Match ends, Nottingham Forest 1, Bristol City 2.
Nottm ForestNottingham Forest1Bristol CityBristol City2
Aden Flint's second-half header helped lowly Bristol City to an impressive victory at Nottingham Forest.
Dougie Freedman's side, who have now lost their last three games, went ahead when midfielder Ben Osborn fired a low shot past goalkeeper Richard O'Donnell.
But Jonathan Kodjia tapped the visitors level after Joe Bryan's effort had come back off the post.
And City, who struck the woodwork again through Nathan Baker, completed the turnaround thanks to Flint's header.
The Robins had seen their 100% start under new head coach Lee Johnson emphatically ended by Brighton on Tuesday, but victory at the City Ground was their fourth in five games and maintains the eight-point gap to the relegation zone.
Forest, who had gone 13 Championship matches unbeaten prior to recent defeats by Huddersfield and Burnley, have now slipped to 13th in the table.
It had looked as though that blip was coming to end when Osborn, named Football League Young Player of the Month for January, scored his second of the season to put them ahead.
But Kodjia's strike moments before half-time and Flint's near-post header with 20 minutes left secured victory for City, who had not overturned a deficit to win since the final day of last season.
Nottingham Forest boss Dougie Freedman:
"The performance was good, in the first hour in particular. We deserved the lead and we had chances to make it a bigger lead.
"It was a setback losing Jamie Ward to injury and then to lose the goal just before half time, when the ball bounced back off the post right to their player.
"We started the second half very well. But the issue was that we made the wrong decisions in front of goal. In the end, we lost our discipline when we were chasing the game. On top of that, if you concede goals from set pieces then you are going to lose games.
"We played some good stuff but we have to work on our end product. The bottom line is that I do not like losing matches and we will address that."
Bristol City head coach Lee Johnson:
"It is important for us to get a win after a poor result. We were up against a good side, but we showed that we can compete.
"If you look at the game as a whole, we could have won by a couple more, because we had the chances. There were some outstanding performances out there, particularly from some of the younger players.
"There were some really good individual performances but, in the end, this was about us as a team and we have come out with a really good performance and a really good win.
"We will only get better, as time goes on. We will only improve."
Line-ups
Nottm Forest
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 1de Vries
- 2Lichaj
- 5Mills
- 4Mancienne
- 3Jokic
- 8CohenBooked at 49mins
- 32TescheSubstituted forMendes da Graçaat 74'minutes
- 24VaughanSubstituted forGardnerat 68'minutes
- 38Osborn
- 19WardSubstituted forWalkerat 19'minutes
- 17Oliveira
Substitutes
- 15Mendes da Graça
- 22Gardner
- 23Blackstock
- 25Hobbs
- 26Evtimov
- 34Walker
- 37Grant
Bristol City
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 12O'Donnell
- 2Little
- 4Flint
- 17Baker
- 13Golbourne
- 15Freeman
- 21Pack
- 23Bryan
- 9TomlinSubstituted forWagstaffat 74'minutes
- 14ReidSubstituted forAgardat 90+3'minutes
- 22KodjiaSubstituted forWilbrahamat 82'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Fielding
- 3Williams
- 10Agard
- 11Wagstaff
- 16Pearce
- 18Wilbraham
- 25Vyner
- Referee:
- David Webb
- Attendance:
- 20,551
Match Stats
Home TeamNottm ForestAway TeamBristol City
- Possession
- Home53%
- Away47%
- Shots
- Home10
- Away22
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away5
- Corners
- Home1
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home7
- Away9
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Nottingham Forest 1, Bristol City 2.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Matt Mills (Nottingham Forest) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Nélson Oliveira.
Substitution
Substitution, Bristol City. Kieran Agard replaces Bobby Reid.
Post update
Attempt saved. Scott Wagstaff (Bristol City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Bobby Reid.
Post update
Foul by Bojan Jokic (Nottingham Forest).
Post update
Scott Wagstaff (Bristol City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Gary Gardner (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Joe Bryan (Bristol City).
Post update
Nélson Oliveira (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Nathan Baker (Bristol City).
Post update
Ben Osborn (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Mark Little (Bristol City).
Substitution
Substitution, Bristol City. Aaron Wilbraham replaces Jonathan Kodjia.
Post update
Corner, Bristol City. Conceded by Gary Gardner.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Marlon Pack (Bristol City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Bobby Reid (Bristol City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Scott Wagstaff.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Jonathan Kodjia (Bristol City) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Jonathan Kodjia (Bristol City) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Mark Little.
Post update
Attempt missed. Jonathan Kodjia (Bristol City) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left.
