Bristol City manager Nigel Pearson has said that the Robins had “too many players out of sorts,” after their 1-0 defeat to promotion chasing Luton Town on Wednesday night.
City fell behind early in the contest, Carlton Morris rising well to head in Cody Drameh’s cross and register his 16th goal of the campaign and it ultimately proved the winner.
Pearson’s side were unable to make possession count in the first half with Andreas Weimann registering the away side’s first shot on target in the 48th minute. The closest City came to finding a leveller was when former Hatters’ striker Harry Cornick seeing a right footed effort comfortably saved by Ethan Hovarth.
The defeat leaves the Robins sat 13th in the Championship with any slim hopes of a late season play-off push fading away, but Pearson was keen to emphasise Wednesday’s performance wasn’t cause for panic.
“We didn’t start well,” said Pearson. “We gave ourselves too many problems from the start, against a side like that who put us under pressure, to concede so early it looked as though it could have been a tough night but we managed to get to half-time intact.
“Max made three really good saves to keep us in the game. We had some chances but it was a tough night for us because we had too many players out of sorts.
“In the context of what happened tonight, we can’t be too upset with losing by one goal although we had our chances in the second half, no doubt about that.”
City’s options have become increasingly limited in recent weeks, with injuries to defenders Tomas Kalas, Kal Naismith and Rob Atkinson as well as midfielders Joe Williams and Andy King, leaving Pearson with a bench consisting of academy products.
Former Leicester City midfielder Matty James also missed the trip to Kenilworth Road having failed a late fitness test after picking up an injury in last week’s draw with Huddersfield. With an international break looming on the horizon, Pearson isn’t expecting to have any reinforcements for Sunday’s trip to Swansea.
“They’re the same players that we will call upon at the weekend, so it’s not as if we can make wholesale changes anyway.”
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“A lot of the players who have played tonight have been in really good form so us. I still think the players come out with some credit having been able to stay in the game when we’re not playing well and put our opponents on the back foot in the second half.”
The Robins final game before the international break sees them face Swansea City on Sunday afternoon as they look to find their way into the top half of the Championship table.
