Bristol City reserves 1 Plymouth Argyle reserves 5

Gary Johnson believes new signing Evander Sno needs more game time before he is ready to claim a starting spot in the Bristol City first-team.

The on-loan Ajax midfielder made his first start in City colours since arriving on transfer deadline day with a reserve-team outing against Plymouth Argyle at Ashton Gate yesterday.

Sno endured a difficult introduction to life in England as part of a side that suffered a 5-1 reverse at the hands of an Argyle team featuring a host of first-team regulars.

The Dutchman managed to last the full 90 minutes in his first taste of competitive action since the end of July, but Johnson admitted afterwards that Sno is likely to be on the bench when City return to Championship action at Coventry on Saturday.

When asked if the match had been a useful exercise, City manager Johnson replied: "No. Nobody likes to lose any game, especially one where you get trounced. All of the players have to learn from that game like we (the management team) have learned a few things from it.

"A few of them have shown they are not quite ready for a full 90 minutes in the first team, including Evander. We knew that, though, because his last game was a few days after the pre-season friendly he played for Ajax against us here in July.

"He hasn't played since then and we knew that we would have to put him through his paces over the next few weeks. It was good for him to get that time out on the pitch – but I wouldn't say it was quality time for anybody.

"It was one of those where the best you can hope is that the players have picked up a bit of fitness from it. Evander hasn't had enough competitive games at the moment, so he needs more time before he has a Championship 90 minutes in him. We think he has got a few minutes in him, so he is fighting for a place on the bench (at Coventry)."

Defenders Bradley Orr and Lewin Nyatanga both returned after illness and played a full part and Johnson added: "There are a few of them who have not been well and are not quite ready for 90 minutes, so it was good for them to get a full game under their belts."

Striker David Clarkson was absent due to illness, while fellow frontman John Akinde was substituted early in the first half after picking up an ankle injury.

The extent of the problem will be assessed today but Johnson is expected to add Costa Rica international Avaro Saborio to the party travelling to the Ricoh Arena after he was permitted to return home early from international duty. The striker picked up a ban after being yellow-carded in Costa Rica's World Cup qualifier against Mexico on Saturday and will miss tonight's clash against El Salvador. He was due back in Bristol today and will train with the squad for the first time tomorrow after arriving on loan from Swiss club Sion last week .

Bristol City's second-string yesterday also featured first-team hopefuls Lee Johnson, Gavin Williams and Ivan Sproule, but trailed by three goals at the end of the opening period.

Striker Jamie Mackie opened the scoring in the 11th minute and Alan Gow soon added a second. Mackie scored again in the 37th minute and City were reduced to 10 men shortly after the break when midfielder Ashley Kington was sent-off for a reckless lunge on defender Gary Sawyer.

Sproule grabbed a 66th-minute consolation but former Paulton Rovers striker Ashley Barnes restored Argyle's three-goal advantage nine minutes later. Midfielder Luke Summerfield completed the rout 10 minutes from time from the penalty spot.