just won promotion.
Asked about kicking on after their elusive home win, Pearson said: “You can’t take that for granted, you can’t expect that to be the case.
“We worked hard, but we wasted our energy at times. We’ve got some willing runners but wasted energy with pointless running.
“It’s a win at home and that’s something that we’ve not talked about for a long time.”
City: Bentley, Tanner, Kalas, Atkinson, Pring (Dasilva 50), Massengo, James, Bakinson (Benarous 67), Weimann, Martin, Wells. Not Used: Simpson, O’Dowda, O’Leary,
Bell, Scott.
Goals: Weimann 42, 45.
Barnsley: Collins, Andersen, Helik, Kitching, Brittain, Gomes (Benson 46), Moon, Jordan Williams, Cole, Woodrow, Iseka (Adeboyejo 75). Not Used: Walton, Sibbick, Palmer, Oduor, Frieser.
Goals: Iseka 28.
Attendance: n/a.
Referee: Thomas Bramall (Sheffield).