BRISTOL CITY 3, BRISTOL ROVERS 0
Martyn Woolford went a long way to winning over City fans when shooting the Championship side to victory in a competitive pre-season friendly fixture against arch rivals Bristol Rovers at Ashton Gate.
Some Robins fans have been slow to appreciate the winger since his arrival from Scunthorpe United two seasons ago, but jeers turned to cheers for the Yorkshireman when he opened the scoring with a fierce shot after 22 minutes.
City's dominance was confirmed 10 minutes from time, substitute Albert Adomah smashing in a second goal from 20 yards out.
And Stephen Pearson netted a third five minutes from time as League Two Rovers finished well beaten.
Although Rovers reported back for pre-season training a week earlier than City, the Championship side still appeared the sharper of the two teams during the opening exchanges.
Fleeter of foot and quicker in thought, the Robins should have taken the lead on 10 minutes. Jon Stead turned his marker, surged into space on the edge of the 18 yard area and unleashed a venomous shot that required on-trial Rovers keeper Iain Turner to parry.
The ball ran loose to City midfielder Cole Skuse who, when composure was needed, sent his shot thudding into the ground and over the cross bar.
Spurred into a response, Rovers demonstrated pace and verve of their own to prise open City's defence, Matt Harrold presenting former Robin David Clarkson with the opportunity to send a low shot skidding across the face of goal from an acute angle.
Although Rovers settled to their task thereafter and competed on more or less level terms in midfield, City still carried the greater threat going forward and Brett Pitman came within a whisker of giving the home side the lead on 15 minutes, meeting Mark Wilson's glorious cross with a first-time shot than bounced back out via the underside of the bar.
When opportunity next came knocking, City made no mistake, Stead setting up Martyn Woolford, shoes left-foot shot from the edge of the penalty area possessed too much venom for Turner, who was unable to keep the ball from rolling over the line.
Their tails up, City threatened to double their advantage, Pitman and Stead both trying their luck with shots that Turner had to save.
The pace was fast and furious and there was no quarter given as players from both sides flew into tackles. Rovers had already lost midfielder and skipper Matt Gill to injury during the warm-up and were further inconvenienced when new centre-back signing Gary Kenneth limped off to be replaced by Rogvi Baldvinsson.
Rovers produced some neat approach play and Harrold came closest to levelling matters, surging between Liam Fontaine and Greg Cunningham and letting fly with a shot that beat Tom Heaton and went inches beyond the far post.
Both managers made changes early in the second half, Carey making way for James Wilson and receiving a standing ovation and Shaquille Hunter coming on for Fabian Broghammer for Rovers.
A tiring Clarkson was replaced by Eliot Richards as Rovers boss Mark McGhee sought a cutting edge, while on-trial City right-back Wilson made way for Richard Foster and Albert Adomah came on for Yannick Bolasie on the right wing.
The second half came to life when Oliver Norville floated a free kick into the mix and Rovers centre-back Adam Virgo directed a glancing header off target.
City responded with a swift counter-attack and Woolford dragged a cross-***-shot wide of goal when a pass to the unmarked Pitman might have proved more productive.
City remained the more cohesive team despite a raft of second-half substitutions and the excellent Cole Skuse tested Rovers keeper Turner with a stinging shot which had to be pushed behind.
The Robins were finishing strongly and substitute Paul Anderson was denied on two occasions by the busy Turner.
City's dominance finally told 10 minutes from time, Adomah beating a full-stretch Turner with a sweet strike from 20 yards after being teed-up by Ryan Taylor.
Now in full flow, the Championship side finished strongly, Stephen Pearson sliding home a third goal five minutes later after Adomah had carved open Rovers' defence with a precise centre from the right.
City (4-4-2): Heaton; M Wilson (Foster 62), Carey (J Wilson 47), Fontaine (Nyatanga 88), Cunningham (Bryan 83); Bolasie (Adomah 64), Skuse, Pearson (Amadi-Holloway 86), Woolford (Anderson 70); Stead (Morris 70), Pitman (Taylor 70).
Rovers (4-4-2): Turner; Smith, Kenneth (Baldvinsson 18), Virgo, Paterson; Broghammer (Hunter 49, sub Harding 86)), Norburn, Clucas, Brown; Harrold, Clarkson (Richards 60).
Referee: Lee Probert (Bristol)
Attendance: 8,713
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