Second half goals from Tamás Priskin and league debutant Jason Scotland saw the Blues to a comfortable victory over a poor Bristol City side at Portman Road. Town had hit the bar three times before the Hungarian struck the opener and the winning margin could have been much more comfortable.

Town boss Roy Keane gave Scotland his full Blues debut up front with Tamás Priskin on the left of the front three with Andros Townsend suspended. Jon Stead was warmly applauded by his old fans prior to his Bristol City debut.

The Blues almost went ahead in the 12th minute after Jason Scotland had been fouled just on the edge of the area. David Norris played the freekick back to Grant Leadbitter, who flicked the ball up and volleyed against the bar with David James beaten. Leadbitter had tried a similar effort at Middlesbrough on the opening day where he was equally unlucky not to score.

On 20 Tommy Smith headed a Leadbitter corner over, then moments later Scotland came close to his first goal for the Blues when he sent away Edwards on the right and met his fellow Trinidadian’s cross 12 yards out but scuffed wide.

Albert Adomah struck the Robin’s first shot of the game a minute later, but Fülöp got down well to his left to save with little trouble.

Tamás Priskin went close in the 25th minute when he chased a long Edwards cross from the right, took the ball back into the box and hit a shot which flew over the bar and struck the stanchion.

Town were well on top, but soon after Jon Stead was found in space on the Bristol City left but his shot was too weak to test Fülöp. At the other end, Leadbitter sent in the latest in a succession of Town freekicks around the area but the ball flicked off McAuley’s head and well wide when he might have done better.

Stead shot straight at Fülöp from a Pitman lay-off in the 29th minute, then the Blues were again close to going in front. A Fülöp long kick beat the visitors’ defence and found Priskin on the edge of the Robins’ six-yard box from where the Hungarian hammered a shot which beat James but again struck the bar.

Town continued to have much the better of it and in the 37th minute Edwards whipped in another cross from the right and Scotland headed wide.

Bristol City were still causing the occasional threat and three minutes later Adomah shot low to Fülöp.

But it had been Town’s half and Roy Keane’s side should have been in front, perhaps by two or three goals. Leadbitter had been unlucky with his freekick, while Priskin should have scored his chance, Scotland might have netted his opportunity and McAuley will think he should have done better with his header.

Blues boss Roy Keane switched things around at the break, moving Priskin in the centre with Scotland behind him and Norris moving to the right of the four-man midfield with Edwards on the left.

Ivan Sproule picked up the game’s first yellow card for a foul on Carlos Edwards in the seventh minute of the new period.

Town hit the bar for a third time a minute later, Priskin making the most of some lax defending and cleverly backheeling into the path of Scotland, whose shot scuffed the top of the bar when he should have scored. Soon after, McAuley headed a Leadbitter freekick from the right over.

The Blues finally went in front in the 58th minute when Priskin chased a backpass to James and, as the former England keeper and Liam Fontaine collided, the Hungarian got a touch on the ball. The Blues striker was knocked ground as he did so, but got up to calmly slot the ball into the net from a tight angle with defenders chasing in. It was the former Watford man's first goal at Portman Road.

Town fully deserved to be in front on the balance of the game but were served with a warning in the 63rd minute when Pitman volleyed a ball on front the left goalwards and Jaime Peters blocked in the six-yard box.

The game was all but sealed in the 73rd minute when Jason Scotland grabbed a debut goal. Tamás Priskin brought the ball in from the left and hit a low shot, which James should have held on to, but spilled. Scotland was quickest to the loose ball and from a tight angle played it back across James and into the net off the post.

Town continued to look the more likely to score and in the 79th minute Priskin curled a shot wide from the edge of the box. Three minutes later, Smith headed to James from a corner.

On 83 Shane O’Connor replaced Hyam, the Irishman going to left midfield with Edwards switching back to the right and Norris into the middle.

As the game moved into injury time, Ronan Murray took Jason Scotland, who capped an impressive league debut with a goal, as he did when making his Swansea bow three years ago.

Marvin Elliott hit a low shot through to Fülöp in the closing moments but Town’s victory was never in doubt. If anything the scoreline flattered the visitors, who could easily have been beaten by the same 6-0 scoreline as in the corresponding fixture three years ago.

Both strikers netted the type of opportunistic goals which have tended not to have been scored by Town in recent seasons, making the most of woeful defending and a poor day for David James.

Priskin, Scotland and McAuley will feel they ought to have taken further chances, while Leadbitter was unlucky with his freekick.

The win sees the Blues up into third place in the Championship behind Cardiff City and QPR on goal difference ahead of the international break.

Town: Fülöp, Peters, O’Dea, McAuley, Smith, Hyam (O’Connor 83), Leadbitter, Norris, Edwards, Priskin, Scotland (Murray 90). Unused: Murphy, Brown, Eastman, Healy, Griffiths. Att: 19,011.

Photo: Action Images

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