CITY got back to winning ways on Saturday with a 2-1 victory over fellow strugglers Gillingham at Ashton Gate.

The win lifted us out of the bottom four but City’s situation remains perilous with just 12 league games remaining.

Steve Cotterill necessarily made changes to Saturday’s starting 11 after last Saturday’s abysmal showing at Sheffield United and it definitely had a positive impact in what was a decent first half display against the Gills.

City attacked with purpose and got their reward on 27 minutes with a lovely bit of play. Wade Elliott chipped a cross field ball to Baldock, who took the ball down with his chest before rifling the ball home from 12 yards. It was Baldock’s 18th goal of the season, which brings him level with Emmanuel-Thomas as this season’s leading goalscorer for the club.

Unfortunately, the second half showing was not so good from City and we spent most of the opening 20 minutes on the back foot. Gillingham got their equaliser on 65 minutes when Akinfenwa cut the ball back from a deep cross into the path of Lee, who drove the ball home through a sea of bodies.

But on a day when a terminally-ill City fan – Mark Saunders – provided the players with an emotive pre-match team talk, it seemed meant to be that we would get that vital win.

When the goal came, with seven minutes left on the clock it was a beauty. Gillett, who had been exceptional throughout, drove the ball home from 25 yards to send the crowd into raptures.

At a risk of sounding repetitive we have another big game on Saturday with a visit to Shrewsbury Town (3pm). The Shrews currently lie third from bottom, just three points behind us and so this is another six pointer.

Shrewsbury’s home form is not good, with no wins in their last five games at The New Meadow. If City go to Shrewsbury and play attacking football then there’s no reason why I can’t see us coming back down the motorway with three points.