Stoke City vs Bristol City. Sky Bet Championship.
Bet365 Stadium.
Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash at the Bet365 Stadium
Monday 21 September 2020 11:15, UK
Bristol City maintained their perfect start to the Championship season with a comfortable 2-0 win at Stoke.
Nahki Wells put them ahead two minutes into first-half stoppage time after he spun and turned a bouncing ball home.
And the points were deservedly made safe when Andreas Weimann slotted home with a minute left after Stoke became stretched at the back.
The Robins had dominated the first half with Chris Martin, Jack Hunt and Weimann all going close before the deadlock was broken.
The visiting defence then had little difficulty in holding on to their lead with lacklustre Stoke offering nothing during a dour second half.
The defeat leaves Stoke, who failed to register a shot on target all game, still looking for their first win of the campaign.
Adam Davies spread himself to keep out Wells on four minutes after a terrible backpass by Sam Clucas.
Weimann skied an effort four minutes later from close range after a Wells pass just fell behind him.
Hunt sent a half-volley wide from 25 yards as the visitors continued to set the early pace.
Jacob Brown failed to take advantage of time and space on the edge of the box when he fired over for the hosts on 19 minutes.
Martin shot narrowly wide three minutes later following a lightning counter attack.
Alfie Mawson conceded a corner with a last-ditch block as Brown prepared to tap a cross home on 30 mins.
Nick Powell was inches away from finding an unmarked Brown after the visitors were caught napping by a quick throw six minutes later.
Davies tipped over a powerful Weimann shot on 43 minutes, before Taylor Moore headed the resulting corner wide.
But the pressure paid off in stoppage time when Wells spun inside the six-yard box and scored after Martin kept a deep cross alive.
Sub Steven Fletcher just failed to get on the end of Morgan Fox's teasing cross two minutes after the break.
Davies comfortably gathered as Weimann was unable to control a Hunt cross during a scrappy start to the second half.
Powell went into the book for a late foul on Tyreeq Bakinson as injuries continued to break up the flow.
Bakinson had a low shot blocked for a corner on 73 minutes before Brown had a long-range effort charged down.
Tommy Smith had an inswinging shot deflected behind for a corner on 84 minutes.
But the game was made safe when Weimann calmly slotted under the keeper after Antoine Semenyo played him in following a two on one.
Stoke's Michael O'Neill: "We were much improved and it was more competitive after that and then we lost a really poor goal before half-time. We gave ourselves a mountain to climb and were unable to do that, then we lost another poor goal.
"For periods of the game we were poor technically and did not take care of the ball enough. I was disappointed with how we started. We played a good team and we have to give them credit, but we were not brave enough at times in the early part of the game and that is something we need to change."
Bristol City's Dean Holden: "This club is aiming to be at the top end of the table. We are a work in progress and building. The players are buying into what we are trying to do and we have got good belief in the group.
"We have had an outstanding start but that is all it is - it is just a start and we are nowhere near where we want to be. We have got good young players coming through and we are going to get better."
