Bristol City boss Gary Johnson looked forward to meeting Crystal Palace in the play-offs after a comprehensive 3-0 win over Preston.The Robins will now face Palace after finishing fourth in the Championship and have returned to form just in time.

With £1million striker Lee Trundle an inspiration, the home side made a mockery of their previous run of only one win in 10 games.

Trundle opened the scoring on eight minutes, set up Michael McIndoe for the second seven minutes later, and clipped the crossbar with a 25-yard shot in the second half.

That left Johnson to reflect: "Lee may be coming good at just the right time, and that could be said for the team in general.

"He worked his socks off and looked a real threat. We played well in defeat at Sheffield United in our previous game, and carried that on.

"We know what to expect from any Neil Warnock side, and Palace are in very good form. But we are proud of finishing fourth in the Championship after 46 games and will go there next Saturday in confident mood.

"We were going to look forward to the play-offs whoever our opponents were, and the way we played today gives us great heart."

City's slick passing was too much for a Preston side with nothing to play for, having done their hard work by moving away from the relegation zone.

After Trundle's opener, which followed a mistake by visiting 'keeper Andy Lonergan, the result was never in doubt.

Louis Carey beat Lonergan to a McIndoe free-kick and his header on was touched over the line by Trundle.

McIndoe then produced a cool finish after exchanging passes with Trundle and, for all Preston's neat approach play, they forced too few saves from Adriano Basso.

David Noble completed the scoring with an exquisite curling free-kick from the left corner of the box on 51 minutes, and City were able to ease their way towards the final whistle.

Preston boss Alan Irvine admitted: "That wasn't the sort of performance that got us out of trouble.

"We have done well recently by looking good when the opposition had possession. But it was far too easy to create chances against us.

"But the players still deserve a lot of praise, because we were cast adrift at the bottom of the table not so long ago."

Trundle was understandably jubilant. "That felt much more like my old self. I enjoyed every second of the game," he said.

"The fans here have been great to me considering I haven't scored the goals I would have liked, so I was pleased to reward them.

"Palace are probably the toughest side we could have met in the play-offs, but we will go there with confidence restored and looking to win the first leg."

Trundle's goal was his first from open play since October, and only his fifth of a frustrating first season at Ashton Gate.

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