Sky Bet Championship

Bristol City 0

Leeds United 1 (Bamford 9)

Leeds: Casilla, Alioski, Cooper, Jansson, Ayling, Phillips, Klich (Berardi 83), Roberts, Harrison (Douglas 75), Hernandez, Bamford (Dallas 57). Subs not used: Peacock-Farrell, Brown, Shackleton, Gotts.

Bristol: O’Leary, Dasilva, Webster, Wright, Kalas, Pack (Palmer 79), Brownhill, O’Dowda (Weimann 59) , Semenyo (Taylor 58), Paterson, Diedhiou.  Subs: Marinovic, Kelly, Eliasson, Hunt.

Booked: Cooper, Ayling, Alioski, Douglas (Leeds), Semenyo, Wright, Diedhiou, Webster (Bristol)

Referee: P. Bankes

Venue: Ashton Gate

Attendance: 24,832

Leeds United moved back into second place in the Sky Bet Championship with a hard fought 1-0 victory against Bristol City at Ashton Gate.                                   

Bristol had the first chance of the game, Callum O’Dowda put a cross into the Leeds box from a free-kick, which was met by Bailey Wright, but Kiko Casilla gathered easily.

Leeds took the lead in the ninth minute of the match, Luke Ayling latched onto a long cross-field pass from Ezgjan Alioski and played the ball across goal, with Patrick Bamford on hand to convert at the back stick, with the striker colliding with the post to ensure his effort found the net.

Bristol had another chance from set-piece, Jamie Paterson whipped in and the ball went right across the face of the Leeds goal, but fortunately for the Whites, no Robins player could convert.

Tyler Roberts tried his luck from range, but his deflected effort ended up safely in the arms of Bristol goalkeeper Max O’Leary.

Leeds pushed for a second and Bamford laid the ball off to Jack Harrison to strike, but his attempt went narrowly wide.

An Ayling strike then deflected off the heel of Tyler Roberts and into the path of Harrison, but his header went off target.

Pablo Hernandez then did well down the right, he played a good low cross into the box, but Harrison couldn’t get the ball under control to convert the chance.

Phillips saw a long range volley go well over, before Harrison dragged an effort wide under pressure in the Bristol box, following some good play from Bamford.

On the stroke of half time, Bristol nearly levelled, Marlon Pack went through on goal, he beat the out-coming Casilla to get the ball and then played it into the path of Famara Diedhiou, but fortunately Pontus Jansson was on hand to sweep up the danger.

Half time: Bristol City 0-1 Leeds United



Hernandez was first to try his luck after the break, but his effort deflected wide off Roberts.

The Whites had a great opportunity to extend the lead in the 57^th minute, Harrison did superbly beating three Bristol players to break into the box, before teeing up Roberts, but his shot was straight at O’Leary.

At the other end, Casilla was forced into action to deny Pack with a smart save, before Alioski struck over from distance.

An O’Leary punch clearance then fell to the feet of Hernandez in the Bristol box, he had to work backwards to unleash a strike, which went just over.

Mateusz Klich had a volley well blocked from the edge of the box, before Diedhiou played substitute Matty Taylor in on the Leeds goal with a neat header, but he couldn’t beat the impressive Casilla.

The Whites defended resolutely for the final stages, including six minutes of added time, to come away with a big three points on the road.

Full time: Bristol City 0-1 Leeds United