Report: Bristol City 3-1 Crystal Palace.

Bristol City signed off pre-season in style with an impressive 3-1 victory over newly-promoted Crystal Palace at Ashton Gate.

Lexi Lloyd-Smith opened the scoring in the first half and Mari Ward and Jesse Woolley added to the tally in the second half.

A late consolation goal came for Palace through Molly-May Sharpe.

City started strongly against the WSL side and had a glorious chance from a dead ball situation from just outside the area, but Lloyd-Smith's effort was over the bar.

Lexi Powell then went close for the visitors as they hit City on the counter but her effort failed to trouble Fran Bentley in goal.

City started to assert some dominance and a brilliant tackle from Emily Syme set Jamie-Lee Napier on her way but the attack eventually broke down.

But on 27 minutes the Robins found a breakthrough, with Syme bursting forward from midfield being seeing her shot rebound off the crossbar, but Lloyd-Smith was on hand to fire the rebound into the top corner.

Loren Dykes made a double substitution at half-time with Jazz Bull and Tiana Teisar coming on for Amalie Thestrup and Ella Powell.

It didn’t take long for the Robins to double their advantage, when Lloyd-Smith got forward at pace on the right-hand side. Her good work advanced the ball into the box, where Ward controlled it brilliantly and smashed the ball into the bottom corner.

City went close to a third nine minutes later when Teisar found space in the box, and directed her shot towards the back post, but the ball trickled agonisingly wide.

Loren Dykes then made a further change on the hour mark as Lloyd-Smith made way – after an impressive display – for Woolley.

Woolley would make an instant impact as just four minutes later she poked the ball home from close range, after a neat corner routine, giving the Robins a deserved 3-0 lead.

Amy Rodgers and Harley Bennett then made way for Greta Humphries and Manon Pearce, before more changes were made for both sides, with goalkeeper Fran Bentley making way for Jackie Burns and Maya Kendall for the Robins.

Palace did get on the scoresheet nine minutes from time with a lovely finish into the top corner by Sharpe.

City continued to create chances, though, and saw out the game comfortably, with their next action coming at Southampton next weekend in the Barclays Women’s Championship opener.