Match report for Bodmin Town vs Cardiff City
Loïc Damour left the field at Bodmin to a standing ovation following a two-goal display for the Bluebirds. Substitute Kenneth Zohore was City’s other scorer on the night, with a consolation penalty from Bodmin’s Ben Watson tempering the score-line in an otherwise dominant Cardiff display.
As at Tavistock two evenings ago, City started with pace and desire, Lee Tomlin seeing plenty of the ball. The Bluebirds’ latest recruit almost slid Danny Ward through with three minutes on the clock, only for the former Rotherham striker to be flagged offside.
Loïc Damour was another who seemed intent on scoring – and after two long range efforts were blocked, did just that. The twenty-six-year-old has impressed this summer and his strike from range left goalkeeper David Painter with no hope as it struck the back of the net.
Bodmin weren’t getting a sniff of the City half of the field and it almost became 2-0 after 23 minutes. A great knock down from Ward gave Matty Kennedy a site of goal but, off-balance, the winger couldn’t get enough purchase on it to strike home. Joe Bennett really tested Painter with a free-kick moments later, only for the ‘keeper to make a smart save.
But after half hour, during their first venture into the City area, Bodmin were handed a lifeline. Good work from Ben Watson and an intelligent run from Adam Kelly ended with the latter going down under pressure from Damour and the referee pointing to the penalty spot. Watson stepped up and calmly put the ball down the middle past Neil Etheridge.
Had it been a league fixture then it may be said that Bodmin were shutting up shop, but in truth it was a case of City continuing to play deep in their opponents’ half and not letting them have the ball. There were further chances for Ward and Aron Gunnarsson as the half drew towards the interval – though the moment of the game so far came when Tomlin beat three Town defenders only to see his deft shot settle just wide of the upright. It would have been a goal to savour, irrespective of the competition.
The Bluebirds made three changes at the break, Joe Ralls, Matthew Connolly and Kenneth Zohore replacing Aron Gunnarsson, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Lee Tomlin.
And it only took six minutes for City to re-establish their lead. Excellent play down the left flank from Ward saw the striker square a pass on a sixpence to Damour; the Frenchman struck home for his second of the night, further establishing his credentials.
The floodgates threatened to open quite quickly thereafter; Kennedy and Ward came close from inside the area, before Ward was again the provider for a third. This time it was substitute Zohore who was on hand to guide the simplest of headers home for 3-1.
The most farcical moment of pre-season so far came in the 63rd minute. Kennedy struck a wonderful left-footed strike that had Painter beaten, only to see it rebound off the post; from the rebound, Zohore saw his right-footed effort bounce off the opposition upright and in to the safe hands of the goalkeeper.
There were further chances as the game drew to a close, Zohore forcing two good saves out of Painter and Ralls coming close following an incisive run, burst and left-footed strike. Ultimately, there were no further goals, but City eased to a comfortable finish and made their first run out in lime green one to remember.
FINAL SCORE: BODMIN TOWN 1-3 CARDIFF CITY
Bodmin Town FC: Painter, Timmonds, Rundle, Ash ©, Simmonds, Brokenshire, Colwell, Matthews, Watson, Evans, & Kelly. Subs: Clifford, McPhee, S. Gilbert, M. Gilbert, D. Gilbert.
Cardiff City FC: Etheridge, Peltier (Morrison, 79), Bennett, Bamba, Halford, Gunnarsson (Ralls, 45), Damour (Manga, 85), Mendez-Laing (Connolly, 45), Kennedy, Tomlin (Zohore, 45) & Ward.
