Not very sexy, but City grind out third successive victory

Talking points from Bristol City's victory against Birmingham at Ashton Gate, by Dan Carter

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NOBODY will likely be able to sum up Bristol City’s win over Birmingham City better than Gerhard Struber himself. Having watched his side secure a third straight Championship win on Saturday afternoon, the Robins boss was left “super happy,” but quickly admitted the previous hour-and-a-half had produced “not always sexy football.”

You would have done well to find anyone of a red and white persuasion, including the head coach himself, who cared about the attractiveness of the performance when referee James Linington put the whistle to his lips to signal full-time. It may not have been sexy, but this was a display full of grit, determination, and desire.

In a game of little quality, the Robins produced the one moment needed to win the game, when, on 42 minutes, Sinclair Armstrong scored his first goal in more than 10 months, and what proved to be the winner.

Having been fed behind the Birmingham backline by a smart Rob Atkinson pass, the 22-year-old pulled ahead of his marker, drove into the left side of the penalty area, and moved his body around the ball. Before James Beadle could get down to his left, Armstrong's shot had rolled into the bottom corner, and the BS3 crowd were on their feet.

Whereas in previous weeks, a City goal has been followed by a bombardment of attacking football in a bid to further extend the advantage, this time around, it was something to hold on to. While the Robins had their moments, the remainder of the contest was a case of all hands on deck in a bid to keep Chris Davies’ side out.