Bristol City 1 Middlesbrough 0

Wes Burns's late, late goal ended a miserable week on a high as City stunned Boro to notch up a rare win.

Bobby Reid's 95th minute corner was nodded towards goal by central defender Aden Flint and Robins winger Burns claimed his first goal of the season when the ball skimmed off his head to complete the double over the Championship leaders.

City ditched manager Steve Cotterill on Thursday following a two year spell in which he rescued the club from relegation to League Two, led them to the League One title and won the Johnstone's Paint Trophy.

But Cotterill's young squad struggled to adapt to life at the higher level and he was sacked following a run of seven games without a win that left them in the drop zone.

Assistant manager John Pemberton and Under-21s manager Wade Elliott have been placed in temporary charge, but Pemberton revealed Cotterill was in his thoughts. He said:

"I'm a bit gutted for him. He loved the lads and they liked him and so I'm sure that deep down he'll be delighted. The lads were more than a bit down when they heard he'd gone. They were obviously shocked and I got a lot of phone calls.

"They've been knocked back this season and kept coming back for more and so it was nice for them to get this win."

It was the first goal conceded by Boro in ten league outings and boss Aitor Karanka said:

"It's difficult when your more important players don't perform. I think it was a poor performance. The goal could have happened five minutes before or ten minutes before because we couldn't leave our area."

Both teams had chances to break the deadlock in normal time.

In the sixteenth minute Boro keeper Dimi Konstantopoulos needed to be sharp to claim Burn's close range cheeky back heel he had raced into the box to meet a left flank cross from fellow winger Joe Bryan.

Five minutes later Boro launched a carbon copy attack, but striker Kike failed to connect with a dangerous ball from central defender Daniel Ayala three yards out with the goal begging.

Less than sixty seconds later midfielder Cristhian Stuani cut into the City area from the right and Wigan loanee keeper Richard O'Donnell did well to get down to save his low shot.

In the 23rd minute left back Derrick Williams lifted the ball over the defence and Burns raced into the box before seeing his goal bound shot clawed away to safety by Konstantopoulos.

On the half hour skipper George Friend's run into area was blocked by Flint who appeared to handle the ball, but appeals for a penalty by Boro's players were waved away by the referee.

Eight minutes before half time City came close when a deep ball from midfielder Reid skimmed the head of team mate Nathan Baker and flew inches wide of the upright.

And the chances kept coming in the second period.

Central defender Luke Ayling teed up Korey Smith 25 yards out in the 72nd minute, but the City skipper fired over the bar.

Boro then pressed for the winner and former City winger Albert Adomah came close in the 81st minute.

O'Donnell came to collect a high ball, but Baker headed the ball out of his grasp and straight to Adomah who lifted the ball over the bar from the edge of the bar.

In the 89th minute Flint nodded a Bryan free kick against the bar from two yards out and City must have thought their chance of a shock win had gone until Burns's last gasp winner.