Bristol City's back-up strikers issued watching manager Gary Johnson with a timely hint when shooting down Salisbury in a Wales & West Combination fixture at Ashton Gate.

David Clarkson, John Akinde and Ivan Sproule all found the back of the net in a 3-1 success to press their claims for a recall when Bristol City host Peterborough United in their next Coca-Cola Championship fixture on Saturday, October 17. Bristol City may be unbeaten in their last two outings, but Johnson will almost certainly be forced to change his starting line-up when newly-promoted Posh visit BS3.

Currently on international duty with Costa Rica, striker Alvaro Saborio is not due to arrive back in the United Kingdom until the day before the Peterborough game, rendering him an unlikely selection.

For that reason, fellow forwards Danny Haynes, Sproule, Akinde and Clarkson were all out to impress in the first of two reserve-team fixtures scheduled during the two-week break for international matches.

Now fully recovered from illness, Clarkson took just eight minutes to break the deadlock, turning in Sproule's cut-back from eight yards.

Burly teenager Akinde added a second three minutes later, meeting a Gavin Williams cross with a deft flick which left Salisbury keeper Grant Porter flat-footed.

Danny Webb pulled one back with a close-range header in the 63rd minute, but Sproule soon restored City's two-goal advantage, curling a 20-yard shot around Porter with the outside of his right boot.

City: Henderson, Edwards, Andrews, Holloway (sub Hennessy, 71), Ball, Haynes (sub Plummer, 61), Williams, Kington, Clarkson, Sproule, Akinde.