Report: Bath City 0-3 Bristol City

Bobby Reid enjoyed the visitors’ clearest sights on goal but was left frustrated until he was brought down by City’s own Max O’Leary, in Bath colours for the night, allowing Jamie Paterson to convert from the penalty spot.

Paterson then returned the favour in turning provider for Reid to score with a rare header, while Joe Bryan completed the goal glut with City’s third just shy of the hour.

Lee Johnson’s only cause for concern on a wet night in Somerset was the first-half injury sustained by Korey Smith in a crunching tackle from former Ashton Gate team-mate Billy Murphy.

GOALLESS FIRST HALF

City started brightly. Reid, providing the closest support to young striker Freddie Hinds, drilled a low shot fractionally wide before displaying fine control and vision to send Hinds on a race he only just lost to goalkeeper O’Leary.

O’Leary is still City’s player but spent time on loan with the Romans last season and took his place in goal against the team-mates he trains with on a daily basis.

There was one early scare for returning defender Hordur Magnusson, making his first appearance of pre-season, as he was dispossessed by Nick McCootie on the byeline only for the powerful frontman to fluff his lines in shooting from a tight angle.

Meanwhile, O’Leary – one of nine City connections in the Bath squad – was again called upon when Hinds struck a curling effort from Reid’s lay-off that needed a smothering save.

City’s two starting wide men were Josh Brownhill and Paterson, who switched flanks on the half-hour.

Paterson, now on the right, thought he had set up the opening goal when he robbed Andy Watkins of possession and fizzed in a low cross that Reid should have converted, but the ball skipped up off a soaking pitch and the midfielder failed to make the right connection from close range.

Johnson had planned to use most of his starters for more than 45 minutes, but Smith was unable to make it to the interval before hobbling off after a crunching tackle from ex-City man Murphy.

On came Callum O’Dowda as Brownhill changed positions again, this time to central midfield.

Irishman O’Dowda soon made his presence felt with a clever pass through the Bath defence for Reid, who rifled a shot with ferocious power that O’Leary was alert to tip over.