Bristol City 2-3 Stoke City - Nathan Lowe earns Potters comeback win at Ashton Gate
- Published
- comments
Nathan Lowe's winner was his first goal in senior football
Substitute Nathan Lowe ended Stoke's five-game winless Championship run with a dramatic last-minute winner to compete their fightback from 2-0 down at Bristol City.
Lowe met a cross from Bae Jun-ho to tap home his first goal in senior football and earn the Potters a hard-fought and much-needed three points at Ashton Gate.
Sam Bell had given the hosts the ideal start with a fine near-post finish after Stoke failed to deal with the first corner of the game.
Nahki Wells punished Stoke for a poor back pass to make it two soon after, only for Algeria international Mehdi Leris to pull one back with an excellent effort that found the top corner.
Sead Haksabanovic levelled immediately after the break, beating Max O'Leary with a fine low shot, before Lowe ended Stoke's miserable run, which included four defeats in five league games.
Stoke's comeback meant Bristol City slipped to 11th in the table, having looked poised to climb into the top six when two goals up early on.
Bell was quick to rattle the Potters, pouncing on a loose ball from a corner before squeezing his shot into the bottom corner.
While Wells doubled the advantage and seemingly had the hosts cruising after 15 minutes, it was a shortlived feeling as Leris found the top left corner of the goal with a fine effort from the right edge of the area.
Stoke finished the first 45 minutes strongly and Celtic loanee Haksabanovic restored parity two minutes into the second half with a first-time finish after meeting a low cross from Ki-Jana Hoever.
Potters goalkeeper Mark Travers kept Kal Naismith and Harry Cornick out, while a crucial Ben Pearson clearance, as Ephraim Yeboah was about to pounce on a goal-scoring chance, ensured Stoke remained level going into the closing stages of the game.
They proved to be decisive interventions, as Lowe went on to seal Stoke's first away win of the season.
Bristol City boss Nigel Pearson told BBC Radio Bristol:
"We were mugged, but basically we mugged ourselves I think is the best way of putting it.
"The start we had was very good and we were exceptionally positive throughout the game really.
"It's was our own fault, I'm afraid today. Fair play to them, we have been up there at their ground on a number of occasions and mugged them, so I suppose that's how it is sometimes."
Stoke City boss Alex Neil told BBC Radio Stoke:
"Let's be honest, it was the worst possible start we could have. That was really frustrating.
"Then the mistake [for the second goal] you could see the confidence sap out of us. We were fired up ready for the game, but obviously players feed off the atmosphere and the atmosphere at that stage wasn't great.
"Our lifeline was the goal before half-time. To score that gave us something to cling on to.
"Credit to the lads from half-time onwards. While I don't think it was the best we've played, I thought we showed real character and spirit."