text: Steve Cotterill could be just a week away from putting Bristol City back into the Championship. The 50-year-old needs just two more wins to achieve the fourth promotion of a career that has been mostly spent rescuing clubs from relegation after goals by Kieran Agard, Joe Bryan and Aaron Wilbraham clinched a local derby victory. In front of a sold-out Ashton Gate, City took revenge for a bitterly fought 1-0 defeat back in November which ended their unbeaten start to the season. Bristol City's Aaron Wilbraham (left) tussles for the ball with Swindon Town's Yaser Kasim (right) Swindon Town's Michael Smith (left) shields the ball from the challenge of the oncoming Luke Ayling (right) Bristol City (4-4-2): Fielding, Ayling, Flint, Williams, Tavernier, Smith, Pack, Freeman (Wagstaff 93), Bryan, Agard (Emmanuel-Thomas 86), Wilbraham (Elliott 94) Subs not used: Saville, Richards, Cunningham, Osborne . Booked: Agard . Scorers: Agard 36, Bryan 80, Wilbraham 87 . Swindon (4-4-2): Foderingham, Branco, Ricketts, Turnbull, Byrne, Kasim, Stephens, Luongo, Gladwin (Swift 78), Michael Smith, Williams (Obika 69) Subs not used: Barker, Barthram, Hylton, Rodgers, Cameron Belford . Booked: Turnbull, Kasim . Referee: Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire) Attendance: 12,302 . That finished with Swindon chairman Lee Power accusing Cotterill of 'lacking class'. But it was the City boss who had the last laugh with a victory that left Swindon boss Mark Cooper having to pick his side up from two 3-0 defeats in four days that have finished their last hope of automatic promotion. Just to add to their woes they had both Yaser Kasim and Raphael Branco booked, meaning both will now serve suspensions. City had actually needed to ride their luck for much of the first half, with goalkeeper Frank Fielding pulling off three saves in two frantic minutes at one point. And Swindon striker Andy Williams cost Cooper's side their best chance of going in front when he cashed in on a mistake by Aden Flint to go through. He should have squared the ball back to strike partner Michael Smith who couldn' t have missed but instead tried to go it alone and gave Fielding the chance to save. Bristol City striker Kieran Agard (centre) celebrates giving his side the 1-0 lead against Swindon Town . Ben Gladwin (left) brings the ball for Swindon as Bristol City's Joe Bryan (centre) gives chace in midfield . As if that miss wasn't frustrating enough for the visitors, they were then architects of their own downfall when City took the lead on 35 minutes. Yaser Kasim was put under pressure as Swindon tried to play the ball out from the back from a goal kick, and gave it away to Joe Bryan. The young wing back hit a perfect pass to send Agard clear to make no mistake with his 11th goal of the season. City had earned that goal for the way they worked to put pressure on defenders, and they made their own luck again when Derrick Williams stretched to divert Ben Gladwin's shot onto the underside of the bar. Swindon's strike partnership of Williams and Smith had shared 36 goals and it wasn't hard to see why as their movement constantly troubled City's defence. But Williams, who had 21 of them, couldn't quite find his shooting range and put another gilt edged opportunity over the bar just after half time when Massimo Luongo had sent him clear. But that summed up the story of the night with no end product to so much possession, and the game swung back City's way when Jordan Turnbull turned Bryan's cross onto the top of his own bar. With 11 minutes gone Bryan wriggled into some space on the edge of the box, put the ball onto his left foot, and beat Wes Foderingham with a perfectly placed shot into the top corner. And the win was wrapped up when Luke Freeman reached the byline and cut the ball back for skipper Wilbraham to fire home his 19th of the season. Gladwin avoids the sliding tackle of Bristol City's Korey Smith with the home side still leading 1-0 on Tuesday . Massimo Luongo (left) dribbles forward with the ball for Swindon as Marlon Pack (right) keeps up with him .
target: Bristol City's lead at the top of the League One table was extended to eight points following a 3-0 win over Swindon .
  Kieran Agard scored the home side's opening goal from inside the box in the first-half .
  Joe Bryan made it 2-0 with a superb free-kick on 80 minutes before Aaron Wilbraham wrapped up the win from close range later on .