Bristol City boss says 'something really growing' as Robins hammer Plymouth Argyle ahead of Portsmouth clash
Portsmouth’s next opponents Bristol City secured a 4-0 win over Plymouth Argyle on Saturday
Bristol City manager Liam Manning believes he can see “something really growing” at the Robins after his side hammered Plymouth Argyle 4-0 ahead of their trip to Portsmouth next weekend.
The result helped Pompey gain a point on Wayne Rooney’s side as John Mousinho’s men picked up a point in a 2-2 draw at Swansea City. Up next for Pompey is a clash with Bristol City, who have claimed 25 points from their opening 18 games of the campaign.
The Robins piled the pressure on Rooney as his Plymouth team suffered a second-half capitulation in their hammering at Ashton Gate. The home side finally made incessant pressure pay on 57 minutes when Scott Twine got a telling touch to Anis Mehmeti’s right-footed drive to beat Dan Grimshaw from close range.
Mehmeti’s brace put the game beyond doubt before Sinclair Armstrong added a late fourth – causing previously supportive Argyle fans to turn on their team, who have now conceded 27 goals in 10 Championship away games this season. Reflecting on the win, Manning said: “It was important to stay patient today and I thought our fans, as well as the players, were brilliant in that respect. The message at half-time was to stay brave because it’s easy to get frustrated when efforts are blocked and you aren’t capitalising on a lot of momentum.
“We are still growing as a team and the lads are learning all the time. We have a culture that encourages improvement through hard work and the players really buy into that. I can see the roots of something really growing. Building a team takes time, but the signs are very promising. Anis Mehmeti deserves a lot of credit for his goals today. He loves the game and always carries a real threat.
“We defended solidly again, which is important, and it was great to see Sam Bell back after a lengthy injury as a substitute late on. We worked in the summer on securing greater strength in depth and even though we still have a few players out, the bench is now pretty strong with good competition for places.”