It was like chalk and cheese those two performances as Bristol City were made to sweat at the High Performance Centre in back-to-back games against League One opposition.
Whether Curtis Fleming required a lozenge or two at the end of the day after his involvement from the sidelines over the course of the afternoon is probably likely, but there was plenty to shout about in that opening game as City ran out 3-1 winners over Forest Green Rovers.
Perhaps their best performance so far in pre-season, City came away from the game unscathed injury-wise, their trio of forwards all on the scoresheet and 90 minutes in the tank for all outfield players. There was plenty on offer to enjoy while even the rain managed to cool the temperatures, although only briefly.
The second match wasn't as enjoyable viewing, City forced to come from 2-0 behind to grab a draw against a physical Exeter side in what would have been a real eye-opener for a number of younger players out on the field.
As goalkeeper coach Pat Mountain said after the game, it was a competitive match and a decent test for a number of City starlets who, in fairness, showed plenty of character to force their way back into the contest. Tommy Conway continues to enjoy a fine pre-season with another two goals under his belt aided by two Nahki Wells assists.
There was a scare with Han-Noah Massengo forced off in the first period but concerns were eased when the ice strapped to his thigh was confirmed as nothing more than a dead leg.
City have just one more pre-season game away at newly-promoted Bournemouth on Saturday before the real thing and in general, they look sharp and their fitness levels appear hugely impressive. But there remain a couple of issues to iron out ahead of the new season.
Here's the talking points following the double-header of matches.
A dangerous front trio
If there's one certainty to the new season, it's Chris Martin will have yet another huge role to play if the Robins are going to maintain that prolific record in front of goal. The veteran striker was integral to every attack City had going forward during that first game as the Robins looked back to their best at times in an attacking sense.
With Andi Weimann alongside him and Mark Sykes playing in the No10 role, it was a new-look attacking trio and one which may have convinced manager Nigel Pearson it remains the option to start with when they face that trip up to Hull at the end of the month.
With Wells featuring in the other game, all three were handed 90 minutes and they caused havoc on numerous occasions, leaving defenders chasing shadows in the blistering sun. With Martin as the prong, not only do Weimann and Sykes look partially similar from a distance, they seem to boast an equal amount of energy and enthusiasm both on and off the ball.
Sykes had his best game yet in a City shirt, a clear indication that he is adapting quickly to his new role behind the strikers. He saw plenty of the ball, something he emphasised he wanted to improve after the pre-season opener against Cheltenham and was direct in his approach.
With Weimann playing just ahead, the pair could intertwine. The Austrian dropping back to pick up the ball in deeper positions allowed Sykes to drift into a more advanced role and make a foray into the box.
In the first half, he had two decent chances, carved by similar passages of play. Martin saw his darting run into the box and his strike, albeit weak, was saved down to the keeper's legs. Shortly after he was freed once again in a similar position and although his shot this time around had more power, the keeper was equal to it.
But the signs that the trio were gelling as a unit were clearly there and it was almost fitting that all three would get themselves on the scoresheet to kick-start their campaigns. Sykes and Weimann linking up initially before Martin scored the opener before Martin then assisted Weimann for the second.
Sykes would get himself on the scoresheet for the first time in a City shirt when he rounded the keeper from Weimann's pass - keeping up still?
With the two forwards buzzing around the field, dragging defenders out of position, they must be nigh-on impossible to mark from a defender's perspective. But it allows Martin the space to pick up the ball with his back to goal, hold it up and feed it into his front men or the marauding wing-backs who are proving key to City's style of play.
Of course when Antoine Semenyo comes back into the frame then there will be a reshuffle among the ranks while Wells is also more than capable of leading the line should Pearson opt to make that decision. Although the fact the Bermudian started in the second game against Exeter amongst the youngsters may be an indication that Pearson has already decided his front three to take on Hull.
Space behind Wilson
Wilson's arrival and performances in pre-season have been a breath of fresh air. He adds a different dimension to the attack, hugging the touchline and drawing out the opposing defence allowing more space for the likes of Weimann and Sykes to manoeuvre in.
There's also the danger of the quality of his crosses, something Martin will be licking his lips over during the course of the campaign as he aims for double figures once again. Wilson's positioning in the side has been a fascinating watch so far.
Straight from kick off, he's way up the field, almost playing as an advanced forward and sometimes on the same line as City's strikers. He provides an out ball which allows Martin to almost ping it across the field with his back to goal without even needing to strain his neck to see where he is.
Against Exeter, he was cutting inside with the ball and also found himself out on the opposite flank following Scott's introduction at half-time - a similar occurrence to the Plymouth game.
However, for all his attacking prowess, there remains one slight cause for concern and that is the space that is left behind for attackers to exploit. Exeter's Jake Caprice could almost play him at his own game and on numerous occasions was sprinting with the ball towards goal with acres of field in front of him - Wilson being forced to backtrack.
For what it's worth, Wilson is quick and there's no issues with his ability to get back but it's how the opening goal came about. Caprice winning the ball and breaking forward, Wilson unable to keep up before he played a brilliant pass into his team-mate's feet who did the rest.
