Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Sarasota hit for six by slick City
BRISTOL City rounded off their pre-season trip to Florida with a 6-0 victory over Sarasota Metropolis.
Niclas Eliasson was a constant threat to the USL League Two side on the wings, though it was a double from Marlon Pack which got City up and running in the first of three periods of play at the IMG Academy.
Josh Brownhill, Andi Weimann and Sammie Szmodics all netted during the second 30 minutes, before a third and final 45-minute run out saw Matty Taylor round off proceedings.
Pack gave City an early lead when he used his head to guide a fine Eliasson cross into the corner of the net.
The midfielder had a second goal when bundling in from a Jay Dasilva centre.
Weimann headed in another
Eliasson cross to make it three, and almost had a second in quick time, only for Szmodics to help the ball in after the goalkeeper halfsaved his effort.
Goal number five came when Eliasson played in Brownhill to finish with ease, and the scoring was rounded off when youngster Opi Edwards beat several players on a good run before finding front man Taylor to complete the scoring.
Swindon Town slipped to a 6-1 defeat to Birmingham City in their training ground friendly match yesterday afternoon.
Michael Doughty scored the Swindon goal, but his side were four goals down by that time.
Dan Crowley, Isaac Vassell, Odin Bailey and Craig Gardner put the Blues four goals up at the break, while Jude Bellingham hit a brace after Doughty’s reply.
Bristol Rovers will hope for better luck than Swindon when they host Birmingham in a preseason friendly today.
Cheltenham, who sent a team to Taunton last night, host Leicester City this afternoon, while Forest Green Rovers go to Salisbury.
Yeovil continue their build-up to the National League campaign with a warm-up match away to Dorchester.
Elsewhere, Chippenham travel to Cirencester for their second pre-season friendly of the summer after last week’s draw at Frome.
Curtis McDonald and James Guthrie are both in contention to play after being unavailable last Saturday.
The game should prove a useful workout for the Bluebirds as Cirencester play on an artificial surface, in common with several of Chippenham’s league rivals.