Football Randell confident City can challenge at top end this season

ADAM Randell remains adamant there is "nothing stopping" Bristol City from competing at the top end of the Championship table this season, despite admitting the Robins "need to improve" at both ends of the pitch following their defeat to Queens Park Rangers.

- Dan CARTER

City's Adam Randell puts QPR's Koki Saito under pressure at Ashton Gate

(Kieran McManus/Shutterstock)

Gerhard Struber's side saw their winless run in the Championship extend to four matches heading into the October international break after they slipped to a 2-1 defeatto the Hoops at Ashton Gate on Saturday, with Richard Kone and Paul Smyth scoring after the break for QPR following Emil Riis' first-half goal for City.

Riis nodded City into the lead with his fourth of the season after 32 minutes, calmly directing a firsttime Neto Borges cross back across goal and into the top left corner. Minutes after the hour-mark, however, QPR pulled level when Kone smashed into the roof of the net from close range after being picked out by Harvey Vale.

The remainder of the second half saw both teams fashion chances to claim all three points, before Smyth ensured it would be the away supporters leaving BS3 happy when he looped a header over Radek Vitek and into the back of the net in front of the Atyeo Stand.

For the first time since November 2024, the Robins had let a lead slip to lose a Championship game, and to the frustration of both Randell and the home crowd, it could have and perhaps should have been so different.

"The difference, from our perspective, between the two halves was far too big," the midfielder told BBC Radio Bristol after the fulltime whistle. "The first half, we were controlling the game, we had a lot of the ball, we were comfortable, and perhaps we were too comfortable going in at halftime.