Nigel Pearson has praised the reaction from Tommy Conway after the academy striker grabbed his 11th goal of the season to put him level-pegging with Nahki Wells in the race for the golden boot in City's 2-1 victory over Rotherham.
After the City manager criticised his impact from the bench against Sheffield United, alongside Alex Scott and Mark Sykes, the 20-year-old superbly headed the hosts in front when he latched onto Cam Pring's cross after 15 minutes.
The Robins should have been home and dry after 45 minutes with Harry Cornick spurning a glorious chance from three yards before Conway was denied a penalty from referee Josh Smith under the challenge of Cameron Humphreys.
After a dominant period, Rotherham rallied back in the second half and drew level from the penalty spot when Zak Vyner was adjudged to have fouled Jordan Hugill inside the area. Replays showed it was an incredibly harsh decision, and which ultimately led to Pearson receiving a yellow card down from Smith on the touchline for his reaction.
City would ride their luck at times when the scores were level but just after the board went up for five additional minutes, Andi Weimann was in the right place at the right time to salvage three points from close range to score his 50th goal in Red colours.
"It’s a good win for us, a tough game they’re fighting for their lives and for a team like us who are really playing for our own standards it’s a good win," Pearson said after the game.
"I thought we played okay, they played slightly differently from what we expected. They weren’t quite as direct, but we kept going to the end and it’s really good after what I said the other night about what happened off the bench - we had a sub that scored the winner.
"It’s a good squad effort today, it’s a good win for us. It takes us above last year’s total which is important for us too and we can look forward to the next two games now and hopefully push on again.”
Conway and Scott were handed starts after Pearson's comments during the week where he criticised their lack of effort in the defeat against Sheffield United. When asked whether the response drew the reaction he was looking for, particularly considering the duo have been arguably the club's best performers this season, he responded: "All I would say is that the reaction we've had today from players who have been questioned has been good.
"I would also make it very clear that I fully recognise and appreciate the fact that the players who have come in for criticism this week have also been some of our best performers this year. So look, when you talk about young players or talk about players in their first season at our club, who were really talked about by me were Mark Sykes, Alex Scott and Tommy Conway - they've all responded in a very positive way.
"I don't do it in a frivolous way, I don't do it to be confrontational, it's more about a disappointment about what the team needs is contributions off the bench which are positive. If you look at Weimann today who is our captain, who actually has worked exceptionally hard for the team in recent games but was left out today, his response has been - he'll be disappointed on a personal level but he doesn't take it personally.
"What he was able to do was to still be a positive influence around the group, both in training and on a matchday and he's come off the bench and scored the winner. The point is this, starters and substitutes are equally as important but of course, it's their responsibility to be able to manage themselves in a way that they are able to influence the team's performance when they get their opportunity. Even if it's just for 10/15/20 minutes."
Once again, the game threatened to be tarnished by controversial refereeing penalty decisions. Addressing his booking, Pearson said: "Could’ve, should’ve had a penalty, maybe but again, I get tired of talking about it in all honesty with the inconsistencies. We get a penalty turned down and they get one that looks as though the player falls down in installments and he gives it.
"I got booked today and I don’t know what I even got booked for apart from the fourth official basically imploded because he couldn’t deal with anything, and the referee basically came over and gave me a yellow card and didn’t even tell me what it was for so I’m not sure they understand what’s happening in that regard either.
"I just find it laughable in all honesty, they’re irritating, very, very irritating, inconsistent, not good enough and it’s ruining the game.”
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