Bristol City 1-0 Swansea City: Rob Dickie's header ends the Robins' losing streak

Rob Dickie runs away to celebrate his third goal in his last ten appearances

Bristol City ended a four-game losing streak as Rob Dickie's second-half header sealed a memorable game against Swansea City.

Dickie headed the ball into the far post from a short corner, giving Liam Manning's team a timely victory.

Bristol City look secure in mid-table after triumphing for just the third time in 13 Championship games, ending their worst run of the season.

Swansea, meanwhile, remain in the relegation list after their three-match unbeaten run came to a disappointing end, with Przemyslaw Placheta wasting his best chance as the game remained goalless.

Luke Williams' team couldn't claim they deserved victory in a game with few chances, but Swansea's head coach will rue their failure to avoid defeat.

After a sixth defeat in Williams' 11 league games, 15th-placed Swansea sit five points clear of the bottom three ahead of next weekend's South Wales derby against Cardiff City, while 13th-placed Bristol City sit nine points above the relegation zone.

The Robins have struggled at home in recent months, while Swansea have had a respectable away record despite their struggles in a traumatic season.

Swansea were slightly more dangerous in the first half as Liam Cullen headed the one half-time chance at either end wide.

The obvious lack of quality was summed up by a set piece from Ronald.

The Brazilian winger has provided much-needed attacking threat since joining Swansea in January, but the short corner, intended to be a 10-yard pass to Kyle Naughton, ended with the ball dribbling out of the pitch near the flag .

There was jeering from some home fans when Bristol City failed to capitalize on a counterattack opportunity just after the half-hour mark, and there were some boos at the half-time whistle.

The game's first real chance came just before the hour mark when Ronald exchanged passes with Kyle Naughton before crossing to Placheta, but the Pole shot wastefully past the far post.

The first significant opportunity for the hosts came in the 69th minute when a ball went over the goal line and Ross McCrorie darted into the penalty area, but he copied Placheta and shot wide.

Swansea City's Kyle Naughton tries to tackle Bristol City's Anis Mehmeti

Manning's men finally found some attacking momentum and the breakthrough came – somewhat predictably – after a set piece.

After Anis Mehmeti picked out Joe Williams just outside the box, he threw a chip into the box and Dickie went ahead of Ben Cabango to score 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 equaliser.

They only created one chance when Jamal Lowe picked out fellow substitute Ollie Cooper well, but his effort on the stretch went harmlessly over the bar.

Liam Manning, Bristol City head coach:

“I’m happy for the boys. In the first half you can feel the atmosphere, the tension and the negativity on site.”

“Keep calm, concentrate on ourselves and do what we had to do – the boys did an excellent job.”

“After four defeats, it was never possible that we would win the game with a nice, clear 4-0 win.”

“In the second half I thought we were a bit more aggressive and there could have been more chances. Credit to the players, as you can see they are really into what we are trying to do.”

Swansea head coach Luke Williams:

“We didn't do enough to win the game. We controlled the first half with the ball, but we had to use the ball to create more opportunities.”

“The game was more balanced in the second half, but we distracted from a set piece and paid the price for not creating enough really good openings.”

“This is mainly because the opponents did an excellent job of keeping us out. They worked extremely hard. We had a chance to win a game here and we didn’t quite take advantage of it.”

“We hope that if we can’t win it, we certainly don’t lose it.”

Lineups

Bristol city

formation 4-2-3-1

1O'Leary

2McCrorie26Vyner16Dickie3Spring

8thWilliams22Gardner Hickman

9Cornick12Knight11Mehmet

15Conway

• 1O'Leary
• 2McCrorie
• 26Vyner
• 16Dickie
• 3SpringReplaced byRobertsat 60'protocol
• 8thWilliams
• 22Gardner HickmanReplaced bykingat 81'protocol
• 9CornickReplaced bySykesat 56'protocolBooked for 71 minutes
• 12Knight
• 11Mehmet
• 15ConwayReplaced byWellsat 82'protocolBooked for 88 minutes

Substitute

• 7line
• 10king
• 17Sykes
• 21Wells
• 23Bajic
• 24Roberts
• 27Ritter Lebel
• 47Mebude

Swansea

formation 4-2-3-1

22Rushworth

26Naughton5Think23Wood14Tymon

7Allen8thGrimes

35Pereira Martins12Paterson17plaque

20Cullen

• 22Rushworth
• 26NaughtonReplaced byKeyat 78'protocol
• 5Think
• 23Wood
• 14TymonBooked for 63 minutes
• 7AllenReplaced byFultonat 82'protocol
• 8thGrimes
• 35Pereira MartinsReplaced byYatesat 82'protocol
• 12PatersonReplaced bycooperat 78'protocol
• 17plaque
• 20CullenReplaced byLionat 68'protocol

Substitute

• 1Fisherman
• 2Key
• 4Fulton
• 6Treasure
• 9Yates
• 10Lion
• 18personal
• 31cooper
• 47Abdulai

Referee: Matt Donohue

Number of visitors: 20,995

Live text

1. Match ends: Bristol City 1, Swansea City 0.

2. The second half ends, Bristol City 1, Swansea City 0.

3. Delay over. You are ready to move on.

4. Delay in game (Swansea City).

5. Jamal Lowe (Swansea City) wins a free kick on the right wing.

6. Foul by Haydon Roberts (Bristol City).

7. Attempt saved. Nahki Wells (Bristol City) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved by the ball in the bottom right corner.

8. Joshua Key (Swansea City) wins a free kick on the right wing.

9. Foul by Anis Mehmeti (Bristol City).

10. Attempt failed. Oliver Cooper (Swansea City)'s left-footed shot from the center of the penalty area goes high and wide to the left. Assisted by Jamal Lowe with a cross.

11. Nahki Wells (Bristol City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

12. Matt Grimes (Swansea City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

13. Foul by Nahki Wells (Bristol City).

14. Josh Tymon (Swansea City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

15. Foul by Jason Knight (Bristol City).

16. Substitution Swansea City. Jay Fulton replaces Joe Allen.

17. Substitution Swansea City. Jerry Yates replaces Ronald.

18. Substitution Bristol City. Nahki Wells replaces Tommy Conway.

19. Substitution Bristol City. Andy King replaces Taylor Gardner-Hickman.

20. Ronald (Swansea City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.