Bristol City 3 West Brom 2 - Report and pictures

The managerless Baggies conceded three poor goals early on to give themselves a mountain to climb.

A dreadful first half prompted cries of 'sack the board' from an away end angry that Darren Moore is yet to be replaced a month after his dismissal.

An improvement after half-time led to goals from Dwight Gayle straight after the break and Jay Rodriguez with 16 minutes to go that set up a nerve-jangling finish.

But the Baggies were unable to complete their comeback, leaving them just five points clear of their opponents following back-to-back defeats in three days.

Whether this forces the board to act or leave James Shan in caretaker charge remains to be seen, but there's no doubt the heat is now on technical director Luke Dowling and chief executive Mark Jenkins.

Shan made four changes, starting a completely different centre-half pairing to Saturday's game with Millwall and reinstating young midfielders Rekeem Harper and Kyle Edwards to the line-up.

Lee Johnson made three changes, as former Villa and Wolves forward Andreas Weimann returned from injury.

The Baggies have made a habit this season of shooting themselves in the foot in the early stages of games, and they did it again here.

Less than two minutes into the game, Jake Livermore tried to turn on the edge of his own box and was robbed by Marlon Pack.

The ball went out wide and was then crossed to Josh Brownhill, who squeezed his shot under Craig Dawson to give the Robins the lead.

It was a nervy start, and six minutes later the Robins nearly made it two when Edwards misplaced a pass in his own half.

This time though, Niclas Eliasson curled just over Johnstone's bar to spare Albion's blushes. Not that they were spared for long.

Sixteen minutes in it was two, and it was yet another poor goal to concede.

When a long throw was headed back out to Brownhill, he simply looped a header back into the box, but nobody in black and blue reacted.

Andreas Weimann did, and touched home from two yards out to send the home fans into raptures.

The onslaught hadn't stopped there though, because three minutes later it was three.

This time, Conor Townsend failed to deal with a deep cross to the back post that Jack Hunt met with a header.

It was only five yards out but it was straight at Johnstone, who could only palm it into the roof of his net.

In this corresponding fixture at The Hawthorns back in September, Albion were 3-0 up after half-an-hour. This time it took City just 20 minutes.

That prompted a chorus of 'sack the board' from the 1,500 travelling Baggies, who vented their anger at Dowling and Jenkins.

Albion responded slightly on the pitch, and threatened mainly through Edwards.

Not only was his goalbound shot inadvertently blocked by Dwight Gayle, but his corner wreaked havoc before his free-kick had to be pushed over the bar by Max O'Leary.

Half an hour in and the Baggies carved their first real opening when Jay Rodriguez chested a cross into Gayle's path, but O'Leary kicked away the striker's shot.

But Albion's goal wasn't safe, and the Robins nearly added a fourth when Eliasson met a cross at the back post before Johnstone scrambled it behind.

Shan's reaction at half-time was to match City's formation and move to a back three by sending Tosin Adarabioyo on for the lively Edwards.

Bristol had scored within two minutes of kick-off, but within two minutes of the restart, Albion pulled one back.

Just like against Birmingham City, it was Gayle who rose highest in the box to nod home a free-kick shortly after half-time.

But would his 18th goal of the season spark the same comeback as his 17th? The away end were doing their best to help.

Unfortunately, the deficiencies at the back were still there, and moments later Famara Diedhiou put a free header wide, sparking stern words between Dawson and Mason Holgate.

Robins left-back Jay Dasilva struck the post after taking the majority of the Albion team out with a one two before Diedhiou had a penalty appeal turned down by referee Simon Hooper.

Bristol's No.9 then curled a shot just over the bar, before Shan sent Hal Robson-Kanu on for Harper.

Gayle had a glorious chance to reduce the arrears again when the substitute flicked on a cross to him at the back post, but his effort was well-saved by O'Leary.

But the Baggies did get a second with 16 minutes to go when Gayle's long throw was flicked on by Dawson.

Rodriguez controlled it in the six yard box and crashed it into the roof of the net to set up a grandstand finish.

But despite the Baggies' best efforts, including a header from substitute Kieran Gibbs that was saved by O'Leary in injury time, they couldn't find the equaliser.

The big question is, however, what the board's reaction will be to the vocal fan criticism aimed at them.

KEY MOMENTS

02 GOAL BRISTOL - Brownhill capitalises after Livermore loses possesion to Pack.

16 GOAL BRISTOL - Weimann reacts quickets to touch Brownhill's header past Johnstone.

19 GOAL BRISTOL - Hunt heads in at the back post.

47 GOAL ALBION - Gayle nods in Johansen's free-kick.

57 POST - Dasilva hits the post after a one-two takes out the majority of Albion's team.

74 GOAL ALBION - Rodriguez crashes in his 20th of the season after Dawson flicks on Gayle's long throw.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Jay Dasilva - Bristol's left-back was a cut above.

POSITION IN THE TABLE

4th, with 70 points from 41 games.

TEAMS

Bristol City (3-5-2): O'Leary; Webster, Baker, Kalas; Hunt (Pisano 26), Pack (c), Eliasson, Brownhill, Dasilva (Kelly 90+1); Diedhiou, Weimann (Taylor 80).

Unused subs: Marinovic, Wright, Paterson, Palmer.

Albion (4-5-1): Johnstone; Holgate, Dawson, Bartley, Townsend (Gibbs 73); Edwards (Adarabioyo 45), Johansen, Livermore (c), Harper (Robson-Kanu 62), Rodriguez; Gayle.

Unused subs: Bond, Gibbs, Mears, Brunt, Leko.

Referee: Simon Hooper