UPDATED ' TONIGHTS CARDIFF CITY TEAM PLAYING '

Cardiff changes

Confirmation that Bird and Harris were the only two City changes at the break.

They’ve come on for Healey and Macheda.

Great footwork from Tommy O'Sullivan so far tonight

More changes for Cardiff...

Three more changes for Cardiff - Rollin Menayese, Cameron Coye and Jarred Welch join the action.

They replace Ashley Baker, O’Sullivan and Le Fondre.

21:02 Changes for Cardiff
Cardiff make three changes.

Rollin Manayese, Cameron Coye and Jarrad Welch all join the action. Adam Le Fondre, Ashley Baker and Tommy O'Sullivan leave the pitch.

Forest Green Rovers goal disallowed!

goal disallowed!

Forest Green think they’ve taken the lead for the first time tonight, but Kiefer Moore - who scored the equaliser for the hosts - is adjudged to be offside.

21:12 GOAL!
Forest Green Rovers take the lead. New signing Matt Tubbs with a fine curling effort, finding the right bottom corner.

21:13 Attendance
There are 1171 in attendance tonight with more than 200 loyal Bluebirds making the trip.

21:14 Tubbs makes his mark
Forest Green scorer, Matt Tubbs, only signed for the club three hours ago and he's already off the mark. Some finish it was too!

21:17 More changes
Lloyd Humphries and Macauley Southam come on for Cardiff, replacing Rhys Abbruzzese and Marco Weymans.

21:25 GOAL!
Forest Green Rovers double their advantage through youngster Olly Mehew. A fine break from the home side ends with Mehew sliding the ball home from close range.

21:30 TWO minutes added on
The fourth offical has indicated a minimum of TWO minutes of added time,

21:34 Full Time
The Bluebirds' pre-season opener ends in defeat. Forest Green Rovers were good value for their win but the Cardiff City youngsters put in a good shift at The New Lawn.

FOREST GREEN 3 CARDIFF CITY 1

Macheda for the Bluebirds

21:34 Full Time
The Bluebirds' pre-season opener ends in defeat. Forest Green Rovers were good value for their win but the Cardiff City youngsters put in a good shift at The New Lawn.

Tough night

It's been a productive opening friendly for the Bluebirds' youngsters. The main squad travel to Shrewsbury Town on Saturday afternoon.

It's been a productive opening friendly for the Bluebirds' youngsters. The main squad travel to Shrewsbury Town on Saturday afternoon.

Good to see the new DVP youngsters getting a run out . How did Jamie Bird do? Fantastic player and great lad too. Noticed that Jon Parkin is not with Forest Green this season with no current club at the ripe old footballing age of 34. I like Parky and wish him the very best in what can be a beautiful game but horrible business.

Thoughts from being their Healey was by far our best player untill he went off he needs first team game time this season Bird also played well when he came on Le Fondre was shit as usual.

it's Connor Young (CB) from the Academy, Scott's son.

He any good Annis?

Thoughts from being their Healey was by far our best player untill he went off he needs first team game time this season Bird also played well when he came on Le Fondre was shit as usual.

Thanks Phil. Jamie Bird signed this year from our academy and I hope the lad does well. Good to hear that Rhys Healey impressed too. I had hopes that ALF may again be able to do a job under revised management and system but its not looking likely by the sounds of it.

it's Connor Young (CB) from the Academy, Scott's son.

He any good Annis?

Jack, I honestly don't know, its the first Ive realy heard about him was last night, its shocked many to hear he was playing.

' FULL MATCH REPORT '


A young Cardiff City XI fell to defeat at The New Lawn, with an impressive Forest Green Rovers coming from behind to win 3-1.

The Bluebirds started brightly in Gloucestershire, with a number of early chances. After some good build up play around the edge of the Rovers box, striker Adam Le Fondre saw a powerful shot blocked. Minutes later, Tommy O’Sullivan curled a low effort goalwards after cutting in from the left flank, only to see his attempt well held. A similar attempt on the other side, this time involving Rhys Healey was saved almost identically by Forest Green 'keeper Jonny Maxted.

The hosts thought they had taken the lead midway through the half, but Christian Doidge was adjudged to have fouled City keeper Ben Wilson, before smashing into the net.

