Wigan 0, Bristol City 1: Flint's priceless goal, Wigan doomed and big day for O'Neil and Wilbraham By a_stockhausen | Posted: March 12, 2017 ON a day when the importance of the result far outweighed the performance, players managed to get the job done. Aden Flint's late winner lifted the Robins out of the bottom three and served to ease some of the pressure being felt by head coach Lee Johnson and his staff. Here are five things we learned from City's 1-0 win at the DW Stadium. 1 Aden Flint will probably never score a more important goal CITY head coach Lee Johnson described Aden Flint's 88th minute winning goal as "priceless" following his team's crucial 1-0 win at the DW Stadium. City's big centre half went up for a corner and was still lurking on the edge of the six yard box when Tammy Abraham's shot was deflected into his path. An almighty swing of his right boot was enough to force the ball over the line and deliver a first away win since September 24 for the Robins. Flint has scored some big goals for City since arriving at Ashton Gate from Swindon four seasons ago, but surely none more important than this one. Not only did his third goal of the season end a run of six games without a victory, it also served to lift his side out of the bottom three and instil belief that the Robins can avoid the drop. Certainly, his late strike will give Flint and his team-mates renewed confidence as they prepare to tackle promotion-chasing Huddersfield at Ashton Gate on Friday. 2 Wigan are now deep in trouble after losing a game they had to win On a day when the results was all that really mattered, Wigan's players and supporters were left feeling crestfallen. Latics players slumped to their knees at the final whistle, while home supporters vented their frustration in the direction of under-pressure manager Warren Joyce. If basement club Rotherham United are already doomed to life in League One next season, Wigan are not far behind them. Although there is still a chance they can escape, Joyce's struggling team is now four points adrift of safety with nine games to play. And judging by the players' body language in defeat, it will take an almighty effort for them to close the gap on the likes of City, Wolves, Nottingham Forest and Burton. The Robins may have thrown themselves a lifeline, but the future looks dark for the Latics. 3 City enjoyed an overdue lucky break when scoring their goal WIGAN players had good reason to feel hard done by when conceding in the 88th minute. Referee Andrew Madley appeared to have made a mistake when awarding a corner to City in the closing stages and the home team rightly complained that a City player had applied the final touch before the ball went out of play. In the event, the Robins made the most of their good fortune, Aden Flint scoring from the subsequent corner to deliver a hammer blow to Wigan's chances of staying up. Given that luck has deserted City on a number of occasions previously this season, Robins head coach Lee Johnson was not about to apologise for benefitting from an official's error on a day when the result was all that mattered. Johnson's assessment? "It was about time we had a bit of luck go our way." He added: "It should have been a goal kick and not a corner, but we'll take it all day long." 4 Korey Smith may well have solved City's right-back conundrum EVER since Luke Ayling as sold to Leeds and Adam Matthews sustained the first in a series of hamstring injuries, the right-back position has become something of a headache for head coach Lee Johnson. Having tried Mark Little, Bailey Wright and Zak Vyner in the role in recent weeks, he moved central midfielder Korey Smith to the right side of the back four to accommodate a tactical change towards the end of last week's 2-2 draw with Norwich. But it still came as a surprise to City fans when Johnson opted to deploy the versatile Smith at right-back from the start of such an important game. The Londoner had played in that position for Oldham and Norwich earlier in his career and slotted in seamlessly alongside big centre half Aden Flint. His one-on-one defending was excellent and his performance means Johnson might just have solved the right-back problem for the remainder of this season. 5 It was a fitting result for City veterans Gary O'Neil and Aaron Wilbraham CITY veterans Aaron Wilbraham and Gary O'Neil were able to celebrate landmark appearances in style as the Robins won an away game in the Championship for the first time since beating Fulham 4-0 at Craven Cottage way back on September 24. Midfielder O'Neil made his 500th first team appearance in a career that has taken in Portsmouth, Queens Park Rangers, Middlesbrough and Norwich among others. And City captain Wilbraham chalked up his 600th senior game when coming off the bench to replace Matty Taylor for the final half hour. It was entirely fitting that two such model professionals should mark the occasion with a victory that could prove crucial in City's fight for Championship survival. Both led by example on the pitch, inspiring a team performance that typified City's team spirit and character. Read more at http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/wigan-...0196657-detail/story.html#Rp5eLUypeX1o4XP1.99
Wow we beat the 2nd worse team in the. Championship,with the worst manager in BCFC history,with the most expensive team ever assembled. With a 15 million pound striker on the pitch Reality is we are doomed under this management team and stubborn owner.
