Torquay United 2-1 Bristol City
James Healey reports from Plainmoor

City this evening started their pre-season on English soil with a 2-1 defeat against League 2 side Torquay United at Plainmoor.

Torquay started brightly and took only one minute to test Stephen Henderson. Former City player Elliot Benyon latched onto a knock down to fire a half volley only to see Henderson tip over the bar.

After a quiet opening period, the game sprung into life after 25 minutes when Henderson was again called into action, pulling off a fantastic one handed save after Chris Zebroski managed to slide away from his marker at the back post.

From the resulting corner defender Kevin Nicholson found himself unmarked 6 yards out only to see his weak effort cleared off the line by Gavin Williams.

At the other City were finding chances hard to come by and it wasn't until the 29th minute that they tested Danny Potter. Williams played a neat one-two with David Clarkson on the edge of the box only to see his shot saved by the Torquay 'keeper.

David Clarkson fires City ahead with a smart turn and shot

During a Torquay corner the referee had to stand between Bradley Orr and Mark Ellis as the Torquay defender seemed to be a little rambunctious towards the City defender but it all ended in a hand-shake.

At the half time break City manager Steve Coppell made a single change with Marvin Elliott replacing Cole Skuse with Kalifa Cisse moving to centre back.

Torquay again started brightly with Martin Gritton the latest player to test the City defence. After a scramble in the City area the ball fell nicely to Gritton who struck the ball sweetly only to see his effort well blocked by new signing Cisse.

City took the lead against the run of play after 55 minutes when good work down the right wing resulted in David Clarkson shooting from close range under the diving Potter, who will think he could have done better to keep out the former Motherwell strikers shot.

Tom Williams played 30 minutes as he began his City trial

However, City's lead lasted under 10 minutes. Zebroski neatly laid the ball off to Lee Mansell whose strike from the edge of the area took a deflection off Cisse's boot giving Henderson no chance as the ball nestled into the bottom right-hand corner.

A long throw-in after 75 minutes from left-back Nicholson caused havoc in the City area which resulted in defender Ellis managing to toe poke the ball through a number of defenders and past a wrong footed Henderson into the City net.

Torquay: Potter; Robertson, Ellis, Charnock (Branston 64), Nicholson; Zebroski (Macklin 80), Mansell (Lathrope 80), Wroe, Stevens (O'Kane 71); Benyon, Gritton (Kee 66). Subs: Rowe-Turner, Haplin, Yeoman, Palmer, Bevan.

City: Henderson: Orr, Skuse (Elliott 46), Fontaine, McAllister (T. Williams 56); G. Williams, Johnson, Cisse, Campbell-Ryce; Akinde (Jackson 69), Clarkson. Subs: Gerken, Sproule, Nyatanga, Edwards, Adomah.

Attendence: 1,081

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