Match ends, Bristol City 4, Northampton Town 0.
Bristol CityBristol City4NorthamptonNorthampton Town0
Chris Martin scored his first goal for Bristol City as the Championship side comfortably booked a third-round Carabao Cup tie with Aston Villa by thrashing Northampton.
Martin nodded in the opener at the end of the first half after Antoine Semenyo's header across goal.
Semenyo then linked up well with Kasey Palmer who strolled through the Cobblers defence to score.
Semenyo and Palmer both scored late on against the League One side.
Dean Holden was able to make nine changes to his starting line-up and still overwhelm Keith Curle's visitors, who ended the night with three teenagers up front and did not have a single shot on target.
Winger Niclas Eliasson had already hit the post with a cracking free-kick when his cross led to Martin's close-range opener.
- Reaction from tonight's games here.
- Third-round draw in full
And any chance of a contest was settled when the excellent Palmer took a pass from Semenyo to sidestep goalkeeper Jonathan Mitchell and roll in.
Teenage forward Caleb Chukwuemeka, making his first start for Northampton, curled their best chance over before Semenyo thumped in a third at the second attempt.
And Palmer was able to steal in at the far post to slot in a fourth as the underdogs faded badly.
'Nowhere near where we want to be'
Bristol City boss Dean Holden:
"We are still nowhere near where we want to be.
"Some of our football in the second half was a joy to watch. But we were sloppy at times at set-pieces and there is still so much to work on.
"We go to Stoke in the Championship at the weekend and I want four wins out of four games. It is a very important match for us after the good start.
"We had to be patient and our passing let us down at times in the first half. But the second goal came at a good time just after the break and that enabled us to play more incisively."
Northampton manager Keith Curle:
"For an hour we nullified most of their threats. The game was a great learning curve for our young boys.
"I am trying to be protective of our squad because the league is our main priority as we look to consolidate in a higher division.
"So, having had eight players out and rested four more, I was delighted to see us go out and compete as we did."
Line-ups
Bristol City
Formation 3-1-4-2
- 12O'Leary
- 26Vyner
- 22KalasSubstituted forMooreat 7'minutes
- 5MawsonSubstituted forRoweat 71'minutes
- 30BakinsonSubstituted forBruntat 60'minutes
- 43S Sessegnon
- 4Nagy
- 45Palmer
- 19Eliasson
- 18Semenyo
- 7Martin
Substitutes
- 1Bentley
- 9Diédhiou
- 14Weimann
- 21Wells
- 23Moore
- 25Rowe
- 29Brunt
Northampton
Formation 3-4-1-2
- 13Mitchell
- 15RacicSubstituted forRobertsat 45'minutes
- 5Bolger
- 6Horsfall
- 2Harriman
- 8Watson
- 27MissilouBooked at 88mins
- 3Martin
- 7HoskinsSubstituted forLinesat 53'minutes
- 22Ashley-SealSubstituted forJohnstonat 56'minutes
- 30Chukwuemeka
Substitutes
- 1Arnold
- 14Lines
- 19Roberts
- 20Warburton
- 23Mills
- 31Johnston
- 45Marshall
- Referee:
- Tom Nield
Match Stats
Home TeamBristol CityAway TeamNorthampton
- Possession
- Home79%
- Away21%
- Shots
- Home15
- Away2
- Shots on Target
- Home7
- Away0
- Corners
- Home8
- Away1
- Fouls
- Home5
- Away11
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Bristol City 4, Northampton Town 0.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Kasey Palmer (Bristol City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Chris Martin with a headed pass.
Goal!
Goal! Bristol City 4, Northampton Town 0. Kasey Palmer (Bristol City) left footed shot from very close range to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Niclas Eliasson with a cross.
Booking
Christopher Missilou (Northampton Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Offside, Bristol City. Chris Martin tries a through ball, but Steven Sessegnon is caught offside.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Chris Martin (Bristol City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Niclas Eliasson.
Post update
Attempt missed. Kasey Palmer (Bristol City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Steven Sessegnon.
Goal!
Goal! Bristol City 3, Northampton Town 0. Antoine Semenyo (Bristol City) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the top left corner.
Post update
Attempt saved. Antoine Semenyo (Bristol City) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Kasey Palmer.
Post update
Attempt missed. Chris Martin (Bristol City) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
Post update
Attempt missed. Caleb Chukwuemeka (Northampton Town) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Chris Lines.
Post update
Attempt missed. Antoine Semenyo (Bristol City) header from very close range is just a bit too high. Assisted by Steven Sessegnon with a cross.
Post update
Foul by Kasey Palmer (Bristol City).
Post update
Caleb Chukwuemeka (Northampton Town) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Substitution
Substitution, Bristol City. Tommy Rowe replaces Alfie Mawson.
Post update
Kasey Palmer (Bristol City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Joe Martin (Northampton Town).
Post update
Offside, Bristol City. Kasey Palmer tries a through ball, but Antoine Semenyo is caught offside.
Post update
Corner, Bristol City. Conceded by Jonathan Mitchell.