Just be happy we ****ing won for Christ sake. He won't be sacked this season, so just back him and the lads and hope we can all pull together and stay in the division.
Blackburn ~ Sept 24th......>>>9 weeks ......>>>Ipswich ~ Dec 3rd.......>>>9 weeks......>>>Rotherham ~ Feb 4th.......>>>5 weeks.....Wigan ~ March 11th.......>>>May 7th(End of Season)....>>> Approx 6 weeks..... I am so ****ing greatful that we have won 4 only league games since 24/09/16 ..
Pathetic win rate,in all my years following City I have never never felt so low regards the team we support. A joke owner with a joke manager.
But you've already told us you are not going to any games whilst LJ is here and then went the first game after. So no disrespect you've already proved you're all gob. If you don't want to go fair play it's your decision but why you feel the need to tell us all the time is attention seeking
It's getting boring now RR....We know your feelings towards LJ mate......Look at it a different way, LJ's changed things in the coaching staff, that's 2 games unbeaten!! Yes we beat the 2nd worst team in the championship, that's something Birmingham couldn't do the other night......And it seems that our defence have become a lot better, so addressing the problems that we had can only be a positive....stop constantly moaning and get behind the team, instead of hoping we get a hiding, thinking SL will do anything about it......he's here till end of season mate...deal with it!
Where are the points coming from to save us..? Huddersfield H ~ Lose Brentford A ~ Lose Preston A ~ Lose Wolves H ~ Win QPR H ~ Lose Blackburn A ~ Lose Barnsley H ~ Draw Brighton A ~ Lose Birmingham H ~ Draw I reckon 5 points from 9 games, I hope I'm wrong..
Where are the points coming from..? Huddersfield H ~ Draw Brentford A ~ Lose Preston A ~ Draw Wolves H ~ Win QPR H ~ Draw Blackburn A ~ Draw Barnsley H ~ Draw Brighton A ~ Lose Birmingham H ~ Win I reckon 11 points from 9 games
Who would have said, we would have got points from Newcastle & Norwich....Hopefully, we have a tad of confidence back and we're better in defence..... Can only get behind the team and see where it takes us!
My take wiz on points from those games Huddersfield H ~ Lose ---- Lose Brentford A ~ Lose------Lose Preston A ~ Lose ------Lose Wolves H ~ Win------Draw QPR H ~ Lose------ Lose Blackburn A ~ Lose-----Lose Barnsley H ~ Draw.------Lose Brighton A ~ Lose ----Lose Birmingham H ~ Draw----Lose I reckon 5 points from 9 games, I hope I'm wrong.. I see one point from that lot
Going to watch Huddersfield on sky- Yep over 20 years continues service,Aurivouir BCFC under the current regime. We are not interested in renewing not attention seeking just giving my take on it. I see Wiz is not renewing as well. As are many thousands according too their comments on the net.
Huddersfield H - Draw Brentford A - Draw Preston A - Draw Wolves H - Win QPR H - Win Blackburn A - Draw Barnsley H - Win Brighton A - Lose Birmingham H - Win There,loads of points
I think we will lose to Hudds and Preston but agree with your other predictions. So 9 pts = 47 Total. Touch and go and will likely mean our fate being decided in the last game. What a shambles with the players available! We should be mid-table and the only reason we aren't is LJ.
