Cotterill Puts Blame On "Sloppy" Start

The Sky Bet League One leaders found themselves 3-0 down inside 26 minutes through goals from Tom Lapslie, Macauley Bonne and Chris Porter.

City fought back in the second half thanks to goals from James Tavernier and Aden Flint but all the damage had already been done.

"It was a game of two halves and we only turned up for one of them," Cotterill told Bristol City Player.

"The pitch was awful and we got caught out early on, trying to play football on a pitch that doesn't allow for it.

"We started sloppy. Before we knew where we were, we were 2-0 down.

"We've got caught and burnt badly."

Cotterill shifted to a 4-4-2 formation after half-an-hour, withdrawing Luke Ayling from the usual back three.

He added: "I'm not going to say what I said in the dressing room (at half-time).

"We sorted out a different system and I wrote down a few things on the board that I wanted us to do to make it a better game in the second half.

"Unfortunately it wasn't pretty football but it was more effective.

"I knew if we could score then there would be a game as I thought they would get nervous, and they did.

"At the end one ball hasn't dropped for us and we'll have to take this defeat and on."

Cotterill wasn't especially happy with the officials on the day, citing the four minutes added on at the death "a joke".

"There were players going down with head injuries that weren't head injuries, stopping the game. I won't moan too much as it will look like sour grapes," added the City manager.