, Bristol City 3-0 Swindon Town: Report

Bristol City 3-0 Swindon Town: Report

What promised to be a feisty game at the summit of League One didn’t disappoint with a raucous atmosphere descending on South Bristol for this West Country derby. Swindon had taken the spoils earlier in the season but it was a ruthless Bristol City who were to come away victorious on this occasion.

A fairly open first period saw chances for both teams, with Kieran Agard’s chipped effort separating the teams going in at the break. But Swindon were perhaps unlucky to go in at half time a goal behind, with City ‘keeper Frank Fielding making a smart save to deny Swindon’s Ben Gladwin goal-bound shot, before making a marvellous clawing save to keep out Michael Smith’s header. Gladwin again was unlucky just minutes before the end of the half when his deflected shot cannoned off the crossbar and away to safety.

Swindon came out second half all guns blazing, pegging the home side back for much of the second period, yet City always looked a threat on the break. It was one of these breaks, by the home side’s ever-impressive Luke Freeman, that set the end-to-end tone for the rest of the game. A sprawling Yaser Kasim brought down the marauding Freeman and should have earned himself a second yellow but for a case of mistaken identity, with the referee having a stern word with Kasim’s midfield partner Massimo Luongo instead. This seemed to be a turning point for the Bristol club and City began playing the kind of football that has helped them to the summit of League One this campaign. Bristol-born Joe Bryan undid all of Swindon’s good work with a sublime curling effort from the edge of the box before captain Aaron Wilbraham put a gloss on the score-line following good work from Freeman down the left.

The score-line seemed to flatter the home side who were second best for most of the second half, but Swindon will rue missed chances from a game they will feel a may have snatched a point. Bristol City, the champions elect, keep marching on, 8 points clear of second placed Preston and 13 ahead of MK Dons in third. Whilst Swindon will have to go back to the drawing board following two disappointing 3-0 defeats to promotion chasing sides in as many games, leaving them needing a minor miracle to make up ten points on Preston and claim the last automatic promotion spot.

 

Previous Article

Pavel Pogrebnyak: how Reading's big money man won over the fans

Next Article
, League One Team of The Weekend

League One Team of The Weekend

Related Posts