Nigel Pearson’s winning start as Bristol City boss was ended by a Dan Bentley error and a late Cameron Carter-Vickers goal in a 2-1 Sky Bet Championship home defeat by Bournemouth.
The hosts took a 38th-minute lead when Jack Hunt supplied a cross from the right for the impressive Tyreeq Bakinson to net with a looping header.
But Bournemouth equalised in first-half stoppage time when City goalkeeper Bentley went to catch a left-wing cross from Junior Stanislav on his goalline and fumbled the ball into the net for an embarrassing own goal.
Carter-Vickers’ 88th-minute goal had a touch of fortune about it as a far-post header from substitute Phil Billing appeared to ricochet in off his back.
The win put Bournemouth back in the Championship top six and they were just about worth the points in a close match.
Pearson made one change from the team who won 3-1 at Swansea, with Steven Sessegnon replacing teenager Ryley Towler. Eighteen-year-old striker Tommy Conway was among the substitutes.
Bournemouth head coach Jonathan Woodgate stuck with the side who beat Watford 1-0, but recalled Jack Stacey to the bench after injury in place of the suspended Jack Wilshere.
The visitors began brightly and defender Lloyd Kelly might have netted twice against his old club in the opening eight minutes.
First he fired high over the bar from a Stanislas pass and then saw a better shot deflected just wide by the fingertips of Bentley, who also had to save from Jefferson Lerma.
Pearson had set up his side with a lone striker in Famara Diedhiou and Nahki Wells operating on the left flank. Zak Vyner filled a deep midfield role protecting the back four.
Diedhiou saw a 19th-minute shot deflected for a corner from City’s first meaningful attack before Asmir Begovic kept his side on terms with a double save four minutes later.
After diving to parry Bakinson’s low drive, the Bournemouth keeper recovered brilliantly to smother Diedhiou’s follow-up effort.
City had grown into the game and went close again after 31 minutes when Kasey Palmer curled a low effort inches wide from the edge of the box. Bakinson supplied the pass and was causing problems breaking from midfield.
His goal emphasised that. Wells had switched to the right flank and City were on top when Bentley’s error made it 1-1.
The home side lost Hunt to injury early in the second half and Pearson sent on midfielder Henri Lansbury, moving Vyner to right-back.
It was a tighter game than in the first period, with neither side able to create clear openings. Both teams made attacking changes, with Woodgate sending on Shane Long and Pearson introducing Antoine Semenyo.
Dominic Solanke shot over for Bournemouth under pressure from City skipper Tomas Kalas as the visitors finished strongly, taking the points thanks to Carter-Vickers’ late intervention.
