Rotherham United vs Bristol City. Sky Bet Championship.
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Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Rotherham United and Bristol City on Wednesday night | Tommy Conway scores two late goals as Nigel Pearson's men secure victory
Wednesday 4 October 2023 23:06, UK
Tommy Conway scored in the sixth minute of injury time to earn Bristol City a last-gasp 2-1 win at Rotherham in the Sky Bet Championship.
Conway had opened the scoring in the 81st minute but the Millers quickly equalised through Tyler Blackett and it looked like it was heading for a draw.
But there was late drama at the AESSEAL New York Stadium as Conway struck at the death, flicking home Andy King's cross.
It earned a third away win of the season and moves the Robins back into the top half, continuing their solid start.
Defeat was cruel on the Millers but typifies their troubled opening to the campaign and they are locked in the bottom three with a long winter looming in their battle to stay out of relegation danger.
Boss Matt Taylor celebrated one year in charge at the club on Tuesday, but he might now face questions about his future.
Any chance of retaining their Championship status appears to lie with their home form, which has been competitive.
They could have taken a 23rd-minute lead when Cohen Bramall's cross was headed back across goal by Jordan Hugill but Andre Green was not forceful enough to turn home from close range.
Bramall was Rotherham's biggest threat and he fizzed a dangerous ball into the near post which just evaded Hugill.
Another cross was headed over by Fred Onyedinma as the Millers continued on the front foot.
The Robins were able to get a foothold in the game, but that turned it into a dull, scrappy affair where neither goalkeeper was forced into a save.
That pattern continued into the second half, with neither side able to create any sort of domination.
The visitors did at least manage to improve going forward after the break and got into some good positions, but that did not translate into chances.
The closest they came was when Harry Cornick headed over from Sam Bell's cross, while the first shot on target did not come until the 67th minute when Joe Williams shot straight at Viktor Johansson.
It was heading for stalemate until nine minutes from the end of normal time when Conway broke down the left, cut inside and curled a beauty into the far corner.
The Millers hit back with their first shot on target, Blackett converting from Arvin Appiah's cross after the hosts had recycled a corner.
They fancied a winner, but instead it came at the other end as Conway had the final say, flicking home Andy King's cross.
Rotherham's Matt Taylor:
"You can't afford to keep getting beat. The manner of tonight's defeat, if you are going to get beat, get beat by giving it everything and showing you are good enough to compete at the level. There have been a few away games where we have not shown enough of that which is frustrating. But you have to believe that A) you are good enough as a manager and B) your players are good enough. But when your best players aren't available it is an incredible job and an incredible task. It has got an awful lot harder on the back of tonight.
"Like I keep saying to the players you can't lose heart, confidence and will, if the supporters do that's down to them, I understand that to a certain extent, but if there is anything this club is about it's about standing up and showing a bit of character and fight and sticking together as well. It's understanding that Championship level football for Rotherham is a hell of an achievement, it was a hell of an achievement last season and what we are up against is an absolute beast and it keeps on taking big chunks out of us.
"But we are still alive. We are 10 games in and still showing signs of brightness in certain moments and no one else will be thinking of Rotherham right now. I am looking forward to what we can achieve at the weekend because I still believe in this group of players."
Bristol City's Nigel Pearson:
"What you have always got to do is keep alive in the game. It is a good illustration of it being a squad game tonight, Tommy coming off the bench and scoring two quality goals. We were mugged at the weekend. They will be feeling a bit down, it wasn't a game of a lot of quality but the important thing is we won a scrappy game. Tonight we have come away from home and got three points at a ground which is tough to come to at times.
"It is good for the players to come away with a quality result, especially having conceded a late equaliser. A good day but we are not kidding ourselves. Credit to the players they were prepared to keep going, a good night in the end, but it didn't feel like it for much of the night."
