ANYONE who doubted Martin Petrov's class had their eyes opened within half an hour of his debut.

The masterly Bulgarian may have only been faced with a League Two defence but his sureness of touch and speed of thought and foot will bamboozle much better rearguards.

It was the former Atletico man's variety of pinpoint crosses, hit long and short with pace and bend, that really caught the eye as Sven-Goran Eriksson's men returned to wining ways at the New Meadow courtesy of Bernardo Corradi's late header, his fourth in a productive pre-season, and a fine strike from Paul Dickov.

They were by no means dazzling against the Shrews but City played enough controlled football to be pleased with their first-half work and, with four new faces about to arrive, it was important that one or two stated their case.

Brazilian Geovanni was less businesslike than Petrov but flitted intelligently in and out of the fray and rattled the home side's bar in the 21st minute after some neat build-up play.

Rolando Bianchi was busy as well, though had to drop deep to collect the ball too often. The closest he came to scoring was four minutes from the break when he flick-headed a Richard Dunne cross on to the roof of the net.

He later posted an early contender for miss of the season when he hit the keeper from five yards after a jinking, twisting Petrov had opened a sizeable hole in the home defence.

Dominated

As they had every right to expect, City dominated possession and, with Stephen Ireland running through an array of back-heels, they were pretty on the eye though lacking a little penetration.

Indeed, while Eriksson's men huffed and puffed, it was Shrewsbury that had the best chance of the opening half, a free header from Michael Symes that flashed wide after Nedum Onuoha, playing as a right back, had been beaten by Marc Pugh.

The Blues changed their entire side at the break; it had the look of a second string and played like one.

Few did their reputations much good with a pedestrian effort that lacked any punch or panache.

Georgios Samaras should have opened the scoring within five minutes of the change around but after Dickov had set him up with the perfect cut back from the right, the Greek failed to summon enough power in his shot to beat the busy Glynn Garner.

It looked like ending in a mildly embarrassing stalemate until Samaras' whipped-in cross from the right was cleverly and confidently headed home, from the tightest of angles, by the older of the Blues' Italian internationals.

Dickov then added some gloss finding the corner with a fine effort after a speedy one-two with Corradi.

CITY: FIRST HALF: Schmeichel, Onuoha, Richards, Dunne, Sun; Geovanni, Johnson, Fernandes, Petrov; Ireland, Bianchi.

SECOND HALF: Hart, D. Mills, M Mills, Ball, Logan; Samaras, Dabo, Hamann, Miller (Vassell 76), Corradi, Dickov.

What do you think? Have your say.