Bristol City 2-0 Bolton Wanderers
- Published
Famara Diedhiou has now scored in four of Bristol City's last five games
Bristol City continued their impressive start to the Championship season with victory over Bolton, who set a new club record for games without scoring.
City, now unbeaten in eight league matches, went ahead when Famara Diedhiou bundled home at the far post.
Felipe Morais was shown a second yellow card on the stroke of half-time to compound Bolton's misery.
Aden Flint diverted in to confirm City's superiority, as Wanderers failed to score for a seventh successive game.
Gary Madine came closest to registering their first goal since 22 August but his looping header was hooked clear by Flint.
Other than that effort, Phil Parkinson's side rarely threatened and remain bottom of the table with just two points from their first 10 matches, having won promotion from League One last season.
By contrast, Bristol City, who have also seen off Premier League teams Watford and Stoke on their way to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup, have not lost in any competition since 12 August.
Their current unbeaten sequence is their longest in the second tier since 2012 and lifts them up to seventh in the table.
Bristol City assistant head coach Dean Holden:
"We're happy for the fans to be talking play-offs because it means we are at the right end of the table and playing well.
"It is within the club and the dressing room that we need to keep feet firmly on the ground and that is happening.
"The players are stressing to each other that no one should get carried away.
"We have turned in a very professional performance and will come in tomorrow to start preparing just as thoroughly for Ipswich.
"Bolton were never going to come here and lie down. It wasn't our most fluent display, but we were very solid."
Bolton boss Phil Parkinson:
"The sending-off was unbelievably harsh because Felipe's first caution was barely a foul. Yes, he has gone to ground for the second one, which might be regarded as reckless, but I've seen the challenge again and it was so hard on him to send him off.
"I am facing one of the biggest challenges of my career. But there was a massive one at Bradford City when I went there and we pulled together and turned things around.
"Now I am determined to do that again. To play in the Championship with the restrictions we have been under is so tough.
"But tonight I saw a team ready to give everything. I was really low at the weekend and looked at my own performance as well as that of the players, but now I see some hope."