Bristol City 1-0 Stoke City: Tyreeq Bakinson nets as Nigel Pearson's men punish Potters
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Tyreeq Bakinson got the only goal at Ashton Gate for Bristol City with his first goal of the season
Nigel Pearson's Bristol City moved six points clear of danger in the Championship as they beat a wasteful Stoke City at Ashton Gate.
Stoke had a chance to climb to third in the table - but Tyreeq Bakinson netted the only goal of the game on 38 minutes.
And the Potters ended with 10 men after Wales midfielder Joe Allen was red carded for a second bookable offence in the seventh minute of injury time.
Pearson's first win since returning to duty following a Covid-related illness came in only his second game back.
It was also only City's second home win in 20 games - and was secured when Tomas Kalas powered a long throw right into the heart of the penalty area, Chris Martin rose to meet it with a headed flick-on - and Bakinson got there first to guide the ball home.
Stoke only had themselves to blame for missing a catalogue of chances as their three-match winning run came to an end.
Steven Fletcher headed against a post from Mario Vrancic's chip after only 53 seconds then, following a mistake by Joe Williams, new Scotland international Jacob Brown got in on goal, only for his shot to be parried by goalkeeper Dan Bentley.
Fletcher was then denied by the woodwork for a second time, when his powerful header from Josh Tymon's cross hit the bar,
But the first half ended badly for the Potters when Bakinson finally broke the deadlock - and Allen was booked for a cynical trip on Callum O'Dowda.
After Bakinson volleyed over following another dangerous Kalas long throw, Stoke again went close when Fletcher fired straight at Bentley and James Chester headed wide from a Vrancic corner.
Stoke then blew a great chance to equalise on 82 minutes when Bentley smothered Alfie Doughty as he got through on goal, but crucially delayed his shot - and Tyrese Campbell could then only find the side-netting.
Stoke, who drop a place to sixth, will hope to rally on Saturday when they host Tony Mowbray's seventh-placed Blackburn, while Pearson's rejuvenated Robins face Sheffield United at Bramall Lane in the lunchtime kick-off.
Bristol City boss Nigel Pearson:
"It was a night when the result was more important than the performance. They are a good side and could have been ahead early on. But we showed a great tenacity.
"Our young lads, Alex Scott and Ayman Benarous, were exceptional and the senior players set them a good example. Callum O'Dowda's second-half display, both in terms of keeping his opposing wing-back quiet and creating things going forward, was very good.
"We have had some difficult moments here this season, losing points late in games. What stood out tonight was the desire to keep the ball out of our net.
"Stoke are a potent force and I never kid myself after games. They started the game well, but it didn't affect our confidence or ability to work ourselves into it. We didn't play with a lot of fluidity, but we had our moments."
Stoke City boss Michael O'Neill told BBC Radio Stoke:
"We were disappointed we took nothing from the game. It shows that you can play like that and then still get beat. We were clearly the better side, but the goal gave them something to hang onto.
"We were very dominant early on and particularly up to the goal which came from a long throw which we didn't defend. We knew they'd be a threat off that and it was the only threat they had.
"But the referee missed a lot of big incidents. There was a penalty on Jacob Brown in the first half and James Chester was pushed in the box by Kalas and it wasn't a great tackle from their young lad on Mario Vrancic because he was off the ground.
"Then to brandish a second yellow card for Joe Allen was poor, given all that the ref had missed earlier in the game."