City levelled from the penalty spot in the first half after going a goal behind. But in first half injury time a row errupted between defenders Bradley Orr and Louis Carey and a head movement from Orr saw him sent off for violent conduct.
Rather than see the Robins under pressure in the second half it galvanised them and with Dave Cotterill leading from the fron City went on to win 3 - 1 with goals from Brooker and Cotterill himself from the spot. City's second penalty of the night.
"I put my head towards Louis and that's unforgivable. I hold my hands and take 100 per cent of the blame," Orr told the official website
"There's no excuse for what I've done and if you can take one positive out of it, we've gone on to win the game.
"I've apologised to everyone. It ten times harder to accept when you let 20 other people down and the fans.
"I've got to try and earn the respect back after this incident. We're trying to build something good here - but what I've done is unforgivable."
Louis said of the incident: "We've kissed and made up. He said sorry in the dressing room after the game and I've acccepted that.
"I don't remember too much of the incident because passions were running high at the time. I thought it was his man and he thought it was mine.
"He did actually catch me with his head. But we won the game and I want to put the incident behind us now."