Pre-season games are rarely the most memorable of fixtures, but Bristol City’s second outing of the 2022/23 season was much more a gauge of fitness rather than one focused on results.
It was once again a strong side selected to start the match against Portsmouth by Nigel Pearson with at least eight of the starting XI likely to start the Robins’ first Championship match against Hull City on July 30.
City were bright in attack but lacking the cutting edge to finish the chances created, with Nahki Wells missing a couple of good chances, while Tommy Conway saw his late strike cleared off of the line by City defender (who stood in for Pompey) Callum Wood.
Another clean sheet will satisfy Pearson and assistants Curtis Fleming and Jason Euell and there were plenty of minutes for Matty James, James Williams and Mark Sykes to gel and improve their connections.
With no new injury concerns, another solid performance and more pitch-time for the new signings it was another positive test for the Robins. Here are the moments you may have missed from the High Performance Centre.
Pack channels Maradona
When you ask most City fans what they expect from Marlon Pack they’ll describe a midfielder who’s steady in possession at the base of midfield, with the ability to carve open a defence with a pass.
Well, the ex-City man has obviously learnt some new tricks during his time with Cardiff and perhaps most surprising was a Maradona-esque roulette to spin past Joe Williams midway through the first half, leaving the City No8 in his wake.
There was reported interest from City in Pack this summer before he signed with Portsmouth and the midfielder was in good form against his former side. Like normal, he controlled the tempo of the match while in possession and commanded his team from the base of midfield.
There were also plenty of friendly reunions despite very few of the playing squad remaining from Pack’s time in BS3, there were catch-ups with Scott Murray - who gave him a little playful dig as the teams entered the field - and Andi Weimann, while he spent the extra 30 minutes at the end of the contest chatting to goalkeeping coach Pat Mountain on the raised bank behind the City dugout.
He may not have moved back to Ashton Gate this summer, and the facility at Failand must have looked a whole lot different since he last stepped foot on it, but Pack is still a well-liked character in the West Country, despite his move across the Severn, hopefully he can continue his good form at his hometown club Portsmouth.
Sykes feeling increasingly at home
The Mark Sykes who played against Cheltenham Town seemed very different to the one that faced Pompey at the Robins High Performance Centre, as the former Oxford-man was one of the Robin’s most creative players.
Sykes along with Nahki Wells, Williams and Matty James were the only players to feature for a full 90 minutes and throughout his time on the pitch, he was a constant threat to Portsmouth utilising his quick feet and technical dribbling to find plenty of space.
Having played mostly on the right-flank for Oxford United last season, it was noticeable that Sykes found himself on that wing repeatedly and linked up well with fellow new-boy Kane Wilson to create a number of chances.
Once he’d been subbed off by Pearson and his coaching team Sykes came and sat next to the press area in the stand at the HPC, where he was in casual conversation with some friends about his time with City and the game so far.
The Northern Irish forward is already showing his talent and will only be beginning to get to know his new teammates and City’s style of play and if he continues to get better each week City will have another special player on their hands.
Bakinson makes a swift exit
The Under-23s had just finished their fixture against Birmingham City where the Young Robins ran out 10-0 winners, but as we arrived at the HPC, Tyreeq Bakinson was in full playing kit having featured for the youth side.
But after his exile from the first-team squad, the former Ipswich Town loanee was not in any mood to hang around with the rest of his teammates as he quickly departed the training ground in a taxi to catch a train, telling the driver he was in, "a bit of a rush".
It’s unknown if there was any particular reason for Bakinson’s rush to his platform with everything seeming to fall a bit quiet on a permanent departure from Ashton Gate for the 23-year-old.
The Tractor Boys did have an option to make the loan deal a permanent one, but as of yet that option hasn’t been taken with Kieran McKenna and former City CEO Mark Ashton looking towards other targets.
City triggered a one-year extension to Bakinson’s deal last November, after the midfielder netted the winner against Stoke, and Nigel Pearson is keen to move him on this summer with him not being at all close to any first-team action.
Missing men close to returning
First of all, congratulations are in order for Chris Martin as he and his partner welcomed a baby boy on Monday evening, with Curtis Fleming confirming the striker had left the hospital on Tuesday morning to fit in a training session as he was due to play against Pompey.
Tomas Kalas was also in attendance at the HPC having stepped up his return to fitness over the last few weeks, he was wearing some of this season’s Hummel training gear suggesting he had been involved in some form of training earlier in the day.
Watching on amongst an array of both the City Women’s side (including new signing Shania Hayles) and youth players were Antoine Semenyo and Ayman Benarous, but players were in their own clothes as neither are particularly close to returning to action.
Alex Scott is also enjoying some time off after a particularly intense first full season of men’s football alongside winning the European Championships with England under 19s. Yet the strength of the side City were able to feature across the 120 minutes shows the extra element of depth Pearson has to call upon, with 26 players contracted by the Robins featuring across the two sides.
Pearson has fun with the fans
All of this year’s pre-season games at the High-Performance Centre are being played behind closed doors, with only a few members of family and friends of the players in attendance as well as playing and coaching staff.
There was no mention of Tuesday’s outing against Pompey being 120 minutes long, with most in the stands missing the message that was posted across social media at the half-time interval.
Pearson, who had once again been sat at the opposite end of the HPC stand, made his way onto the pitch as the whistle was blown after 90 minutes only to turn and see the majority of supporters heading for the exit.
“There’s another half-an-hour you know!” shouted Pearson towards the fans with a smile plastered across his face before imparting a message to the young side who were playing for the last portion of the game.
Once again it had been an active afternoon for the manager who left dugout duties to Fleming, Jason Euell and Mountain and watched on from the stand, the sidelines and, slightly bizarrely, from behind Dan Bentley's goal.
Pearson completed at least one lap of the pitch at the HPC, taking in all the angles of play, and his walk around Bentley's goal coincided with a Pompey corner with which he was heard to bellow out instructions, nodding with approval as City cleared their lines.
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