Exeter City vs Bristol City LIVE after Robins draw 0-0 with Plymouth Argyle

Live updates from St James Park as Michael Skubala's Bristol City face Exeter City - after a 0-0 draw with Plymouth Argyle

Hello and welcome to this afternoon's live blog, where we will be bringing you live updates from Home Park and then St James Park as Bristol City and Michael Skubala face Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City in a pre-season double-header.

It has been just a couple of days since the Robins were last in action, with Tuesday's visit of Newcastle United an evening to remember. Skubala's side claimed their second friendly win of the summer as they ran out 4-1 winners against Premier League opposition at Ashton Gate.

Today, however, they finalise their preparations for the new season with a trip to Home Park. In their first friendly of the day, they will take on Tom Cleverley's Pilgrims, who finished last season eighth in League One, missing out on a place in the play-offs by just two points.

Then, the City boss and his coaching staff - as well as the press and supporters - will make the quick trip up the M5 to St James Park where Exeter will be waiting for the Robins. Matt Taylor's Grecians will ply their trade in League Two this term, having been relegated last season.

When the Reds last faced Argyle in a competitive fixture last January, the points were shared in a 2-2 draw. City haven't played Exeter City in a competitive game since September 2020, when goals from Jamie Paterson and Antoine Semenyo secured bragging rights for the Robins.

You can follow all the action as it happens across both matches here...

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Key Events

Bristol City play out stalemate in Plymouth Argyle goalless draw

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Full-time: Argyle 0-0 Bristol City

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Half-time: Argyle 0-0 Bristol City

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Kick-off! We're underway at Home Park!

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Bristol City team news as Michael Skubala names first team of the day

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We have some arrivals Bristol City

The players who weren't involved at Argyle are coming into the ground now and off the bus

Dan is now hopefully making his way up to Exeter in time for the 5.30pm kick-off

But until he arrives, I'll be keeping the blog ticking over with the team news when it drops at 4.30pm - although we have a good idea of what the team will be given who wasn't in Plymouth

Bristol City play out stalemate in Plymouth Argyle goalless draw

Bristol City started their Devon double-header and their final pair of friendly fixtures ahead of the new season with a goalless draw against League One’s Plymouth Argyle on Saturday afternoon.

Read the report here

Full-time: Argyle 0-0 Bristol City

That's your lot. It ends all square at Home Park with nothing to split the two sides. There'll be reaction and all the action from St James Park on our live blog. I have now got to make that journey as quickly as I possibly can.

90+2

Knight's shot is scuffed

That is a real waste. The ball drops to the City skipper on the edge of the area, just right of centre, after the initial corner and he kicks as much of the air as he does the ball.

90+1

Four minutes added

The corner is cleared at source and we will have four additional minutes here... City do win another corner...

89

City corner

Morrison's low cross from the left is cut out for a Robins corner...

88

Some handbags here

There is a bit of a shoving match unfolding on the far side of the pitch here. Greenwood is unhappy with something - I think a foul on him - and gives his man a bit of a push.

Both he and, I believe it is, Ross for Argyle enter the book.

84

Triple change for Bristol City

With just a few minutes left to play, off come Max Bird, Scott Twine and Lorent Tolaj. On in their place are Luke Skinner, Jack Griffin-Pacheo and Ruebin Sheppard.

84

Great work from Eissat

He's probably been Bristol City's best player this afternoon. The defender does well to stick out a leg and somehow reach a cross from the right wing.

Despite being at full-stretch, he is able to clear for a goal kick.

77

Triple change for Bristol City

Skubala is going to rotate things slightly now. On come Morrison and Hogg for Tanner and Pring.

74

Argyle corner

The hosts will have another chance to test the City backline... but they fail to do so on this occassion.

73

Argyle attack comes to nothing

The hosts have freshened things up again in the second half and look to carve out a chance with a big raking ball across field. The initial pass is good, but the second - aimed at the back post - has too much on it.

Goal kick to City.

70

Knight and Greenwood just out of sync

This is a bit better from City. Randell and Tanner work the ball down the right before passing back to Knight. He spots a clever run inside the full-back by Greenwood and looks to thread the ball into his path.

He doesn't get it quite right, however, and the ball runs behind for a goal kick.

67

Pring gets his cross all wrong

That is a real waste. Pring does so well to beat his marker and break through down the left flank before getting his head up to see who can be picked out in the penalty area.

Despite taking that extra moment, he rushes the cross and powers his effort at such pace that it skips away from everyone in red and white.

62

Off the bar!

Twine is the man to take it and that wasn't too far away! He gets the free-kick up and over the wall and for a second, it looks like it could nestle in the back of the net.

Instead, it flicks the bar and ends up behind for a goal kick.

61

City free-kick

Tanner is brought down on the edge of the area and City have a free-kick. Both Greenwood and Twine will fancy this one...

The Argyle man has been booked for the tackle. I think it was Amaechi.

60

Changes for the hosts

Before Morrison is introduced, Argyle are making some changes. Murphy Cooper - the goalkeeper - is replaced by James Storer and Alex Mitchell makes way for Julio Pleguezuelo.

57

Elijah Morrison being prepped

We may not have to wait too much longer for our first City change of the afternoon. Neil Banfield appears to be getting Elijah Morrison ready to come on.

53

Wide of the post

Scrap that, the hosts chip a pass down the side of the box that Tolaj appears to cross into the area. It bounces around a bit before White gets a shot away, but it is high and wide.

At the other end, Tolaj sees a headed effort saved by Cooper.

52

Foul by Twine

That is more than a bit careless from the attacking midfielder who hauls his man to the ground having been spun. Argyle will cross from the resulting free-kick...

50

Good save from Tickle

That is a smart stop from City's number one. Oseni is the man to meet the resulting corner and his headed effort is well-saved by Tickle.

49

Argyle corner

The hosts have a corner as a long throw is headed just wide of the post by Rob Dickie...

47

Half chance for Tanner

The defender half prods a left-footed volley towards goal having been picked out just inside the box. That was never going to trouble the Argyle stopper.

46

We're back underway

The second half is underway at Home Park and as suspected, Bristol City are unchanged. They don't have loads of options on the bench, but I wonder if we may see Morrison around the hour-mark.

The Robins are attacking towards their fans this half.

The City squad are back out

I don't think there have been any changes at the break. The Robins look to be as they were in the opening period. Skubala will be hoping for an improved showing, however.

Today's attendance

There are 7,556 inside Home Park this afternoon. 854 of those are Bristol City supporters. They'll be hoping for a better second half.

Half-time: Argyle 0-0 Bristol City

That was far from the best half of football Bristol City have played this pre-season, but they had back down the tunnel with the deadlock firmly intact, despite the fact that Argyle have had more than a few very good chances.

City could have scored late on through Twine, but outside of that created very little. Still, it is all about minutes in the legs and this has been a good test.

45+2

Twine smashes wide!

That's City's best chance of the half. Knight and Randell combine well on the right side of the box, before the former chips towards the edge of the area where Scott Twine is breaking forward.

He volleys towards goal with his left foot. While he catches it well, the shot is wide of the post.

45+1

Two minutes added

We actually have a fourth official today. That one injury means we'll have two minutes extra in the first-half.

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