A dominant Bristol City fired five past Portsmouth at Ashton Gate to kick off the New Year. 

Adam Randell’s 25-yard stunner opened the scoring before Mehmeti bagged his eighth of the season to give City a healthy two-goal advantage at the break. 

Scott Twine netted City’s third before second-half substitute Sinclair Armstrong bagged the fourth and fifth of the game to complete the rout.

Portsmouth failed to threaten for most of the game, but Max O’Leary made two good second-half stops to ensure a clean sheet. 

Gerhard Struber’s side now host Preston North End on Sunday, January 4th (3pm).

After dominating the opening stages, Randell fired City ahead in the 11th minute with a sublime strike from 25 yards out. 

Pompey’s Ibane Bowat headed narrowly wide from a corner before a goalkeeping error fell kindly to Mehmeti, who, after a quick give-and-go with Jason Knight, rifled the ball into the bottom corner to double City’s advantage. 

Mehmeti would test Nicolas Schmid further, forcing two simple stops before Twine tried an audacious volley just before the break, but watched his effort bobble narrowly wide. 

Immediately after the restart, another mistake at the back from Pompey would see Emil Riis denied after his curling effort was deflected wide. 

Less than five minutes into the second half City extended their lead to three when Twine met Neto Borges’ cross, delicately volleying the ball into the bottom corner from inside the area. 

Four minutes later, another error gifted City a fourth goal as substitutes Sam Bell and Armstrong combined before the latter finished calmly from close range.  

In the 78th minute, Randell’s effort skimmed the crossbar before Armstrong’s effort went wide of the target five minutes later. 

Late in the game, Connor Chaplin struck a hopeful effort from range, but it was a comfortable save for Max O’Leary.

In added time, Armstrong scored his third of the season to make it 5-0 after substitute Yu Hirakawa found him inside the area before he smashed the ball into the top corner

Starting XI: O’Leary; Tanner, Vyner, Atkinson (Pring 63’); McCrorie (Hirakawa 56’), Knight (c) (Pecover 77’), Randell, Borges; Twine (Bell 56’), Mehmeti, Riis (Armstrong 56’)

Substitutes: Lumley, Dickie, Roberts, Meerholz

Yellow Cards: N/A

Att: 24,649 (2,464 Away)

UP NEXT AT ASHTON GATE

Bristol City host Preston North End on Sunday, January 4th (3pm), with members tickets available for just £15 plus booking fee.