Bristol City boss Nigel Pearson reflected on a final home game of the season that turned into a party thanks to a comprehensive 5-0 Championship victory over Hull.
Andreas Weimann shot the hosts into a sixth-minute lead before Antoine Semenyo doubled the advantage with a low 33rd-minute shot and – two minutes later – provided the cross for Chris Martin to make it 3-0.
Martin added the third after 54 minutes before Weimann completed a tremendous personal campaign by impudently chipping his 22nd goal of the season, eight minutes from time.
A delighted Pearson said: “It was a really good team performance. People will talk about the front men getting the goals, but I thought Matty James and Joe Williams were brilliant in midfield.
“We haven’t always defended solidly this season, but today Dan Bentley has had to make very few saves, which was very pleasing.
“If we do stay solid, our strike force are a threat to anyone in this division. They perform to their maximum each week and are doing very well.
“We are a counter-attacking side, who create a lot of chances for them and today the finishing from all three was top class.
“It was important we ended the season strongly. We have played well without always getting the right result, but today everything came together.
“We are getting an identity and players coming into the side know what they have to do if they want to stay in it.
“I’m pleased that our fans could enjoy themselves at the end because we haven’t always delivered for them at home.
“I hope they can now see signs of progress. I will reflect on the season after our final game and see where I believe we can improve further.”
Weimann dominated Bristol’s Player-of-the-Year awards before the game, having bettered his previous best goal tally in a season by 10, with a match still to go.
Many Bristol City fans stayed on for the traditional lap of honour at the end of the final home game and gave their team a rousing ovation, despite a largely-disappointing campaign.
Hull boss Shota Arveladze said: “It was a terrible game, terrible result and terrible performance.
“The only positive came from our supporters, who stuck behind the team until the final whistle, which was amazing.
“An apology to them is not enough. I can’t find the words to say to them, except that we will try very hard to win for them next week.
“We did everything our opponents wanted to help them play well. There was a slowness and softness about the way we played and we gave so much space to their players.
“If that is the case in this league you get punished. We talked before the game about their front three having shared 37 goals this season. Now we have helped them make it 42.
“It is a terrible feeling after such a result. We all have to look at ourselves because how we played was unacceptable and no one individual was responsible.
“I accept my share of the blame. Maybe I was a bit quiet over the last few days and misled the players with my body language.
“Perhaps I was too relaxed. I don’t know. I am just searching for a reason why we were so poor.”
