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Saturday 28 September 2002 - Twerton Park - kick off 2.57pm (!) FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round 
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| half-time: 3-0 | result: W5-0 | attendance: 744 |
| team: | Bryant, Bennett, Trought (Minturn 78), Thorne (c), Kemp, Rollo, Milsom, Harvey, Eaton, Cleverley (Foster 70), Williams (Wilmot 55). subs not used: Johnston, Sam Allison. |
| man of the match: | Gary Thorne |
| scorers: | Rollo (3,20), Thorne (40), Foster (74,80) |
| bookings: | Kemp (87) |
| officials: | N Brimming (Bristol), M Piper (Bristol), K Northam (Bristol) |
| league position: n/a | form: DWLLLW | next match: Tamworth (A) |
City progressed into the 3rd qualifying round of the FA Cup at the expense of Dr Martens Western Division Merthyr Tydfil and it was unlikely scoring hero Jim Rollo who paved the way for the convincing 5-0 scoreline. The midfielder, who was facing his former side following a move over the Severn Bridge during the summer, had failed to open his City account in his first eleven appearances but then struck with two clinical finishes in the opening twenty minutes of this match. The Welsh side never recovered from this double blow and another goal before half time meant the match was effectively over within the first 45 minutes.
When the referee keenly started proceedings three minutes before three o'clock City's line-up showed one change from the side that rolled over and died against Chelmsford City a week earlier - Jason Eaton replacing the departed Gary Horgan, with Paul Milsom dropping back into midfield to make room for the front man. And it was Eaton who had a hand in the opening strike on three minutes. He held the ball up before laying it off to Frankie Bennett. Rather than taking on his marker - which he did to great effect the rest of the afternoon - Bennett fired in a first time cross that picked out Rollo. Unmarked and just six yards out he powered a header past helpless keeper Cropley. Almost before they had time to digest this perfect start Merthyr had a great chance to level. Whitcombe was allowed to burst through City's back line but Mark Bryant was out quickly to smother his shot. The rebound was then fired into the side netting. This turned out to just be a brief threat from the Martyrs as City took control of the game. Twice Iain Harvey sent long range shots narrowly the wrong side of the post but on 20 minutes Rollo struck again. He collected the ball just outside the box, easily went past Needs' lunging challenge and drilled a shot past the right hand of Cropley. City were now coasting and a third goal arrived five minutes before the interval. The provider was again Bennett as his free-kick was headed home by Gary Thorne.
In the corresponding league fixture last season City had also been three goals up at half-time only for Merthyr to stage a spirited fightback, pulling the deficit back to 3-2 before an Adrian Foster goal finally broke their resistance. This time there was no such worries for the City faithful as Thorne, Gary Kemp and Mike Trought comfortably repelled what little threat Merthyr produced. Even when they were beaten, as when Mainwaring got onto the end of Thomas's cross, Bryant was on hand to deny them a way back into the game. It looked as if the second half was going to peter out into a non-event but the arrival of Foster in the 70th minute livened up the proceedings again. Last seasons top scorer had failed to hit the target once this year but it took him just four minutes to break his duck. Thorne's long throw was flicked on by Milsom and Foster's glanced a header just inside the far post. Having found his scoring touch at last it took him just another six minutes to hit the net again. Thorne was again the provider heading Bennett's free kick goalwards. The ball may have gone directly in but Foster made sure from two yards out. City could even afford to finish the match with 10 men when, having already used their three permitted substitutes, Milsom limped from the action with a couple of minutes remaining.