Sat Jul 12, 2014 4:00 pm
Media Wales
Bath City 1 Cardiff City 1
Saturday 12th September 2014
Bath City 1-1 Cardiff City: How the Bluebirds look after letting lead slip in second pre-season outing
Cardiff City finished their pre-season work-out at Bath City by playing a fluid 3-3-3 formation after centre-half Kevin Theophile went off early in the second half.
Norwegian striker Jo Inge Berget, fired Cardiff City's goal after 65 minutes, firing home with a fierce low shot from 20 yards.
The hosts hit back, though, when the 10-man Bluebirds were exposed at the back and Zak Evans, a former Cardiff under-18 player, smashed his shot in off the bar after 77 minutes.
The loss of Theophile was a blow for Cardiff because, for the second match running, they had a player go off injured and didn't have anybody to take over.
Craig Noone went off with a minor groin strain against Carmarthen, while Theophile went back to the changing room with a muscle strain soon after half-time.
Substitute goalkeeper Ben Wilson went on in midfield when Cardiff won 3-0 at Carmarthen, while Joe Lewis was the only option when Theophile went off.
Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer resisted the temptation to send on keeper Lewis and Cardiff carried on with 10 men. Joe Ralls dropped back into defence for a short time, but then Cardiff played an attacking 3-3-3 with Burgstaller, LeFondre and Mason leading the chance.
Spanish striker Javi Guerra missed a glorious first half chance when he fired over, while Federico Macheda hit the bar.
Bath, too, created occasional chances, but Cardiff produced good moments in what was a low key training exercise.
CARDIFF CITY PLAYERS SO FAR
We've seen four of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's five new signings over the two pre-season matches played so far. Adam LeFondre, Federico Macheda and Guido Burgstaller played against Carmarthen in the 3-0 midweek win, while Spanish striker Javi Guerra made his debut at Bath City.
There were positive moments from Guerra, who was willing to run for the team and has a decent touch. But he did miss a glorious first half chance, blazing high over the bar.
He linked well with Macheda in attack at times. Solskjaer will want another look at that pairing in pre-season, particularly with Fraizer Campbell seemingly on his way back to the Premier League with Crystal Palace.
Guido Burgstaller and Adam LeFondre went on at half-time. Austrian Burgstaller played on the right of midfield, while LeFondre linked with Mason in attack.
We haven't seen South African midfield enforcer Kagisho Dikgacoi in Cardiff's opening two pre-season fixtures, but he will be with the squad on their pre-season tour to Austria leaving next Thursday.
The explanation from Cardiff for Dikgacoi's absence was that there is still some final paperwork to be completed before his transfer from Crystal Palace is finalised. That will happen early next week.