City strolled to a convincing 4-0 win at Bangor's sunny Clandeboye Park this afternoon in a contest that was settled with a three-goal blast midway through the first half.

Gareth Whalley got the ball rolling with a fierce free-kick in the 16th minute, Robbie Blake struck seconds later and Ashley Ward made it three from the penalty spot.

The second half was a flat spectacle but City managed a fourth goal in the final minute with a second from Ward.

The virus that hit Stuart McCall earlier in the week continued to affect City's pre-season preparations.

Although the skipper was fit to return at Bangor after missing the opening match of the Northern Ireland tour, four other players were laid low by a bug and stayed back at the team hotel.

Claus Jorgensen, Lee Makel, Lee Sharpe and Matt Clarke were all confined to barracks as City faced the weakest of their three tour opponents. David Wetherall and Eoin Jess were both declared fit enough to be named on the bench.

City, who were wearing their new Barcelona-style away kit for the first time, went straight on the attack and Robbie Blake forced a corner inside two minutes. Gareth Whalley's kick was well won by Ashley Ward but his header lacked the power to trouble home keeper Niall Currie.

Michel Evans was making his first start and had an early chance to chase a through ball from Ward. But the Dutchman struggled to keep it in and the cross drifted harmlessly behind.

Mickey Maye scythed Gary Locke on the touchline level with the edge of the box but Locke's free-kick was too high for the leaping Ward.

Bangor gave their fans something to shout about in the 11th minute when McCall was dispossessed by Neil Candlish midway inside City's half. He released John Douglas on the left whose low cross was deflected behind by Andy Myers as Philip Dykes moved in.

City comfortably survived the corner but play was then stopped after a clash of heads between Blake and Will Doherty.

Peter Atherton was getting forward well on the right and Bangor failed to deal with a cross after 15 minutes. Wayne Jacobs pulled it back to Gareth Whalley but his right-foot drive finished nearer the corner flag than the goal.

Locke was in the wars and on the end of another terrible challenge by Philip Kanell a minute later. It gave City the perfect opportunity with a free-kick 20 yards out and WHALLEY needed no encouragement as he lashed the ball into the net via the keeper's fingertips and underside of the bar.

Straight from the kick-off City won back possession and struck again. BLAKE had room on the left to cut on to his right foot and fire a fierce drive across the helpless Currie.

Ward threatened to make it three in five minutes as he dived between defenders Colin Beggs and Keith Percy to reach the six-yard box. But John McConnell slid across to make a goal-saving block from in front of his keeper.

City continued to cut through Bangor at will and Evans should have opened his account after beating Beggs to get on the end of a long ball by Jacobs. But having done the difficult part, he tried to lob the advancing Currie and lofted his shot over the bar.

But City didn't have to wait long to strike again. Whalley was upended by Kanell in the Bangor box and WARD sent Currie the wrong way from the penalty spot.

Jamie Lawrence came on after 27 minutes for Blake, who went off with slight blurred vision after taking the bang on the head, and was into the action immediately in a neat four-man move with Ward, Atherton and Evans. He then left his marker Beggs on the floor with a sharp turn but the cross fell behind intended target Ward.

Aidan Davison had been a spectator in the City goal and didn't need to worry when Bangor eased the pressure with a free-kick of their own after 33 minutes, Kanell sailing his shot into the stand.

That was a rare break for the home side as City continued to camp in their half and Ward was close to a fourth two minutes before half-time. He found Atherton marauding on the right but his flick header from the full back's cross flashed across Currie's goal.

The sight of Wetherall warming up during the interval was a welcome one for everyone. He was one of three changes for the second half with Jess and Gunnar Halle also on for Robert Molenaar, Locke and Andy Myers. Bangor brought on Paul Smith and Lee Ferguson.

Wetherall's first touch was typically calm and assured as he ushered the ball away from John Douglas. Wetherall played a couple of long passes out of defence although Bangor were seeing a bit more of the ball than in the first 45 minutes.

The game had hit a lull but Jess tried to lift things again after 57 minutes with a power drive from Halle's short pass which skidded a couple of yards wide.

Ward was well-marshalled by Smith and was not getting the service he had done in the first half as the action got flatter.

City had slipped into cruise control while Bangor looked incapable of mounting a proper challenge for Davison who tried to relieve his boredom with a few jogs out of the penalty area.

Home hopes were briefly raised as three Bangor players broke from halfway - only for Kanell to stumble on the ball and gift possession back to the Bantams.

Bangor finally managed their first shot on target after 72 minutes of trying, with Candlish waking Davison from his slumbers to win a corner.

Halle needed treatment after being caught late by Percy. During the delay, City made another change with Myers coming back on in place of Jacobs. Maye returned for Bangor.

They finally added to their first-half salvo with a minute to go as WARD wrestled possession away from Smith and rolled a shot inside Currie's right-hand post.