Bristol City manager Sean O'Driscoll's first game in charge ended in a defeat by Leeds United.

The home side struggled to make a breakthrough against the Championship's bottom club and the disgruntled home fans made their feelings felt.

But Ross Barkley crossed for Ross McCormack to head past keeper Tom Heaton for the eventual winner.

It was a rare moment of quality in an otherwise uneventful game, leaving the Robins seven points adrift of safety.

Leeds secured a sixth home league win on the trot and they will hope they can build on it to make a concerted effort to challenge for a play-off spot.

O'Driscoll has taken over at Ashton Gate following his recent departure as manager of Nottingham Forest.

He had led Forest to a 4-2 win over Leeds on Boxing Day before his City Ground exit, but could not earn another win over the Elland Road side.

Bristol City did go close early on when former Leeds midfielder Neil Kilkenny's chipped free-kick almost put Liam Fontaine in on goal before Sam Byram scrambled the ball away.

Cole Skuse could have given City the lead but shot off target with an effort from the edge of the area.

Leeds keeper Paddy Kenny kept his side on level terms with a save after Byram sliced Richard Foster's cross towards his own goal.

But the home side eventually produced a threat and on-loan Everton teenager Barkley set up McCormack for the goal City failed to recover from.

Leeds manager Neil Warnock:

"I thought if anyone was going to score today it was Ross McCormack. It was a cracking goal, he deserved it and he covered lots of ground.

"He was a fraction away from putting one in at the end of the first half and looked very sharp.

"We knew it would be hard work because they have a new manager and are fighting for their lives. We got a grip at half-time and were a lot more positive in the second half.

"Unfortunately, you can't please everyone, even when you have won six in a row in the league at home. For me, the glass should be half full, not half empty."

Bristol City boss Sean O'Driscoll:

"I've had three days with them and I thought they deserved a 'well done'. You don't get many chances to say that when you are still bottom of the league.

"We wanted them to be well organised, hard to beat and bright in the opposition's half, which they were.

"I was pleased with their application but disappointed with the result. They are an honest bunch and I will just give them some direction.

"You have to be realistic and we are in a dangerous position, but if we can maintain the level we set today and add a couple of players there is no reason why we can't give ourselves a chance of retaining Championship status."

Lineup, Bookings (3) & Substitutions (5)

Leeds United

  • 01 Kenny
  • 02 Peltier
  • 04 Lees
  • 08 Austin
  • 14 White
  • 17 Brown
  • 20 Barkley (Green - 81' )
  • 25 Byram
  • 10 Becchio
  • 21 Diouf
  • 44 McCormack (Tonge - 89' )

Substitutes

  • 12 Ashdown
  • 05 Pearce
  • 07 Green
  • 11 Varney
  • 18 Tonge
  • 19 Norris
  • 28 Somma

Bristol City

  • 01 Heaton
  • 02 Foster
  • 04 Fontaine
  • 06 Carey
  • 17 Cunningham
  • 08 Kilkenny Booked (Burns - 72' Booked )
  • 10 Kelly Booked
  • 14 Skuse
  • 15 Pearson (Davies - 78' )
  • 21 Anderson (Stead - 65' )
  • 18 Taylor

Substitutes

  • 22 Gerken
  • 05 Nyatanga
  • 12 Wilson
  • 25 Elliott
  • 09 Stead
  • 16 Davies
  • 29 Burns
Ref: Sheldrake
Att: 18,156

Match Stats

Shots

15 6

On target

8 1

Corners

5 4

Fouls

6 14

Live Text Commentary

5:39 Booking

Booking Liam Kelly receives a caution.

5:29

Liam Kelly gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Aidan White. Direct free kick taken by El-Hadji Diouf.

90:00 +4:38 Full time

Full Time The referee ends the match.

90:00 +3:05

Foul by Steven Davies on Michael Brown, free kick awarded. Michael Brown takes the direct free kick. The assistant referee flags for offside against Luciano Becchio. Free kick taken by Tom Heaton.

90:00 +2:18 Booking

Booking Wes Burns goes into the book.

90:00 +1:09

Unfair challenge on Samuel Byram by Wes Burns results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Lee Peltier.

90:00 +0:08

Ryan Taylor concedes a free kick for a foul on El-Hadji Diouf. Paul Green restarts play with the free kick.

88:51 Substitution

Substitution Ross McCormack leaves the field to be replaced by Michael Tonge.

86:25

Wes Burns delivers the ball, Samuel Byram gets a block in. Inswinging corner taken by Steven Davies from the right by-line, Corner taken by Steven Davies, clearance by Samuel Byram. Tom Lees makes a clearance.

82:14

Luciano Becchio is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Tom Heaton takes the free kick.

80:21 Substitution

Substitution Paul Green replaces Ross Barkley.

80:21

Free kick awarded for a foul by Cole Skuse on Luciano Becchio. Lee Peltier takes the free kick.

78:46

Steven Davies produces a right-footed shot from a long way out which goes wide right of the goal.

76:54 Substitution

Substitution Steven Davies joins the action as a substitute, replacing Stephen Pearson.

76:54

Unfair challenge on Jon Stead by Michael Brown results in a free kick. Tom Heaton takes the free kick.

76:03

The ball is crossed by Stephen Pearson.

75:05

Rodolph Austin has an effort at goal from deep inside the area missing to the left of the target.

70:27 Substitution

Substitution Neil Kilkenny leaves the field to be replaced by Wes Burns.

