Aldershot 3-0 Bristol City
James Healey reports from EBB Stadium

City continued their pre-season schedule with a 3-0 defeat against League Two side Aldershot Town.

Steve Coppell's side found themselves one-nil down at half-time through Marvin Morgan's strike, and another from Morgan in the second 45 - from the spot - plus a late Wade Small goal condemned the visitors to a second loss in four days.

The game started brightly for City with the front three of Albert Adomah, Ivan Sproule and Marlon Jackson causing Aldershot some problems with their pace forcing some early corners, which ultimately came to nothing.

Steve Coppell spent just ten minutes watching from the stands

The first real shot came after 15 minutes when Jamal Campbell-Ryce got away from Jamie Vincent and played in Adomah, who fired a strong left-footed strike only to see Jamie Young pull of a diving stop.

On 30 minutes Aldershot nearly opened the scoring. Good work by former Reading midfielder Glen Little forced the ball wide to Manny Panther who crossed to an unmarked Anthony Straker. The forward's first-time left-footed volley forced a sharp diving save from Dean Gerken.

At the other end Jackson was fouled on the left wing, and Campbell-Ryce delivered the free-kick on to the head of Marvin Elliott who nodded just wide from 12 yards out.

Albert Adomah was played in a front three for City

Gerken was again called into action when he had to pull off a full stretch save to his left after Luke Gutteridge was put through by the tall striker Morgan.

But moments later City came within a whisker of scoring when Jackson - a loanee at Aldershot last term - squirmed into the box and stabbed a shot against the far post.

Aldershot took the lead after 40 minutes when Morgan turned on the edge of the City area to create enough room for himself to shoot with his left foot into the far corner past the diving Gerken.

The Shots nearly doubled their lead after 44 minutes when Morgan again found space in the box, only to fire over the bar from a tight angle.

Aldershot were denied a penalty when former City academy player Darren Jones had his standing foot taken from under him by Joe Edwards but the referee waved away the hopeful Aldershot appeals.

But the home side were awarded a spot-kick after the break when the tricky Morgan was hauled down by Cole Skuse. He picked himself up to send Gerken the wrong way and make it 2-0 to the hosts.

David Clarkson saw a late chance strike the post

City should have halved the deficit when David Clarkson was put through on goal on to see his placed shot go past Young and deflect off the post and out for a goal-kick.

The Shots made it 3-0 shortly after when Small cut in from the left and sent a right footed shot across Gerken and into the far corner of the net, albeit via a hefty deflection.

One of the biggest cheers of the afternoon was reserved for the Red Arrows who flew neatly over the EBB Stadium on their way to perform at the close by Farnham Air Day.

City: Gerken; Edwards, Skuse, Nyatanaga, T. Williams; Cisse, Elliott, Campbell-Ryce (Clarkson 70); Adomah, Sproule, Jackson. Subs not used: Henderson, McAllister, Fontaine, G. Williams, Johnson, Akinde.

Attendance: 1,048 - 193 away fans.

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