'City face Herculean task to overcome 3-0 deficit'

City's 3-0 home defeat in the play-off semi-final first leg has given them a Herculean task at Bramall Lane on Monday night if they are to progress to the final at Wembley on 24 May.

It got me thinking about when, if ever, City have recovered such a deficit or, for that matter, surrendered one of similar magnitude.

To give City fans some hope, you need to go back to November 2002 and a League One game at Field Mill against Mansfield.

With only three minutes left to play, City found themselves trailing 4-2 and that was after they had taken a 2-1 lead after 50 minutes through a Christian Roberts goal.

Home goalkeeper Kevin Pilkington conceded a penalty, which was converted by Brian Tinnion to make it 4-3, then Leroy Lita struck to make it 4-4.

City didn't shut up shop and went looking for a winner, which came from another Roberts strike to make it 5-4 and send the travelling supporters into raptures.

I did not attend that game as I was at Villa Park watching the home team demolish West Ham 4-1. I knew City were trailing as I had a friend at the game texting me score updates.

I left Villa Park shortly before the final whistle and felt the phone in my back pocket vibrate three times. I didn't check what the commotion was until I got back to the car when I then read City had achieved the impossible!

The other side of the coin is more recent and took place in February 2018. City were trying to maintain their promotion push built on an impressive first half of the season but which had faltered in the early stages of the new year.

Sunderland were involved in a relegation struggle. A much-needed win looked a certainty as City raced to a three-goal lead inside 40 minutes with an opener from Aden Flint then a couple from Famara Diedhiou.

It all went terribly wrong from the 70th minute when Josh Brownhill started the comeback putting through his own net. Ten minutes later, Aidan McGeady made it 3-2 before a second own goal, this time from Marlon Pack, in the 92nd-minute gave Sunderland a point as the game finished 3-3.

Sadly, I feel City will commence their 11th successive season in the Championship come early August.

You can hear more from David Pottier on the fans' podcast Forever Bristol City.