Okay, let's say straight from the off that referee Bristol City players are only talking about one man after Aston Villa defeat were poor, in fact some of the poorest I have seen at this level, in our 2-1 defeat to play-off rivals Aston Villa and they had a huge influence on the game.
But the better team won and had it not been for an outstanding performance by Max O’Leary in the Bristol City goal , the scoreline would have been greater than just the one goal.
One of the many things I like about Lee Johnson as our manager is his honesty after a game, win, lose or draw.
Bristol City players are only talking about one man after Aston Villa defeat
Johnson is not one of those who wears rose-tinted glasses, he calls it as he sees it and his assessments are very rarely something that I can argue with.
After the defeat in what was a massive game at this stage of the season and with our respective positions in the league, the gaffer said that while the players worked their socks off they will be disappointed when they look back and review their performance.
LJ was spot on, we worked hard as we always do but our passing lacked that crispness and accuracy, our finishing was off and defensively we made more mistakes that we would do normally.
Nearly 41,500 fans packed into Villa Park with City roared on from a sizeable contingent having sold out their away allocation. Villa Park is a great stadium and Lee made the point after the game that there is something to be said for having both ends of the ground behind the goal occupied by home fans.
As is this case at may big grounds, we were shoved into a corner and it something for City and Ashton Gate stadium to consider.
The line-ups caused some discussion in the concourse and stands with Villa playmaker and talisman Jack Grealish ruled out through illness. Also missing was former Robin Jonathan Kodjia but there were a couple of popular ex-City boys in the Villa starting XI in Albert Adomah and Tammy Abraham.
Johnson went for an attacking formation with Matty Taylor starting alongside Famara Diedhiou and Nic Eliasson and ex-Villain Andi Weimann wide. Although not in the squad it was great to see Korey Smith warming up and hopefully he will feature in the remaining games.
City started on the front foot and should have gone in front when a great delivery from Niclas Eliasson found Matty Taylor at the far post but Matty couldn’t direct his header in target.
Referee Duncan decided it was his time for the limelight booking Marlon Pack, Matty Taylor and either Dean Holden or Jamie McAllister (doesn't matter which as both saw yellow before the end of the game) in quick succession.
'Theatrical and soft' - Pundits condemn Aston Villa penalty decision against Bristol City
There has to be respect from the sidelines but sometimes I do think the fourth officials are a little precious calling the ref over. Just deal with it yourself and let the ref do his job in the middle. That's not making excuses for Dean or Jamie.
We then got to see some of what is hopefully the future for Bristol City in goal. O’Leary was described by Johnson as coming of age and this week took it one step further. He pulled off a diving save to deny the dangerous Anwar El Ghazi but could only parry the ball to the ever popular Albert Adomah whose header came back off the post; good old Albert.
Duncan and his team started to feel they were losing the limelight and ruled out what looked like a perfectly good flicked header from Weimann for offside. Weimann held his hands up so as not to celebrate in front of the Holte End and the fans that used to cheer his name.
Class act but he hadn't realised his goal was ruled out. He looked onside from where we were in the corner but of course our view was some distance away but tv replays seemed to show he was half a yard to a yard on.
O’Leary then pulled off the first of three or four brilliant close instant reflex saves during the game following a header from Conor Hourihane.
City were a little slow in starting the second half and an even better save from Max from Hourihane again kept the scores level but not long after came the moment of controversy that without doubt had an impact on the game 'Theatrical and soft' - Pundits condemn Aston Villa penalty decision against Bristol City .
The City players were apoplectic and Max and Famara were booked in the protests that followed. In such big games the refs have to get these decisions right and at very best this was extremely soft.
Johnson brought on Nathan Baker and Kasey Palmer, moving Adam Webster into midfield, a surprise move against West Brom on Tuesday that worked brilliantly.
City were back in it not long after when Fammy got the goal his hard work of recent weeks had deserved with a smart overhead kick from a Hunt cross. City pushed forward in search of the equaliser which left them exposed at the back and but for more O’Leary brilliance Villa would have been out of sight.
So a narrow defeat in terms of the score but what today and recent games against the likes of West Brom, Middlesbrough and Sheffield United has shown is that we can live with and match the best in this league.
We are still in sixth place and have it in our hands. Who knows maybe we will meet Villa again at the end of the season and I wonder who will be celebrating then Tammy?