Moments later Caprice again was allowed to the byline and his cross flashed across goal without anybody in blue able to knock it into the net to double their lead. Timm Klose was given the task of covering that space but the Swiss veteran's lack of pace was evident and on occasions lacked the durability to get across the pitch to snuff out the danger.
In the second half, Towler and Klose swapped positions in defence a tactical tweak that was undoubtedly motivated by the problems that arose during the first half. It worked to an extent, Klose was able to drop deeper where he can read the game so well.
Against better opposition, teams are going to exploit that and with one match remaining in pre-season it's an issue that Pearson will be looking to work on before the season starts. Next week against Bournemouth will be a much truer test in determining how City and Wilson are handling the balance between attack and defence.
Squad depth
Two different contests meant two different sides and the performances certainly showed both City's strengths and weaknesses all over the field.
Yes, the squad that started against Exeter was a so-called second team barring perhaps Klose, Kane Wilson, Nahki Wells and Han-Noah Massengo with a number of youngsters who are pushing for their first chance in the starting XI.
Ryley Towler, Duncan Idehen, Tommy Conway, James Taylor and Sam Bell all among those playing from the off while youngsters Omar Taylor-Clarke and Raphael Araoye were among those to feature against an Exeter side that could smell blood due to their directness and physicality.
City's performance, particularly in the first half was passive, allowing Exeter to break forward with their forward line proving a real conundrum in the heart of City's defence. Perhaps the showing was exaggerated more by the fact the Robins had turned in an impressive 3-1 victory over Forest Green Rovers just 45 minutes prior.
After Massengo and Idehen went off injured, City's squad depth soon became more glaring and slightly more concerning. Assuming everyone is fit, competition in attack is healthy with Weimann, Martin, Sykes, Sam Bell, Conway, Wells, Semenyo and Alex Scott all competing for those front three roles.
On the flip side, we still don't know how the future will pan out for Wells beyond September 1 while Bell and Conway both need regular football if they want to enhance their potential. There's always the risk that Semenyo will need time to get back up to full speed (see 12 months ago).
The midfield also raises questions and while it's clear Pearson wants a new man in the middle, the lack of depth was exposed this afternoon. Matty James and Joe Williams are bankers to start at Hull while Scott's 45-minute cameo against Exeter was more than enough evidence to prove he is going to be a massive player this season.
Aside from that, King and Massengo had a tough afternoon against Exeter - the latter coming off after 30 minutes to be replaced by Taylor-Clarke. It is the second time they have started alongside each other in four days but neither game instilled a belief they have shown enough to dislodge the James/Williams combo.
King in particular looked overrun by Plymouth's midfield on Saturday and he failed to dominate the ball against Exeter, with the opponents passing through the midfield too easily on too many occasions. While we know the 33-year-old won't feature regularly next season having joined ranks as a player/coach for the next 12 months and Massengo's uncertain future, it will only further encourage the manager to try and get a new face in through the door sooner rather than later in midfield.
The same could be said of the defence. With Tomas Kalas out injured, the back three picks itself in Rob Atkinson, Kal Naismith and Timm Klose but as mentioned below, Zak Vyner's lapse of concentration at the back post was a concern while Towler and Idehen also need minutes before being considered Championship ready.
On paper, with perhaps one or two new additions, City's starting XI is coming together nicely but a handful of injuries and the lack of squad depth could impact on their season.
Zak Vyner's error
It must be difficult for a player to come into the frame knowing that in reality, you're one of the squad members that are likely to leave by the end of the summer window. Perhaps City's lack of depth at the back is the reason why Vyner remains at the club for now.
The defender was presumably one of those that was heavily criticised last season for making individual errors - evident in the way he fell out of favour, particularly in the second half of last season. The defeat away at Swansea is the fixture that stands out in the memory.
But when you're back in pre-season getting 90 minutes under the belt there is always that glimmer of hope and opportunity to prove your worth. Against Forest Green Rovers, it was another chance for Vyner to send a message about why he should be a Robin heading into next season.
For the majority of the game, he did little wrong and in fact, looked comfortable and composed on the ball out on the right side of defence with George Tanner having the freedom to push forward. Forest Green's attack looked largely nullified to an extent with Dan Bentley called into action once or twice up until the goal.
And it was that goal that feeds as a prime example of why Vyner lacks the trust of the management. A simple cross from the right side of the box went over the head of the City defender, allowing the Forest Green Rovers striker Jamille Matt to climb around the back and force a great save from Bentley.
The rebound was then turned from close range by Josh March to leave City's skipper fuming. It was the first time the City defence has been breached this summer and the replays don't fall kindly for Vyner who lost his man at the back post.
It was a reoccurrence last season and again, going back to that Swansea fixture, he was at fault for the equaliser when he lost his man at the back before City capitulated to lose 3-1.
It's little secret a new defender is incoming for City if Pearson can get a deal over the line on the back of Robbie Cundy's exit to Barnsley but Vyner couldn't afford to make a mistake like that when the spotlight remains on his performances.
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