HALLELUJAH! After 21 league games with no win and no league away win since December 2012, Bristol City finally recorded a victory in a 4-2 triumph at Carlisle United.

An impressive 364 City fans made the longest trip of the season and were duly rewarded as we fought back from a first half deficit. Despite City having the better of the early stages, Carlisle went ahead through an O’Hanlan header to give the home side the advantage at the break. But after the game assistant coach John Pemberton admitted there were “stern words” said at the half-time interval, and it seemed to work as City sparked into life.

Within seven minutes of the restart City were back on level terms through an unorthodox header from Emmanuel-Thomas following good perseverance from Moloney. Then less than two minutes later youngster Reid broke forward with purpose and laid the ball off to Emmanuel-Thomas who stabbed the ball high into the net to complete a dramatic turnaround. But there was more to come.

Twenty minutes from time man-of-the-moment Emmanuel-Thomas floated a cross-field ball over to Wagstaff, who took the ball down on his chest before firing an unstoppable volley past Gillespie to make it 3-1.

With ten minutes remaining the hosts grabbed a goal back through Noble’s scuffed shot from the edge of the box. But just four minutes later City put the result beyond doubt as Emmanuel-Thomas completed his hat-trick after showing great strength on the ball and firing a low shot into the far corner.

It capped a fine second half display that helped move City off the bottom of the League One table and should give everyone at the club some much needed confidence.

City now have the luxury of three home games in the space of a week. Firstly, Lee Johnson’s Oldham Athletic come to Ashton Gate on Saturday (3pm), then Crawley Town are the visitors on Bonfire Night (7.45pm) before we face Dagenham & Redbridge in the FA Cup.