An Emil Riis hat-trick was accompanied by goals from Anis Mehmeti and Rob Atkinson as Bristol City booked their place in the FA Cup fourth round

Bristol City forward Emil Riis scored in the Robins win over Watford(Image: Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Bristol City returned to winning ways and secured their spot in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday evening with a ruthless 5-1 win over fellow Championship side Watford at Ashton Gate.

Emil Riis gave the Reds an early lead with a well-placed header, before Anis Mehmeti extended their advantage with a close-range strike to give City a deserved two-goal advantage at the break.

Rob Atkinson scored his third goal of the season after the restart before Riis claimed his hat-trick, with two well-placed finishes beyond Watford goalkeeper Nathan Baxter, separated by a consolation goal from Hornets striker Jack Grieves.

READ MORE: Gerhard Struber details Emil Riis conversation after Bristol City hat-trick sets ‘new standard’

OPINION

The Robins return to league action next Saturday as they travel to the Kassam Stadium to take on Oxford United. Before then, they will learn their next opponents in the FA Cup on Monday evening, with the fourth-round draw taking place at Anfield ahead of Liverpool’s clash against Barnsley.

Gerhard Struber made five changes to the City team that lost to Preston North End last time out. Joe Lumley replaced Max O’Leary in goal, George Tanner took the place of the suspended Ross McCrorie, and Sam Morsy made his first start for the club after signing as a free agent.

At the top end of the pitch, Sam Bell and Riis were given the nod ahead of Scott Twine and Sinclair Armstrong, while loanee George Earthy was also named on the bench after re-signing for the Robins on Friday evening.

The Reds made the perfect start to the game and found the opening goal within just two minutes. Neto Borges played a pinpoint cross towards Riis at the far post, and the Dane steered his header into the bottom left corner.

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Almost immediately after the opener, the visitors had two opportunities of their own, though on both attempts they were unable to test Lumley. Vivaldo Semedo fired an effort from the centre of the box over the crossbar, before finding himself on the end of a cross from Moussa Sissoko, but he was unable to connect cleanly with it to level the score.

City doubled their lead in the 37th minute after a well-worked move. Jason Knight drove through the centre of the pitch and picked out Riis with a through ball, before the Dane played a low cross across goal to set up Mehmeti, who made no mistake with his left foot.

Rob Dickie came close just moments later as Mehmeti’s corner kick was delivered to the back post, though the centre back was unable to direct his header on target, and the Reds went into the break two-nil up over the two-time FA Cup finalists.

The Robins nearly made it three soon after the restart as Bell robbed his defender and played a dangerous low ball towards Mehmeti in the centre of the box. The pass, however, narrowly evaded him and was dealt with by a Watford defender.

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Struber opted to make a triple change approaching the 60-minute mark, as Twine and Randell replaced Mehmeti and Knight, while Earthy took the place of Bell for his second City debut.

Two goals followed in quick succession, as Atkinson extended the Robins’ lead to three. The defender powered a header into the back of the net following a pinpoint free-kick from Twine, before Borges found Riis in the centre of the box, who made no mistake one-on-one with Baxter.

Watford got a goal back in the 74th minute after Nestory Irankunda broke down the left and found Grieves, who directed his effort past Lumley and into the bottom left corner, although it would prove to be only a consolation.

Just minutes later, Earthy set up Riis for his hat-trick, as the 27-year-old chipped Baxter for his tenth goal of the campaign in all competitions, to round off another memorable FA Cup night under the lights at Ashton Gate.

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