After 24 minutes, the Bluebirds got the lead they deserved. A fantastic pass found Healey on the right flank, who cut inside, and moved the ball onto Robbie Patten. The midfielder slid a pass into Le Fondre, whose clever touch sent strike partner Federico Macheda through. A powerful shot from the Italian couldn’t be stopped by Maxted, putting Cardiff in front. Minutes later, Belgian Marco Weymans almost doubled the lead, with a curling shot which whistled past the upright.

Despite the flowing attacking play from the Bluebirds, Forest Green were given the chance to equalise from the penalty spot on the half-hour mark, after O’Sullivan fouled Drissa Traore in the box. Doidge stepped up, but his shot into the bottom left hand corner was superbly saved by Ben Wilson, to the delight of the 221 travelling Cardiff fans behind him.

Against all odds, Rovers were awarded another penalty only seven minutes later. Kieffer Moore was the man to step up on this occasion, and duly obliged - slotting his spot kick towards the same corner, this time levelling the score.

The game opened up in the latter stages of the half, with both sides having good opportunities. Healey had an effort blocked after cutting into the Rovers box, before Mohamed Chemlal’s shot from the edge of the City area was comfortably saved by Wilson. However, neither side could add another goal before the interval.

In the second period, the Bluebirds almost re-took the lead, but goalkeeper Maxted recovered well after some initially dodgy footwork, with Le Fondre and Bird closing in. Both sides began to make numerous changes, although chances were at a premium. The hosts had the ball in the net once again though, but the linesman’s flag denied Moore a second of the evening. Susbstitue Jarrad Welch came close for the Bluebirds, with a shot that nearly crept in at the near post.

On 70 minutes, the hosts took the lead through their new signing, Matt Tubbs. Only introduced to the Rovers fans a few hours before kick-off, the prolific striker curled a right-footed effort past the diving Wilson.

As the Bluebirds pushed for an equaliser late on, the hosts secured the win with a blistering counter attack down the right hand side. Young substitute Olly Mehew got on the end of a square ball across the box, to tuck home at the near post. A late strike from Cardiff’s Mark Harris flew just over the bar, as the young Bluebirds’ spirited performance ended in defeat.

FULL TIME: FOREST GREEN ROVERS 3-1 CARDIFF CITY XI

Cardiff City XI: Wilson, Rees, Young, Baker (Menayese ‘60), Abbruzzese (Humphries ’76), O’Sullivan (Welch ’60), Patten, Weymans (Southam 76’), Healey (Bird ’45), Macheda (Harris ’45), le Fondre (Coxe ‘60).

Forest Green Rovers 3-1 Cardiff City: Young Bluebirds let lead slip in Paul Trollope's first game in charge


BY HUW SILK


The new Cardiff City manager put out a vastly inexperienced side that gave away a 1-0 lead after Federico Macheda's opener



A youthful Cardiff City side were over-powered by Forest Green Rovers as Paul Trollope watched his side go down 3-1 in his first game as Bluebirds boss.

Less than a week after returning from Wales duty at Euro 2016 a suited Trollope watched on as his charges travelled to The New Lawn to face the Cotswolds club for the third time in the last four pre-seasons.

A key member of Chris Coleman's backroom team which helped a brilliant Wales reach the last four of Europe, Trollope has now switched his attention to guiding City back to the top flight.

But with a young XI lining up for the Bluebirds, few clues can be gleaned about how Trollope's Bluebirds will shape up when the season kicks off in just over three weeks' time.

It was his assistant James Rowberry who barked out orders from the dugout, but the 223 City fans spotted their new gaffer keeping a keen eye on proceedings from a gantry on the opposite touchline to the rest of his staff.


An entertaining first half saw the City XI take the lead midway through the first half on what was a beautiful evening in the Gloucestershire countryside.

Federico Macheda fired his side into the lead after Cardiff edged the opening exchanges, a neat passing move involving Rhys Healey and Robbie Patten culminating in Adam Le Fondre – who last made a competitive appearance for City almost 18 months ago – playing in Macheda.

From the left-hand side of the six-yard box the Italian comfortably tucked his shot past keeper Jonny Maxted from close range.

The Bluebirds could have doubled their lead a matter of minutes later, with Belgian starlet Marco Weymans bending a shot the wrong side of the left post after a penetrating run from midfield.

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We always loose to Forest Green. In fairness they are a good side.