Reds 0
Bristol City 2
It was the young Reds who dominated as far as chances were concerned, but the killer touch was once again lacking along with the important slice of good luck.
Inside a minute the Reds were on the front foot and Rhys Oates latched onto Nana Boakye-Yiadom's neat flick inside the area but Richards made a smart stop away to his right to deny the striker's effort on the turn.
On 12 minutes Reuben Noble-Lazarus' in-swinging corner was greeted by a cushioned volley from Jean-Yves M'voto but his strike sailed over the bar.
Four minutes after seeing his claims for a penalty turned down, Matthew Mattis broke the deadlock on 22 minutes after robbing Paul Digby of possession. The striker nipped in to swipe the ball from Digby's feet and charged into the area before unleashing an unstoppable shot into the top corner from 12 yards.
Boakye-Yiadom threaded a perfectly-weighted pass into the feet of Oates on 31 minutes and after cutting inside, Richards again denied the striker with a solid save low to his right. McHale's effort on the rebound was also repelled by the Robins stopper.
After the break it was the visitors who started the better of the two sides and it could have been 2-0 inside one minute of the restart. Jamie Horgan was set to celebrate after sending a low strike to the right of Rusling, but the 'keeper's strong hand kept the visitors at bat.
There was nothing Rusling could do about Liam Monelle's composed lob, however, on 59 minutes. After ghosting in behind the Reds' defence to meet a looping ball forward, he calmly dinked over the head of the onrushing Rusling from just inside the area.
George Maris scooped over from 20 yards after showing brilliant feet outside the area as it just proved to be an off-day in front of goal.
Substitute Sean Goodwin laid a great ball into the path of Templeton's steaming run but his low drive hammered the base of the post.
Reds: Rusling, Bree, Templeton, M'voto, McKnight, Bree, Digby, Maris (Goodwin 83), Noble-Lazarus, Oates, Boakye-Yiadom, McHale (Alton 83).
Subs not used: Walton, Jeffs.