Mark Sykes blasted a 67th-minute winner as Liam Manning’s first home game as Bristol City head coach ended with a 3-2 Championship victory over Middlesbrough.
The home side took a 37th-minute lead when young midfielder Taylor Gardner-Hickman cut in from the left and netted his first Robins goal with a superb curling right-footed effort that went in off the crossbar at Ashton Gate.
It was 2-0 in first-half injury time, Tommy Conway sending goalkeeper Seny Dieng the wrong way with a low spot-kick after Matty James had been brought down in the box by Dael Fry.
Boro were back in it after 50 minutes when a Matt Crooks shot came back off the crossbar and City defender Zak Vyner headed the rebound back past Max O’Leary for a bizarre own goal.
Two minutes later Crooks equalised with a low drive from an Emmanuel Latte Lath pass into the box, only for City to retake the lead through Sykes’ sweet volley from a narrow angle.
Both sides might have scored in a rousing finale, but Manning’s men held on for a hard-fought three points.
Middlesbrough started the game brightly and looked comfortable for much of the first half. They had the first effort at goal after five minutes when Sam Greenwood’s shot was hit straight at goalkeeper O’Leary.
Gardner-Hickman had a deflected shot gathered by Dieng when City threatened for the first time moments later.
Boro had the ball in the net midway through the first half when Isaiah Jones converted a low Greenwood cross at the far post – only to be flagged offside. Seconds later Lukas Engel shot wide for the visitors.
Gardner-Hickman’s brilliant strike came when home fans were starting to get frustrated by their team’s back-and-across football.
It sparked panic in the Middlesbrough ranks and Conway should have netted moments before his penalty when running onto a poor back-pass from Jones, only to be denied by Dieng’s sprawling save.
Fry was booked for a foul on Conway before the incident that saw him penalised for fouling James and the successful penalty ensured City left the field to a rousing ovation.
Michael Carrick sent his Boro team out early for the second half, which saw them attack towards the end occupied by their travelling fans.
Those supporters soon had their mood transformed by two quick goals and suddenly it was City looking shellshocked.
They recovered to go back in front when Rob Dickie’s header from a corner was saved and Sykes pounced to fire home the rebound.
Boro almost equalised again when a deflected cross from substitute Samuel Silvera hit the base of the near post and bounced back into play.
The visitors applied late pressure, but City almost snatched a fourth on the break when substitute Anis Mehmeti’s shot was saved by Dieng.
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