Burnley 2-1 Bristol City: Jay Rodriguez nets winner as Clarets go seven unbeaten
- Published
Manuel Benson had put Burnley in front with his first goal since joining the club from Royal Antwerp
Jay Rodriguez scored a second-half winner as Burnley edged out Bristol City to make it seven Championship games unbeaten.
Rodriguez headed in a cross from Johann Berg Gudmundsson for his fifth goal of the season midway through the half to secure only a second home win of the campaign for the Clarets, as they moved up to fourth.
For the Robins, Nahki Wells had cancelled out Manuel Benson's early strike.
But they suffered a second loss on the road in four days, having lost 3-2 at Norwich City in midweek, as they fell to eighth in the table.
The Clarets only needed four minutes to go in front when Benson, a summer arrival from Royal Antwerp, drilled in his first goal for Burnley from just inside the area.
But Bristol City are the joint lead scorers in the Championship, netting in every game, and they kept that record going by finding an equaliser.
Kal Naismith's corner was not cleared and the ball reached Wells, who scored against one of his old clubs from barely a yard out for his fourth goal in as many games.
There was a good flow to the match as Robins goalkeeper Dan Bentley denied Ian Maatsen at one end and Aro Muric kept out Rob Atkinson and Wells at the other.
It has been a summer of change for Vincent Kompany since he took over at Burnley in the summer but it was two of the Clarets' old guard who made the vital contribution.
Substitute Gudmundsson delivered the cross and there was Rodriguez with a pinpoint header into the far corner.
Joe Williams almost had a second equaliser for Nigel Pearson's men, only for another save from Muric as Burnley narrowed the gap on second-placed Norwich City to three points.
Burnley manager Vincent Kompany told BBC Radio Lancashire:
"It's ideal to go into the international break off [a win]. It was a good win and a good performance against a very tough opponent.
We've watched a lot of Bristol City games; they press high, they have a lot of the ball and a lot of threat going forward, and for us to cancel some of that out was really not easy.
"If we can be more efficient in the chances we have, we can get even more on top of other teams and that's what we will be working towards."
Bristol City manager Nigel Pearson told BBC Radio Bristol:
"We didn't have anywhere near as much possession as the other night, but they are a different type of team.
"We conceded a goal which we didn't make them work hard enough for, but again we've had our chances.
"We have shown again that we can compete but it's very disappointing not to get any point from either game because I think we've deserved more than that this week."