Liam Manning praised Bristol City’s players for delivering a first Sky Bet Championship win of 2024 just days after coming through 120 minutes of FA Cup action.
Despite losing on penalties at Nottingham Forest on Wednesday night, the Robins were able to bounce back with a much-needed win at Middlesbrough.
Jason Knight’s cool finish in the 16th minute after he had been put through by Lukas Engel put Bristol City in charge.
Less than two minutes later Matty James fired in the second in off the post following a misplaced Hayden Hackney pass.
Middlesbrough could not find a way back into the contest, despite pulling one back in stoppage-time when Finn Azaz’s effort deflected in off the back of Samuel Silvera.
Manning, whose side had not won in the league since Boxing Day, was relieved to finally see his side claim three points.
He said: “We had six changes from Wednesday and the lads put in so much to Wednesday, so we needed everybody.
“The fact we found a way to win in a variety of ways is something to learn from. I made two changes early second half too because I felt energy was going to be important.
“We played 120 minutes on Wednesday, plus the travel, it has been a relentless programme for us. We came here with no excuses and you have to max out. I enjoyed it.
“The first half plan worked. The players did a terrific job in implementing it.
“We knew they would have a lot of possession and we were happy to give them it in front of us. We did an excellent job of counter attacking.
“We did an outstanding job of competing, we had blocked shots and crosses, we showed a great togetherness second half.
“They had very few chances really. I was pleased with the second half for different reasons.”
Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick felt that his side had given themselves too much work to do after falling two behind.
Carrick’s side have now won just one of their last seven league matches at the Riverside – leaving them six points off the play-offs.
Carrick said: “I thought there was enough in the game for us to get something.
“In the end we didn’t start particularly well, we didn’t start like us and paid the price.
“Those two quick goals gave them a massive start in the game. My players showed character and ended up playing good football, it just didn’t go for us. In the end it was too much.
“We finished the first half with good signs, the boys looked like themselves and we carried that on. I still thought we looked a threat, we just didn’t end up finishing it off.
“I have belief in the boys, there is s still a lot of good things going on in the game. I know they are capable of taking the chances. We have to believe it will turn.”
Hull City 3-3 Ipswich Town: Tigers fight back three times to deny Tractor Boys
Ipswich Town missed the chance to move into an automatic promotion spot as play-off-chasing Hull City came from behind three times in a thrilling 3-3 Championship draw at The MKM Stadium.
Ipswich knew a victory would take them second after Leeds United were surprisingly beaten 4-0 by Queens Park Rangers on Friday, and they led on three separate occasions, George Hirst opening the scoring before Omari Hutchinson produced two brilliant strikes from the edge of the area.
However, buoyed by slip-ups from rivals Norwich City and West Brom earlier on Saturday, Hull dug deep to fight back on each occasion, Ozan Tufan and Liam Delap scoring their first two equalisers.
With Liam Rosenior's men 3-2 down with just four minutes to play, substitute Noah Ohio blasted his shot in off the crossbar to punish an error from Ipswich goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky.
The result keeps Ipswich behind second-placed Leeds on goal difference, though the Tractor Boys have a game in hand to come at Coventry City on Tuesday.
Hull, meanwhile, are two points adrift of the top six, with Norwich's goal difference advantage meaning their top-six spot is all but assured. The Tigers will, however, leapfrog West Brom if they beat Plymouth Argyle on the final day and Albion lose to Preston North End.
Data Debrief: Hutchinson's best not enough
Hutchinson was a man who deserved to be on the winning side on Saturday, giving Ryan Allsop no chance with two near-identical left-footed strikes from the right corner of the penalty area.
His goals came from an expected goals (xG) total of just 0.6, and he led all players on the pitch for shots (eight) and passes in the final third (21), also laying on three chances for his team-mates.
Al-Khaleej 0-1 Al-Nassr: Ronaldo misfires on return as Laporte nets winner
Cristiano Ronaldo returned from suspension but failed to find the net as Al-Nassr secured a 1-0 win over Al-Khaleej on Saturday, with Aymeric Laporte coming up with the decisive goal.
Ronaldo was in action for the first time since being sent off for an elbow in a 2-1 Saudi Super Cup loss to Al-Hilal earlier this month, with his initial two-match ban being reduced to one on appeal.
He missed three good chances as Al-Nassr threatened to fall further behind runaway Saudi Pro League leaders Al-Hilal, but former Manchester City defender Laporte spared his blushes by nodding Marcelo Brozovic's deep free-kick into the bottom-left corner with 68 minutes gone.
Al-Nassr remain nine points adrift of Al-Hilal at the summit in spite of their win, with Jorge Jesus' team unbeaten through 28 games this season as they close in on a record-extending 18th title.
Data Debrief: Ronaldo misfires on return
Ronaldo was presented with the Saudi Pro League's Player of the Month award for March ahead of kick-off, having scored four goals in three league appearances last month.
However, his sights were off on Saturday as he failed to net despite three of the visitors' four big chances, as defined by Opta, falling his way. He led all players on the pitch for expected goals (1.27 xG), shots (five), shots on target (three) and touches in the area (nine) without reward.
Huddersfield all but relegated from Championship while League Two play-off spots decided
Huddersfield Town saw their relegation from the Championship all but confirmed after a 1-1 draw with fellow strugglers Birmingham City on Saturday.
The Terriers avoided a defeat that would have seen them relegated on Saturday, but even a win on the final day over promotion hopefuls Ipswich Town will not be enough unless they overcome a huge goal difference of 15 goals with Plymouth Argyle.
Birmingham remain in the other relegation place and now must beat Norwich City to stand a chance of staying up with Sheffield Wednesday, Plymouth and Blackburn Rovers also still in danger.
At the other end of the table, the Canaries dropped points in a 2-2 draw with Swansea City, leaving the door open for Hull City, who face Ipswich Town later today.
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