Burnley's bleak opening chapter under manager Nicky Hayen continued, but Bristol City managed to turn the tide in the final minutes, securing a 2-1 win in a charged atmosphere at Turf Moor. The Clarets appeared poised to finally spark a positive run when Aaron Ramsey slotted the ball past the keeper in the 56th minute, giving Burnley a deserved lead.
However, the Robins responded late in the game, with defender Rob Dickie heading home from a corner in the 82nd minute to level the scores. The drama was not over, as substitute Yu Hirakawa struck a spectacular low drive from the edge of the box during stoppage time, sealing a dramatic comeback and delivering Michael Skubala's side their third successive win, propelling them into the top four of the Championship. The home crowd, already on edge after a series of disappointing results, quickly turned its frustration toward club owner Alan Pace. The supporters’ anger was palpable after the late collapse, which left Burnley with just two points from five games under the Belgian coach and languishing at the bottom of the second tier only a few months after their relegation from the Premier League.
Burnley introduced Reo Hatate on his debut after his deadline‑day move from Celtic, while veteran Kyle Walker returned to the starting eleven. New signing Igor Julio, acquired from Brighton earlier in the week, began the match on the bench. For Bristol City, summer acquisition Gibson Yah earned his first start, whereas recent recruit Brian De Keersmaecker was omitted as the manager felt he was not yet ready for first‑team action.
The visitors were active from the outset. A free‑kick delivered by Rio Cardines into the danger area was cleared by Walker, but Jason Knight lingered nearby, hinting at the pressure City intended to apply.
Early on, Burnley’s Aaron Ramsey had a chance in the eighth minute, striking a high shot that sailed over the bar after a corner found him on the edge of the box. Given the form of both sides, City appeared the more confident outfit. Lorent Tolaj unleashed a powerful low drive that clipped the post just before the half‑hour mark.
Later, Jed Wallace produced a superb strike from the edge of the area, aiming for the top corner, only to be denied by a reflexive save from Burnley keeper Max Weiss. The ensuing corner saw Scott Twine rise to meet the ball, but his header went over the bar as the Robins kept up the tempo. Ramsey tried again before the break, firing a high effort from the edge of the box, but the effort went wide. Burnley’s supporters expressed their displeasure, with a section of fans booing the team at halftime.
Hayen made tactical adjustments for the second half, introducing Anel Ahmedhodzic and Armando Broja in place of Andreas Hountondji and Hjalmar Ekdal. The substitutions injected fresh energy and helped the Clarets find a rhythm.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 56th minute when Hatate, positioned on the edge of the box, was spotted by Max Alleyne. Alleyne delivered a perfectly weighted pass to Ramsey’s right, where the midfielder arrived and unleashed a ferocious 15‑yard strike that beat Sam Tickle and left the ball in the back of the net. Burnley seemed to regain momentum as the game entered its closing phase. Their persistence paid off in the 82nd minute when Rob Dickie rose above the crowd to head home from a Cardines corner, restoring parity and setting the stage for a nail‑biting finish.
The drama intensified in stoppage time. A corner was swung in, finding Hirakawa at the edge of the area.
He controlled the ball and fired a low, curling shot from roughly 25 yards that beat the advancing goalkeeper, igniting fury among the home fans and confirming Bristol City’s comeback. The goal not only secured three points but also marked the third straight victory for Skubala’s side, who now sit comfortably within the promotion race.
After the match, Burnley manager Nicky Hayen addressed the crowd, acknowledging the supporters’ frustration: "I completely understand the fans, they're frustrated and disappointed. Of course, it's not nice to experience this, but I understand and I can accept it.
The only thing we can do is keep on fighting back and showing resilience. There's a lack of confidence at the moment and also a lack of fitness. We have players who didn't play a lot in 18 months, in 15 months, and they still need a few weeks to get to their top level. I would rather my team was ready today than tomorrow, but with all the signings that we did and even the players who were already here who didn't play for a long time, it takes time.
I'm the last one who is actually asking for time, because I know how it goes in football and with results. I didn't expect this start and for me it's frustrating because I can't give the fans what they deserve.
But I'm not giving up. I have been in even more difficult situations and I turned it around and I'm 100 per cent sure when everyone sticks together that we can do it also. It takes until the international break when everyone will be 100 per cent ready in fitness and then we will be a really strong team, but you have to survive until then and at the moment we're in a really difficult situation." Bristol City boss Michael Skubala was equally upbeat: "For me, it wasn't a smash and grab or anything like that.
I think we deserved to win it and it was great when we got it over the line. First half they didn't cause us too many problems. And after they scored we looked really good and the team that was in the ascendancy.
When we got our goal, I thought we were the ones that could go on and win it and we did that. It's early days, but it's really encouraging to see the team fight and play some good attacking football. It shows we've got a strong group that can win matches at this level." The result not only lifted the spirits of the Bristol City faithful but also underscored the growing divide in the Championship, where teams that can adapt quickly and find depth in their squads are beginning to separate themselves from those still grappling with the aftermath of relegation. The win also gave Skubala's side a psychological boost as they continue to chase a top‑four finish, while Burnley must regroup quickly, address fitness concerns, and find a way to stop the slide before the upcoming international break offers a chance to reset.
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