Bristol City and Gerhard Struber took a “big step” back into the Championship play-off places with their away win over PortsmouthBristol City boss Gerhard Struber gestures to his players from the sidelines(Image: Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Bristol City now face the challenge of consistently reaching the level they hit during their win over Portsmouth after returning to the play-off places, according to Gerhard Struber, with the Robins facing a tough run of games leading into the festive period.

The Reds climbed back into the top six and secured their first three points away from the West Country in four matches with their 1-0 win over Pompey at Fratton Park on Saturday lunchtime. Ultimately, Anis Mehmeti’s first-half header proved to be the difference between the two sides in an entertaining affair on the south coast.

City flew out of the blocks and came close to an opener via Scott Twine in the first minute, but they had to wait another quarter of an hour to take the lead. Having been picked out by an excellent Neto Borges cross, Mehmeti glanced his effort beyond Nicolas Schmid and into the back of the net to start the celebrations in the away end.

READ MORE: Neto Borges lifts lid on Bristol City boss’ changing room message after Robins’ Portsmouth winREAD MORE: John Mousinho makes ‘hungrier’ Bristol City admission after Reds step up to Portsmouth challenge

Pompey grew into the contest, but the combination of some smart defending and Mehmeti’s sixth goal of the season secured the points for Struber’s side. Now, with things currently incredibly tight in the Championship table, the Austrian wants to see his players hit the benchmark set at Fratton Park over the coming weeks.

“I think the consistency, in the end, makes the difference, and I think this is the question for us right now,” the head coach explained in his post-match press conference at Fratton Park. “Can we be consistently on a level like that?

“Can we go, in the next game, in a similar direction, that we have quality players, that we have difference players, that we have, in the end, a spirit and a teamwork on a really good level. This shows us in the last few months, but you bring it always on the table, I think this is the challenge.

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“We can see [it] in the league, and it’s the reason that many teams are close together. That makes the difference in the end, how big is the consistency? I think, in this direction, we can show this in the next few weeks.”

With the three points gained on the south coast, the Robins now find themselves sixth in the Championship after 18 matches. Though that is undoubtedly a reason for positivity, just 10 points currently split second-placed Middlesbrough and 17th-placed Charlton Athletic.

In truth, at this stage, one good or bad result will massively change the entire make-up of England’s second tier. Like everyone else in the division, the Robins will be eager to have more of the former than the latter over the course of the four games they’re set to play in the run-up to Christmas.

On paper, it seems as though the Reds would struggle to have a much more challenging set of matches in quick succession. Between now and December 20, Struber’s boys will welcome Millwall, Leicester City and Middlesbrough to Ashton Gate, whilst also squeezing in a trip to table-toppers Coventry City.

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In the eyes of some supporters, what occurs between now and Boxing Day’s trip to The Hawthorns to face West Brom could prove definitive in the race for promotion to the Premier League. Having taken a “big step” in the right direction against Pompey, Struber is looking for further improvements against some of the Championship’s form teams.

“You can feel a little bit [of] my emotion today,” Struber told Bristol Live. “I am very proud today of my boys, but on the same time, we have also things to improve.

“We have things that we have to do better, and especially the consistency – this is something that gives us the next few weeks, the next few months, a clear answer [as to] which level we can be again and again.

“I think today, the boys made a big step.”

OPINION

OPINION