Blackburn Rovers fell to a third successive Championship defeat as Nahki Wells' winner saw them to lose 2-1 against Bristol City.

Scott Twine's free-kick put Rovers behind early on at Ashton Gate as he curled in from 20 yards. Blackburn weathered the storm afterwards and worked their way into the game.

They went into half-time level as Andi Weimann netted his eighth of the season, against his former club. Tyrhys Dolan's cross picked out Makhtar Gueye but his header hit the post, popping out for Weimann to nod in.

Rovers then controlled the second half but failed to create much or work the opposition's goalkeeper. At the other end, Callum Brittain had to clear Wells' shot off the line as he beat the defensive line and lobbed the ball over Aynsley Pears.

But the Bristol City striker ended up scoring the winner on 77 minutes thanks to a big deflection. His shot across goal his Danny Batth's foot and wrong-footed the goalkeeper, ensuring a narrow win for the hosts.

Rovers' injury worries were eased before kick-off with Brittain and Batth fit to start having limped off in midweek. Joe Rankin-Costello made the bench, alongside the returning Lewis Travis. Todd Cantwell missed out with a minor knock.

Despite the boost in defensive numbers, Eustace switched the shape away from 4-2-3-1 for the first time this season. Dion Sanderson came in for his first start to make a 3-4-3, matching up their opposition.

They started the game confidently, fashioning the first opportunity as Tyrhys Dolan skipped past his man in the box but he fired over from a tight angle.

However, the landscape quickly changed as they fell behind. Batth cleaned out Sinclair Armstrong on the edge of the box and Twine stepped up to curl the ball in. Pears got a glove on the shot but couldn't keep it out.

Rovers were a little shaken and took time to work their way back into the game. They had plenty of the ball without creating any real opening but started to turn the screw just after the half-hour.

That led to the equaliser as Weimann nodded in from close range after Gueye's header came back off the post. It was Dolan's delivery to the back post that found the striker and Rovers went in level.

That was possible thanks to the intervention of Pears, who did well to fly out at Annis Mehmeti to block his shot from inside the box.

Bristol City managed to beat Pears with their first chance of the second half but not Brittain. Max Bird's ball over the top found Wells, who had broken the offside trap, and he lifted it over the advancing goalkeeper only to see his effort scrambled off the line.

However, the second-half substitute could not be denied in the final 15 minutes as he put the Robins back in front. His shot deflected off Batth to take the ball into the near post and past a helpless Pears.

It was a cruel blow for Rovers, who had more than managed the second half until that point. They brought on the cavalry, including returning skipper Travis, but they couldn't find a way back into the game.

That makes it three defeats on the bounce for Rovers, who drop out of the top-six and down to seventh. Three points separate fifth and tenth in an incredibly tight battle for two play-off places.