Bath 2nds: 2
Cardiff: 3
Last week Cardiff menÔÇÖs football team made the journey across the bridge to Bath, the squad knowing nothing but a win would do as they aim to get their season back on track.
The match started evenly, with both sides attempting to get the ball down and play, something made easier by the excellent pitch at Bath.
As Bath began to dictate the game, a ball forward made its way into the Cardiff box and forced an acrobatic close-range save from Mike Neish, but the ball fell to a Bath player who lashed it in to make it 1-0.
Frustration was all too evident amongst the Cardiff players and as they attempted to push for an equaliser, the boys were playing passes too quickly and too directly resulting in many attacks breaking down.
However, to their credit, Cardiff remained resilient and soon grabbed an equaliser. A good run from Fraser Drummond into the box was matched by his pass to CardiffÔÇÖs own French international, J├®r├®my Madeline, to tap in and make the score 1-1 going into half time.
A productive half-time discussion regarding their defensive shape and temperament when in possession of the ball seemed to really have an effect on the side, with Cardiff looking much tighter defensively and more dangerous going forward in the second half.
This improvement was rewarded when Cardiff went ahead. A neat pass and good strength from Nick Feely found the Cardiff captain bearing down on the Bath keeper who, to his credit, produced a good initial save from a powerful strike, but was helpless as the rebound fell to the Australian who went round the keeper and thundered the ball in. With Cardiff looking strong, they deservedly went 3-1 up when Madeline got his second, a close-range header from a Chris Hugh cross.
As the clock ticked down, a lapse in concentration as Cardiff played the ball across the back four resulted in a Bath forward pouncing upon a poor pass to make the score 3-2, but Cardiff held on for a well-deserved win.
The old adage ÔÇ£youÔÇÖve got to score when youÔÇÖre on topÔÇØ was key to this victory, allowing for CardiffÔÇÖs late mistake to be nothing more than a slight dampener on an otherwise good day for the first team, who travel to Hartpury next week.
CARDIFF: M Neish, J Wotton, C Hugh, L Jenkins, L Thorpe, S Chester, J Madeline, B Ricketts, R Jones, N Feely, F Drummond, C Glyn, R Wilkinson, A Cornish
Ben Ricketts
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