Frank Lampard was a relieved man in the post-match press conferences. He was obviously delighted to get a big win - but he also saw this as a tough game and recognised that his team got the rub of the green.
"We've been on the other side of a few games like that recently" he explained - and that is how it is in the Championship if you don't take your chances.
Those stating that this Rams side are an ordinary team may wish to recall that the Midlands outfit have beaten Norwich City, Sheffield Wednesday, Hull and West Brom all away from home.
They also knocked out Manchester United from the League Cup so they're not that bad a side.
Bristol City ran them close yesterday but are just lacking that extra quality to finish the job.
City's finishing
The Robins had chances again yesterday and good ones. The Expected Goals statistics show that on average City should have scored more goals than the Rams (1.8 to 1.1).
Alas one goal in 10 games is not a good enough return from your main forward (and just 11 across the campaign), just one in six for his partner (and just 10 for the season), coupled with a slide of just two goals in the last four games for a club with promotion aspirations.
After the game Lee Johnson explained that more quality in the final third will need to be nurtured or brought in. There are good young talents in BS3, but City also need to add that bit of quality in the final third.
Form disappears
One win in the last six games means that the Robins are limping to the finish line at the vital time. A poor finish to the campaign also affected last season so there needs to be scrutiny of this - can anything be altered to help finish the season stronger?
Ironically, the performances in the last three have been okay, with the Expected Goals stats in favour of City for all three games. Just not the final score, indicating that things will turn.
Is it all over?
Should the Robins win their game in hand at Millwall on Tuesday night - who are now safe for this season after Rotherham's relegation at the weekend - then they will be only one point behind both Derby and Middlesbrough, albeit with the Rams to play on Wednesday evening at Swansea City.
It's pretty inconceivable that either Tony Pulis or Frank Lampard's team won't win one of the three remaining games shared between the pair but then again in football, you never know for sure...
If the Swans get a result than City can - and must - take this down to the final day and display how close they have gone to achieving their objectives this campaign.
Bright future
We've rewatched the Antoine Semenyo challenge and while it may have been a little harsh from referee Darren Bond you can see why he gave the red card: late, lunging, studs up.
The consistency was no there however with Mason Mount's simalar challenge in the first half. The difference may have been in the technique: studs showing and not.
Either way, Bristol City have benefited from decisions and luck at times too this campaign and the club must now concentrate on what they can control.
And Semenyo - along with the recalled young striker Saikou Janneh - look to be two bright lights for the club to build around in future.
Over to you, Lansdowns
If City can finish off the campaign with some form they will go close to that top six. But it's now obvious how they improve.
One or two quality forward additions in the summer may be all that is needed for the Robins, along with the retention of as many of their loanees as possible.
The young players will naturally improve with experience, and with Zak Vyner and possibly Tyreeq Bakinson and Taylor Moore - two young players to have impressed further down the league - to come into the fold next season this Bristol City only looks to be heading one way, as they consolidate on a fifth year of straight progression up the league.
