Cotterill proud of his team

Steve Cotterill glowed with pride after Bristol City completed a tough eight days of fixtures by returning to the summit.

Having lost narrowly to West Ham United in the FA Cup last Sunday and reached Wembley in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy by overcoming Gillingham on Thursday, a third home game in quick succession proved a test of mental and physical fitness. But after an anxious opening half-hour Cotterill's men rose to the challenge and second-half goals from Matt Smith and substitute Jay Emmanuel-Thomas sealed three more precious points. The manager said: "I couldn't be more proud of my lads. I love them all to bits and you couldn't ask for a more committed and ambitious group of players. "It took them half an hour to overcome some heavy legs. But I felt we controlled the final 15 minutes and the whole of the second half. "After two huge cup occasions, this was the most important game of the week in my view. If I had selected the same team for each match we might well have lost it. "I took some risks in using almost all our fit men over the three fixtures and the players got me off the hook. They are such an honest bunch and that is why our supporters love them so much." Big striker Smith fired the 11th goal of his loan spell from Fulham on 52 minutes, shooting home from eight yards when the visitors failed to deal with Joe Bryan's curling free kick into the box from the left. City created plenty of chances after a sluggish opening, but had to wait until injury time to clinch the points, Luke Freeman running at the Fleetwood defence before feeding fellow substitute Emmanuel-Thomas, who shot low past Chris Maxwell. Jamie Proctor, Josh Morris, Nick Haughton and Gareth Evans all went close in a bright Fleetwood start, which only lacked a decisive finish. Visiting boss Graham Alexander praised his players and felt two key decisions went against them. He said: "It was a very cheap free-kick that led to the opening goal and even the Bristol staff admitted we had a player fouled in the build-up to the second. "Such things are beyond our control. We probably needed to score when we were on top in the first half-hour, but I was delighted with the way the players applied themselves. "I expect Bristol City to win automatic promotion this season. They have power and pace in the team and are always a threat from set-pieces. "But we showed what we are about and that we are continuing to make progress. We have not scored the goals to make the most of other good performances this season and that is something we need to address." Maxwell made good first half saves from Kieran Agard and Smith as City gradually got their game together, while Aden Flint was thwarted by a goalline clearance from Morris and headed inches over from a Wade Elliott corner.