This was a game waiting for something to happen.
When it did, Blackpool were down to nine men and their very angry manager Steve McMahon was lucky not to follow them when he ran on to the pitch and kicked the ball away.
The flare-up came around the hour mark when City's captain Tommy Doherty was shown a yellow card for a fowl and Blackpools right winger Martin Bullock was sent off for lashing out in relaliation.
Referee Mick Fletcher didn't see the next incident also involving Doherty but after having a word with a linesman and his fourth official, pulled out a red card for Lee Collins.
Any hope that the Seasiders had vanished in the 77th minute when Lee Peacock leapt to meet Mickey Bell's corner from the right to send a glancing header wide of Phil Barnes' right hand.
Barnes then handed Bristol their win in the second minute of added on time, when McMahon orded him to run up into the home penalty box as his skipper Simon Grayson took a free-kick Barnes jumped for the high ball but City's keeper Steve Phillips beat him to it and made a swift throw out to Scott Murray on the right.
Murray raced away unchallenged for 70 yards to roll a long shot in to the empty net.
The first half had seen an unambitious Blackpool using just one man up front in Richard Walker and were never able to make an impression on a home defence in which Keith Millen was playing his first game in 17 months after a knee injury.
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