Cardiff City bowed out of the Carabao Cup at the Second Round stage following a 2-1 defeat to fellow Sky Bet Championship side Burton Albion.
The Bluebirds got us underway with Danny Ward having the first real chance of the game, when his first time shot from Lee Tomlin’s corner went just over the bar. Less than a minute later City débutant Omar Bogle came close when his curling effort was saved impressively by Connor Ripley after a brilliant cross from Matthew Kennedy on the right.
Burton pressed for the opener with several crosses cleared out of the penalty area by the alert City defence. Former Bluebird Ben Turner saw a curling effort saved smartly by Brian Murphy in goal as the game approached 20 minutes.
Murphy was again called into action when his diving save kept out a long range Lucas Akins strike in the 25th minute. However, just a minute later the Brewers did open the scoring. Defender Tom Naylor drove into the box and tapped in at the back post to make it 1-0 to the visitors.
Tomlin was unfortunate not to grab his first goal for the club in the 37th minute. His shot from just outside the area went narrowly wide of goal after a good lay-off from the lively Kennedy.
The second half began with Murphy immediately making a stunning save to deny Akins from six yards out after Joe Sbarra played a ground pass to the Burton number ten.
On the hour mark, Ward had an effort tipped just wide for a corner after a fantastic delivery from Kennedy. Shortly after Cameron Coxe tested the keeper but his powerful strike was also saved by the inform Ripley.
With twenty minutes left of play Ben Fox extended the lead for the visitors. His header went across Murphy and into the back of the net after Sbarra delivered a high ball in from the left.
City created a lifeline when Tomlin's free kick from distance was met by substitute Anthony Pilkington inside the box with fifteen minutes of normal time left.
However, despite late chances for Ward and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, the full-time whistle blew with the score at 2-1, seeing City exit the Carabao Cup in Round Two.
