Nahki Wells and his Bristol City team-mates started the new year on the front foot after edging Portsmouth 2-1 in the third round of the Emirates FA Cup at Ashton Gate yesterday.

Famara Diédhiou and Chris Martin were on target for the home side while Callum Johnson replied for the visitors.

City’s cup-tie against League One side Portsmouth, the 2008 champions, was their first taste of action for the year as their January 2 fixture away to Brentford was postponed in the Sky Bet Championship.

Dean Holden, the City manager, made one change to his squad from the one that lost 2-1 away to Luton Town in their previous outing in the Championship on December 29, with defender Alfie Mawson returning from a knee injury in place of Wells.

The home side took the lead in the nineteenth minute through Diédhiou’s excellent strike from the edge of the area after playing a neat one-two with winger Hakeeb Adelakun.

Both teams threatened before the visiting side grabbed an equaliser when Johnson fired Andrew Cannon’s cut-back into the bottom corner in first-half stoppage time.

City dominated possession and carved out more chances when play resumed.

Bermuda striker Wells finally made his entrance in the 66th minute, as Holden made a double substitution to give his team a boost.

But it was Portsmouth who enjoyed a dominant spell and tested Dan Bentley, the City goalkeeper, towards the end.

However, with the threat of extra time and a penalty shoot-out looming, Martin grabbed the winner with a superb strike in the 83rd minute against the run of play to secure City’s passage through to the next round of the world’s oldest cup competition.

The draw for the fourth round will be made today.