U21/DVP RESULT: SAADI HELPS CITY TO VICTORY

The home side were boosted by the inclusion of French forward Idriss Saadi, who continued his rehabilitation from injury with this U21 appearance.

It was the Bluebirds who took a deserved lead with a little over half-an-hour gone. David Tutonda drove down the left wing before supplying the perfect low cross for Tommy O’Sullivan to fire into the net, off the underside of the crossbar.

Saadi, who completed the first half, netted on his return in a Cardiff City shirt just before the half-time whistle. The former Clermont Foot forward cut in from the left side before composedly slotting into the far right corner to double the advantage for Kevin Nicholson’s team.

QPR pulled a goal back 11 minutes into the second half, Reece Grego-Cox scoring from close range against the run of play. The match continued in it’s end-to-end style with the Bluebirds going close to extending their lead with an hour on the clock. Jamie Veale and Macauley Southam combining superbly, with Veale’s shot saved well by Conor Hudnott.

City were made to rue this missed chance inside a minute, with the away side levelling. Tom Rosenthal’s powerful low shot from the edge of the box flying into the bottom left corner of the Cardiff goal.

The young Bluebirds and Hoops traded blows throughout the match in tough conditions. O’Sullivan was fortunate not to score in his own goal on 77 minutes, heading against Ben Wilson’s right hand post just one minute before that all important fifth goal finally came. Eli Phipps’ shot blocked in the first instance with Welsh U21 international O’Sullivan on hand to score what-turned-out-to-be the winning goal with the rebound.

Cardiff City: Wilson, Barnum-Bobb, Tutonda, Veale, Baker, James, Southam, Weymans (Roche, 71), Phipps, O’Sullivan, Saadi (Wharton, 46). Subs Not Used: Rees, Coughlan (GK), Noor.

Queens Park Rangers: Hudnott (Komodikis, 67), Shodipo, Manning, Rosenthal (Butler, 67), Hamalainen, Robinson, Grego-Cox, Sutherland, Blackwood, Corkery, Prohouly. Subs Not Used: Herdman.