Cardiff City commenced their preparations for the 2021/22 season with a comfortable 5-0 victory over Bath City at Twerton Park on Saturday afternoon.
James Collins, Oliver Denham and Isaac Vassell netted in the first-half, before Isaak Davies scored late on.
Mick McCarthy gave James Collins his first run-out in a City shirt from the start, while fellow new signings Mark McGuinness and Ryan Wintle were given the second forty five minutes.
The Bluebirds got off to a strong beginning and that early pressure led to their opening goal. Forward Collins did well to shoot on the turn, finding the bottom corner and sealing his first Bluebirds goal inside three minutes.
Cardiff City continued that attacking dominance and neared a second just five minutes later. Tom Sang’s in-swinging cross from the left wing spun into the path of the 30-year-old Collins, but Bath goalkeeper Coniah Boyce-Clarke got there first.
The visitors came close again with 17 minutes played as midfielder Sam Bowen’s powerful effort was tipped wide by Boyce-Clarke. From the resulting corner, Marlon Pack found defender Oliver Denham who powerfully headed in City's second of the match.
It was a third for the Bluebirds on 25 minutes. Midfielder Pack’s floated free-kick was headed across goal by James Connolly and the determined Collins hammered home his second.
The Bluebirds maintained their dominance and were rewarded with a fourth goal, 12 minutes later. Aden Flint headed across the face of goal and striker Isaac Vassell found the net at close range. It was a nice moment for the forward, starting pre-season with a goal after a prolonged spell on the sidelines.
Mick made 11 changes at the interval, with a new side taking to the pitch for the second half. The hosts grew into the match after the break, looking to get on the scoresheet, but the Bluebirds remained dangerous on the counter with new attacking threats Isaak Davies and Mark Harris leading the line.
City neared another goal with 67 minutes gone. Will Vaulks’ corner reached central defender McGuinness at the back post, but his header hit the side netting.
The Bluebirds managed to get a fifth and final goal with two minutes remaining. The recently introduced Chanka Zimba found forward Davies in the area and he netted high into the goal to round-off a solid Cardiff City display.
FINAL SCORE: BATH CITY 0-5 CARDIFF CITY
Bath City: Boyce-Clarke, Jones, Williams, James (Dowling 84’), Gerring (Neilson 81’), Ball, Harley (Dobre 57’), Richards, Cooke, Smith, Fletcher.
Subs not used: Fuller, Smith, Barnard.
Cardiff City - First half: Phillips, Denham, Flint, Connolly, NG, Sang, Bowen, Pack, Tomlin, Vassell, Collins.
Second half: Smithies, McGuinness, Bakare, Nelson, Bagan, Patten (D'Almeida 84’), Vaulks, Wintle, Trialist (Zimba 84’), Harris, Davies.
Subs not used: Ratcliffe.
