Malky Mackay gave his full senior squad a run out at The New Lawn last night.
City fielded different teams in each half with the first 45 mins seeing the only summer signing so far, Andreas Cornelius, line up with Nicky Maynard, Jordon Mutch, Kevin McNaughton and others. Full starting line up below:
Lewis; McNaughton, Connolly, Turner, Ralls; Smith, Mutch, Kim, Conway; Maynard, Cornelius.
Cornelius marked his debut with a thumping header early in the first half. He met Kevin McNaughton's cross to give the FGR keeper no chance.
There was a scare at the other end when Rovers got the ball in the net but it was disallowed. Soon after the police moved into the small covered terrace behind the goal to remove a flare that had been lit and the lads responsible.
There were reports upto 5 people may have been arrested. Well done lads, potential bans just as we hit the Premier League.
City's lead was double when a neat corner move saw Nicky Maynard head in the second goal on 34 mins.
The home side provided decent opposition and showed some class when Norwood started and finished a move with a clinical finish past Joe Lewis.
At half time there was a lot of pointing to the far stand as Sam Hammam was spotted sitting in the crowd.
On the pitch a whole new side was warming up. The second half Bluebirds looked to have more pace in the ranks with Bellamy, Noone and Campbell.
2nd half line up:
Marshall; Lappin, Nugent, Hudson, Taylor; Noone, Cowie, Whittingham, Bellamy; Mason, Campbell.
Barely a minute into the second half and Joe Mason was felled iin the box with Peter Whittingham stepping up to score from the spot.
FGR scored to make it 2 - 3 before Craig Noone scored a stunning effort to make it 2 - 4.
What should have been a comfortable finish was made more complicated when some dreadful defnding allowed Rovers to score a third.
Rudy Gestede replaced Joe Mason in the 2nd half, Simon Lappin nearly scored with a superb stike from distance and Rudy clattered the Rovers keeper in the dying seconds as he tried to get City a 5th goal.
Very entertaining and well worth a tenner