Bristol City 5-0 Blackburn Rovers: Tommy Conway scores twice as Robins thump struggling Rovers
Blackburn Rovers' Championship relegation anxieties intensified following a dreadful defeat by five-goal Bristol City.
John Eustace's side, who had taken a win and a draw from their last two games, remain just three points above the drop zone after being handed a finishing lesson at Ashton Gate.
City took a two-goal lead into half-time thanks to a double by Tommy Conway, who scored his 10th and 11th goals of the campaign.
His second goal was a penalty after Mark Sykes had been brought down by the hapless Dominic Hyam.
Substitute Anis Mehmeti grabbed Bristol City's third in the 73rd minute to end any hope of a Rovers' revival.
Conway, who had scored just once in his previous 18 games, was denied a hat-trick after being taken off just before his side were awarded their second penalty following Kyle McFadzean's handball.
His replacement Nakhi Wells scored from the spot to make it 4-0.
Wells scored City's fifth when he finished off Harry Cornick's low pass across the box in the seventh minute of added-on time.
The hosts made a bright start, putting Blackburn under pressure within the opening four minutes.
Haydon Roberts cut the ball back to Scott Twine, who tried to catch out Blackburn keeper Aynsley Pears, only to send it wide.
Conway brought Ashton Gate to their feet in the 24th minute.
The striker chased down a long ball from the left, pressuring Hyam. The Rovers captain had the choice of knocking the ball out of play, or threading it back to his goalkeeper. He chose neither and his scuffed clearance allowed Conway to take control of the ball and slot a low shot past Pears.
Hyam had another moment to forget seven minutes later when he brought down Sykes with a clumsy challenge. Conway converted from the spot to score his, and City's, second of the night.
Blackburn's best chance of the night fell in the 72nd minute when Championship top scorer Sammie Szmodics rounded two City defenders, only to drag his shot wide.
Brief hope of a Rovers comeback turned to despair just moments later when, once again, Hyam slipped up, allowing Mehmeti to peel away and fire his shot past Pears.
Goal number four followed with just 12 minutes left on the clock. Kyle McFadzean handled an in-swinging cross, giving referee Bobby Madley no other option but to award City their second penalty of the night.
Wells drove his spot-kick straight down the centre, with Pears diving to his right.
The City sub was to grab his side's fifth deep into injury time, causing further damage to Rovers' goal difference.
The victory leaves mid-table Bristol City looking forward to next season.
For Blackburn, comes a tricky run of four fixtures - starting with Saturday's trip across the Pennines to face promotion-chasing Leeds United.
Bristol City striker Tommy Conway told BBC Radio Bristol:
"To score five goals at home and win in the manner we did has been a long time coming and I'm glad we did it.
"The way we want to play, we want to be on the front foot and capitalize on errors and tonight we were able to do it.
On being taken off and missing the chance for a hat-trick with City's second penalty:
"A couple of the lads were looking round at me and I was saying jokingly 'why has the gaffer taken me off?' but at the end of the day the team comes first.
"I'm buzzing for Nakhi [Wells] and Anis [Mehmeti] to get their goals because it could've been easy for them to drop their heads after coming out of the team from Saturday so credit to them."
Blackburn Rovers boss John Eustace told BBC Radio Lancashire:
"I'm really disappointed - it wasn't like us at all. Since I've been here we've shown that fight and character and tonight we didn't.
"It was one of those nights where we have to learn from. The fans have travelled down to Bristol and we've let them down.
"We can't dwell on it too much. I think the fans can see what we've done for the last 10 games and we've got to stick together.
"There are going to be some highs and lows and tonight was a low one."
