Rob Dickie runs away to celebrate his third goal in his last 10 appearances
Bristol City ended a four-game losing streak as Rob Dickie’s second-half header settled a forgettable game against Swansea City.
Dickie guided the ball inside the far post after a short-corner routine to give Liam Manning’s team a timely victory.
Bristol City look secure in mid-table having triumphed for just the third time in 13 Championship games to halt their worst run of the season.
Swansea, by contrast, remain in the relegation picture after seeing their three-game unbeaten run come to a disappointing end.
Luke Williams’ team could not claim to have deserved victory in a match of few chances, but the Swansea head coach will feel they should at least have avoided defeat.
A sixth loss in Williams’ 11 league games in charge leaves Swansea five points clear of the bottom three going into next weekend’s south Wales derby against Cardiff City, while Bristol City are nine points above the drop zone in 13th.
The Robins have laboured at home in recent months, while Swansea have maintained a respectable away record despite their struggles throughout a traumatic season.
It was Swansea who carried a marginally greater threat in a meandering first half, with Liam Cullen heading the one half-chance at either end wide of the target.
The desperate lack of quality on show was summed up by a Ronald set-piece.
The Brazilian winger has offered much-needed attacking menace since joining Swansea in January, but there was nothing menacing about the short corner which was meant as a 10-yard pass for Kyle Naughton but ended with the ball dribbling out of play near the flag.
There were jeers from some home supporters when Bristol City made nothing of a counter-attacking opportunity just after the half hour, and some boos at the half-time whistle.
The game’s first genuine chance arrived just before the hour, when Ronald exchanged passes with Kyle Naughton before crossing for Przemyslaw Placheta, only for the Pole to slice wastefully wide at the far post.
The hosts’ maiden opportunity of note came in the 69th minute, when a ball over the top sent Ross McCrorie scampering into the box but he emulated Placheta by slashing off target.
Swansea City’s Kyle Naughton attempts to tackle Bristol City’s Anis Mehmeti
With that Manning’s men finally found some attacking momentum, with the breakthrough arriving – somewhat predictably – from a set-piece.
After Anis Mehmeti picked out Joe Williams just outside the area, he chipped into the box and Dickie got in front of Ben Cabango to claim his fifth goal of the season.
Jason Knight could have doubled the lead later but headed wide from Tommy Conway’s cross, giving Swansea hope of a late leveller.
They created just one opportunity, when Jamal Lowe did well to pick out fellow substitute Ollie Cooper, but his effort on the stretch sailed harmlessly over the bar.
Line-ups
Bristol City
Formation 4-2-3-1
1O’Leary
2McCrorie26Vyner16Dickie3Pring
8Williams22Gardner-Hickman
9Cornick12Knight11Mehmeti
15Conway
1O’Leary2McCrorie26Vyner16Dickie3PringSubstituted forRobertsat 60’minutes8Williams22Gardner-HickmanSubstituted forKingat 81’minutes9CornickSubstituted forSykesat 56’minutesBooked at 71mins12Knight11Mehmeti15ConwaySubstituted forWellsat 82’minutesBooked at 88minsSubstitutes7Twine10King17Sykes21Wells23Bajic24Roberts27Knight-Lebel47Mebude
Swansea
Formation 4-2-3-1
22Rushworth
26Naughton5Cabango23Wood14Tymon
7Allen8Grimes
35Pereira Martins12Paterson17Placheta
20Cullen
22Rushworth26NaughtonSubstituted forKeyat 78’minutes5Cabango23Wood14TymonBooked at 63mins7AllenSubstituted forFultonat 82’minutes8Grimes35Pereira MartinsSubstituted forYatesat 82’minutes12PatersonSubstituted forCooperat 78’minutes17Placheta20CullenSubstituted forLoweat 68’minutesSubstitutes1Fisher2Key4Fulton6Darling9Yates10Lowe18Patino31Cooper47Abdulai
Referee:Matt Donohue
Attendance:20,995
Live Text
Match ends, Bristol City 1, Swansea City 0.
Second Half ends, Bristol City 1, Swansea City 0.
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match (Swansea City).
Jamal Lowe (Swansea City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Haydon Roberts (Bristol City).
Attempt saved. Nahki Wells (Bristol City) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Joshua Key (Swansea City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Anis Mehmeti (Bristol City).
Attempt missed. Oliver Cooper (Swansea City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Jamal Lowe with a cross.
Nahki Wells (Bristol City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Matt Grimes (Swansea City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Nahki Wells (Bristol City).
Josh Tymon (Swansea City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jason Knight (Bristol City).
Substitution, Swansea City. Jay Fulton replaces Joe Allen.
Substitution, Swansea City. Jerry Yates replaces Ronald.
Substitution, Bristol City. Nahki Wells replaces Tommy Conway.
Substitution, Bristol City. Andy King replaces Taylor Gardner-Hickman.
Ronald (Swansea City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
