Scunthorpe United 0 Bristol City 1: Orr's strike dents Iron and steels City's promotion challenge
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Your support makes all the difference.Bristol City's victory at Glanford Park last night was not a pretty sight to watch, but for the visitors it was three precious points won. The double had been achieved over Scunthorpe and the men from the West Country carried off Bradley Orr, the goalscorer, as their Premier League dream came a touch closer.
The City manager, Gary Johnson, was ebullient. Asked if the West Brom result pleased him, he was adamant: "The best result is our own. To beat a team like Scunthorpe, we had to play it differently."
This was City's first away win of 2008 and Johnson praised the cameo appearance of Tamas Vasko. Had Orr's goal been a fluke compounded by Vasko's shadowy run? "You've got to give him credit for a clever move, even if it wasn't a shot. He got in three great headers during the time he was on."
Chelsea loanee Jack Cork quickly became a thorn in City's collective side with some delightful touches at the outset. City were content to roll with the punches early on, but the Iron were clearly nervous when the ball came near Dele Adebola. A panicky Kevan Hurst clearance almost brought embarrassment.
Suddenly Nick Carle and Ivan Sproule hinted at what City could do with a pacy one-two, but all it produced was a corner. A Lee Johnson corner then produced a glancing header from Jamie McCombe which was inches outside the post.
Johnson dug out a cross to Sproule seconds into the restart and his shot flashed across Joe Murphy's goal. It was a notice of intent to attack as City finally revealed that they sought three points not just the one. Michael McIndoe battled past Marcus Williams and laid on a header for Marvin Elliott. Martin Paterson then scooted past Bradley Orr and Jamie McCombe, but his shot was from too obtuse an angle.
The substitute, Jonathan Forte, weaved his way in from the right and fired a weak volley which Adriano Basso did well to divert. It was a speculative lob from Orr just seven minutes from time which caught out Murphy. The substitute Vasko, distracted him by ghosting across the flight of the ball and it dropped into the top corner.
Scunthorpe United (4-4-2) Murphy; Byrne (Butler, 53), Crosby, Hobbs, Williams; Hayes (Sparrow, 71), Goodwin, Cork, Hurst (Forte, 66); Paterson, Horsfield. Substitutes not used: May, Lillis (gk)
Bristol City (4-4-1-1) Basso; Orr, McCombe, Fontaine, McAllister; Johnson, Sproule, Elliott, McIndoe; Carle (Skuse, 90); Adebola (Vasko, 78). Substitutes not used: Trundle, Henderson (gk), Byfield.
Referee: D Foster (Newcastle)
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