70:27

Cole Skuse gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Aidan White. The free kick is swung in right-footed by Ross McCormack, clearance made by Louis Carey. The referee blows for offside against Ross Barkley. Tom Heaton takes the indirect free kick.

69:27

Stephen Pearson gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Ross Barkley. Direct free kick taken by Samuel Byram.

69:01

Richard Foster produces a cross.

66:28

The assist for the goal came from Ross Barkley.

66:28 Goal scored

Goal - Ross McCormack - Leeds Utd 1 - 0 Bristol C Ross McCormack finds the back of the net with a headed goal from close in. Leeds 1-0 Bristol City.

63:26

Tom Lees takes a shot. Blocked by Greg Cunningham. Corner taken right-footed by Ross McCormack, Ross Barkley crosses the ball,

63:26 Substitution

Substitution Paul Anderson leaves the field to be replaced by Jon Stead.

63:26

Outswinging corner taken by El-Hadji Diouf,

62:14

Shot by Paul Anderson from outside the area goes high over the crossbar.

61:32

The ball is delivered by Samuel Byram, El-Hadji Diouf takes a shot. Tom Heaton makes a comfortable save.

59:36

Effort on goal by Liam Kelly from deep inside the penalty area misses to the right of the goal.

57:29

Ross Barkley has an effort at goal from just outside the box which goes wide of the left-hand upright.

56:30

Centre by Stephen Pearson.

54:56

Rodolph Austin takes a shot. Louis Carey makes a clearance. Corner taken by El-Hadji Diouf, Tom Lees takes a shot. Tom Heaton makes a save.

54:10

Rodolph Austin delivers the ball, Tom Heaton manages to make a clearance.

51:49

Centre by El-Hadji Diouf, save made by Tom Heaton.

46:33

The ball is sent over by Richard Foster, blocked by Greg Cunningham. Corner taken by Neil Kilkenny, Lee Peltier manages to make a clearance. Corner taken right-footed by Neil Kilkenny.

45:47

Shot from long range by Liam Kelly misses to the right of the goal.

45:01

The referee gets the second half started.

45:00 +1:05 Half time

Half Time The referee calls an end to the first half.

45:00 +0:31

Aidan White concedes a free kick for a foul on Liam Kelly. Richard Foster takes the direct free kick.

44:20

Ross Barkley crosses the ball, Ross McCormack takes a shot. Save by Tom Heaton.

42:42

Unfair challenge on Ross Barkley by Greg Cunningham results in a free kick. Tom Lees takes the direct free kick.

41:53

Richard Foster takes a shot. Save made by Patrick Kenny.

39:45

Ross McCormack takes a shot. Tom Heaton makes a comfortable save.

36:33

The ball is swung over by Aidan White, clearance made by Louis Carey. El-Hadji Diouf produces a right-footed shot from just outside the area that goes harmlessly over the target.

35:42

Shot from just outside the area by Liam Kelly goes over the bar.

35:23

The ball is crossed by Richard Foster, clearance made by Tom Lees.

33:59

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Greg Cunningham by Samuel Byram. Tom Heaton takes the direct free kick.

32:10

The ball is crossed by Ross McCormack.

30:32

Michael Brown concedes a free kick for a foul on Greg Cunningham. Greg Cunningham restarts play with the free kick.

29:19

The ball is crossed by El-Hadji Diouf.

27:59

Ryan Taylor concedes a free kick for a foul on Tom Lees. Patrick Kenny takes the free kick.

23:42

El-Hadji Diouf crosses the ball, Richard Foster manages to make a clearance. Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Ross McCormack, Ryan Taylor makes a clearance.

19:56

Stephen Pearson produces a cross, clearance made by Aidan White.

18:52

Louis Carey concedes a free kick for a foul on El-Hadji Diouf. Direct free kick taken by Ross McCormack.

17:42

Luciano Becchio is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Tom Heaton takes the free kick.

17:00

Lee Peltier gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Ryan Taylor. Direct free kick taken by Neil Kilkenny.

16:06

Cole Skuse is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Direct free kick taken by Patrick Kenny.

15:16

Ross Barkley takes a shot. Save made by Tom Heaton.

12:49

Greg Cunningham challenges Rodolph Austin unfairly and gives away a free kick. Shot comes in from Ross McCormack from the free kick, Louis Carey manages to make a clearance.

11:34

The referee blows for offside. Direct free kick taken by Tom Heaton.

9:21

Strike comes in from Ross McCormack from the free kick.

9:21 Booking

Booking Caution for Neil Kilkenny.

9:13

Neil Kilkenny concedes a free kick for a foul on Tom Lees.

8:22

Louis Carey challenges Tom Lees unfairly and gives away a free kick. Ross McCormack restarts play with the free kick.

7:11

El-Hadji Diouf takes a outswinging corner to the near post, Foul by Liam Fontaine on Luciano Becchio, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Patrick Kenny.

6:44

Effort on goal by Rodolph Austin from deep inside the penalty area misses to the right of the target.

5:39 Booking

Booking Ryan Taylor is booked.

5:29

Free kick awarded for a foul by Ryan Taylor on Aidan White. Free kick taken by El-Hadji Diouf.

2:43

Foul by Michael Brown on Cole Skuse, free kick awarded. Neil Kilkenny restarts play with the free kick.

2:20

El-Hadji Diouf takes a shot. Save by Tom Heaton.

0:00

The ref blows the whistle to begin the match.

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