U18 Report: Cardiff City 5-1 Charlton Athletic
Cardiff City’s U18 side showed their clinical side, scoring four goals in the first-half to claim all three points against the Addicks at Cardiff International Sports Campus on Saturday, December 8th.
It took just two minutes for the Bluebirds to go deservedly ahead through Dan Griffiths. The striker made an excellent run through the Addicks’ backline, before finishing past Charlton goalkeeper Nathan Harvey with a well-executed volley from close-range.
City were dominating the early proceedings, making the visitors work for any sort of chances, and it seemed likely that the young Bluebirds would double their advantage for all their hard work.
Soon enough, Craig Bellamy’s side found themselves two goals ahead through Kieron Evans. Some brilliant link-up play between Ntazana Mayembe and Dan Griffiths unlocked the opposition defence, allowing Mayembe to find Evans with a pin-point low cross, who made no mistake finishing off an excellently worked goal with sixteen minutes played.
Cardiff City continued to be in control of the match and were clinical in front of goal to score their third goal in thirty minutes, even if it was perhaps from an unlikely source. Jac Davies made a powerful run down the right-flank, before seeming to test the visitors with a cross into the area. However, instead of finding the oncoming Griffiths, it floated into the top-left corner leaving Harvey with no chance.
Mayembe would claim another assist just eight minutes later, as Evans scored his second of the afternoon with a deft looping finish over Harvey – meaning that the hosts went into the break with a four-goal lead after a brilliant first-half performance.
If there were any hopes of the Addicks staging a comeback, they were certainly put to rest on 62 minutes. Griffiths scored his fifth goal in four games, showcasing the fight and determination that the whole side brought to the game as he ran the length of the half, before firing past Harvey.
The visitors would get a consolation four minutes later. Charlton’s Barton left George Ratcliffe with no chance, as his strike clipped the crossbar and found the back of the net.
Sion Spence got his first minutes in a Bluebirds shirt for three months, following an ankle injury. The 2017-18 PDL2 top goal scorer replaced Kieron Evans and had a great chance to score City’s sixth goal in the 79th minute. It looked like Spence would get the dream return to league action, but his effort was agonisingly wide of the Addicks’ goal.
City saw out the remaining minutes in a low-key finish to the second-half, claiming their ninth league win of the season from thirteen games.
FINAL SCORE: CARDIFF CITY 5-1 CHARLTON ATHLETIC
Cardiff City: Ratcliffe, J. Davies, Reynolds (Margetson 67’), Bagan, Jones, Kavanagh (Parsons 82’), Patten, Bowen (C), Mayembe, Evans (Spence 64’), Griffiths. Subs Not Used: Duffey, Warnock.
Charlton Athletic: Harvey, Barton, Aidoo, Godding, Balket, Keefe (C) (Moore 76’), Vennings, Chih, Isiaka (Featon 76’), Williams, Gody (Kasey 70’). Subs Not Used: Abloh, Whiting.
