Match ends, Bristol City 1, Rochdale 0.
Bristol CityBristol City1RochdaleRochdale0
Bristol City moved eight points clear at the top of League One with a win over play-off hopefuls Rochdale.
Peter Vincenti struck the bar from a free-kick for Rochdale, before Aaron Wilbraham headed the hosts ahead from 12 yards from Luke Freeman's corner.
It was not a vintage performance from the Robins, but they were able to grind out the win, as second-placed MK Dons lost at Coventry.
Rochdale slip to 15th, and are now seven points off the top six.
Bristol City manager Steve Cotterill told BBC Radio Bristol:
"Rochdale come here and all the pressure is on us and we know we're expected to win.
"It was always going to be a tough game. What we couldn't allow to happen was to get done by a counter-attack.
"If we'd had played as open as we do normally, we would have come back after half-time and be picked off.
"They are the highest scorers away from home in the division so we knew a clean sheet was going to be vital."
Rochdale manager Keith Hill told BBC Radio Manchester:
"Today I'm really proud of the way we played. Disappointed with the result but I thought we should have got something from the game."
"They're an excellent side, there's no question about that, but we came to play today.
"We didn't come with any fear, we tried to score, we took one or two risks with our defensive strategy, we gave them a lot of space but I thought we defended excellently."
Line-ups
Bristol City
Formation 3-5-2
- 1Fielding
- 22Ayling
- 4Flint
- 3Williams
- 2Little
- 21Pack
- 7Smith
- 15FreemanSubstituted forElliottat 74'minutes
- 17CunninghamSubstituted forBryanat 63'minutes
- 18Wilbraham
- 19AgardSubstituted forTavernierat 88'minutes
Substitutes
- 8Elliott
- 9Smith
- 10Emmanuel-Thomas
- 11Wagstaff
- 13Richards
- 23Bryan
- 24Tavernier
Rochdale
Formation 4-3-3
- 19Jones
- 2RaffertySubstituted forBellat 68'minutes
- 5Eastham
- 22O'Connell
- 33Kennedy
- 25Rose
- 3BennettBooked at 90mins
- 24Allen
- 7Vincenti
- 39BunneyBooked at 22minsSubstituted forBrandyat 76'minutes
- 40Henderson
Substitutes
- 1Lillis
- 10Brandy
- 11Noble-Lazarus
- 14Héry
- 17Tanser
- 26Logan
- 31Bell
- Referee:
- James Adcock
- Attendance:
- 11,841
Match Stats
Home TeamBristol CityAway TeamRochdale
- Possession
- Home42%
- Away58%
- Shots
- Home8
- Away13
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away3
- Corners
- Home3
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home7
- Away12
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Bristol City 1, Rochdale 0.
Post update
Attempt missed. Ian Henderson (Rochdale) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high.
Booking
Rhys Bennett (Rochdale) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Joe Bryan (Bristol City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Rhys Bennett (Rochdale).
Substitution
Substitution, Bristol City. James Tavernier replaces Kieran Agard.
Post update
Hand ball by Rhys Bennett (Rochdale).
Post update
Attempt missed. Ashley Eastham (Rochdale) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
Post update
Corner, Rochdale. Conceded by Luke Ayling.
Post update
Attempt missed. Febian Brandy (Rochdale) header from the centre of the box misses to the right.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Joe Bryan (Bristol City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Post update
Corner, Bristol City. Conceded by Ian Henderson.
Post update
Attempt missed. Ian Henderson (Rochdale) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
Substitution
Substitution, Rochdale. Febian Brandy replaces Joe Bunney.
Post update
Attempt missed. Joe Bryan (Bristol City) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
Substitution
Substitution, Bristol City. Wade Elliott replaces Luke Freeman.
Post update
Attempt missed. Joe Bunney (Rochdale) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high.
Substitution
Substitution, Rochdale. Nyal Bell replaces Joseph Rafferty.
Post update
Foul by Marlon Pack (Bristol City).
