������̳

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.

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."