Carter-Vickers winner sends Cherries back into top-six

The defender got a final touch on Philip Billing’s header to net his first goal for the Dorset club at Ashton Gate.

The Robins had opened the scoring on 38 minutes thanks to Tyreeq Bakinson’s close-range header before Junior Stanislas’s effort was punched into his own net by City keeper Dan Bentley to level the game up.

And it was Tottenham loanee Carter-Vickers who struck the decisive blow two minutes from time.

Cherries named an unchanged starting XI from the team who overcame Watford 1-0 in Saturday’s feisty encounter at Vitality Stadium.

The only alterations to head coach Jonathan Woodgate’s squad came on the bench. Jack Wilshere was out through suspension and Gavin Kilkenny was left out of the matchday group.

That meant a return for Jack Stacey after a thigh injury – and a place on the bench for youngster Christian Saydee, who had featured for Cherries’ under-21s against Bristol Rovers at Melksham earlier in the day.

Bristol City went into the contest having sealed two victories on the spin since Nigel Pearson was named their new manager last week.

The clash at Ashton Gate was his first home encounter in charge of the Robins. He recalled Steven Sessegnon in place of Ryley Towler.

But the first chance of note went to Cherries after just seven minutes.

A neatly-worked short corner routine saw the ball played between Stanislas and Arnaut Danjuma. The former then picked out the run of Lloyd Kelly, who blazed over the bar with a left-foot strike from inside the box.

Kelly then advanced from full-back once again on his old stomping ground – drilling an effort which deflected just past the post.

Cherries continued their bright opening and fired the first strike on target after 11 minutes. Jefferson Lerma’s fierce effort from the edge of the box was palmed away by keeper Bentley – Dominic Solanke failed to get a decisive touch on the follow-up.

It was then the turn of Cherries stopper Asmir Begovic to keep the game goalless midway through the first half.

The Bosnian produced a diving stop to deny Bakinson from the edge of the area – he then sprung to his feet to thwart Senegalese frontman Famara Diedhiou from a tight angle.

Pearson’s side continued to threaten. After being teed up on the edge of the box, former Chelsea youngster Kasey Palmer curled an effort just wide of Begovic’s left-hand post.

And it was the Robins who netted the opener on 38 minutes. After the ball was drilled across the visitors’ six-yard box, Jack Hunt stood the ball up for midfielder Bakinson to loop a header into the corner of the net.

Woodgate’s men got themselves level before the break, however.

Stanislas’s whipped delivery was not dealt with by keeper Bentley, who failed to gather and ended up punching it into his own net.

Adam Smith put his body on the line in a bid to get Cherries ahead 10 minutes into the second half.

The full-back had got forward to meet Lerma’s back-post cross – only to collide with Sessegnon in the aftermath. Both players were able to continue.

Kelly was then dispossessed by Nahki Wells and, having brought him down in response, received the game’s first caution.

Woodgate opted for a change in midfield with Billing coming on in place of Ben Pearson. The Cherries boss then utilised an attacking switch with striker Shane Long coming on to replace Lewis Cook.

Kelly got down the left once more for the visitors and played a low ball in which just evaded the run of Solanke.

It was Cherries who found a winner with just two minutes remaining.

A corner played to the back post was headed goalwards by Billing and flicked off Carter-Vickers on its way into the net.

Cherries: Begovic, Smith, Carter-Vickers, S Cook, Kelly, B Pearson (Billing, 71), L Cook (Long, 75), Lerma, Stanislas (Stacey, 90), Solanke, Danjuma (Rico, 90).

Unused subs: Mepham, Riquelme, Anthony, Saydee, Travers (g/k).

Booked: Kelly.

Bristol City: Bentley, Vyner, Mariappa, Kalas, Hunt (Lansbury 50), Palmer (Semenyo, 79), Bakinson, Nagy (Massengo, 89), Sessegnon, Diedhiou, Wells.

Unused subs: Moore, S Pearson, Bell, Towler, Conway, O’Leary (g/k).

Booked: None.

Referee: Simon Hooper.