Cardiff City's U21 side defeated Charlton Athletic following a hard-fought clash in Leckwith on Tuesday afternoon.
With the hosts ahead at the break and later doubling their lead, City weathered a late Charlton Athletic storm to take all three points.
City started the brighter of the two teams, with the opening exchanges mostly taking place in the visitors’ half. Following a number of early corners, the Bluebirds’ pressure was rewarded as Cameron Antwi opened the scoring in the twelfth minute.
After some impressive build-up play, Freddie Cook played the ball through from the backline for Antwi, who finished coolly at the near post with his left foot.
The hosts continued to create chances, as Joel Colwill slid in Raheem Conte following a defensive mistake in the 20th minute, though he dragged his strike wide of the post.
Moments later, Colwill was involved again as he played the ball through the middle for Finlay Johnson. After’s Antwi’s dummy, Johnson found himself in on goal, but pulled his effort wide.
At the other end, Charlton had their first opportunity of the half as Nathan Asiimwe saw his close-range shot saved well by Joe Thomas at his near post in the 24th minute.
Later in the 35th minute, Conte’s twenty-yard strike was gathered by Prince Adegoke in the Charlton Athletic net. The Bluebirds went in at the break 1-0 up.
The visitors began the second half in search of an equaliser, with the first opportunity falling to Jeremy Santos, whose powerful volley was saved well by Thomas.
The Addicks continued to push, as in the 60th minute Pat Casey was denied the equaliser emphatically by Thomas, who saved the striker’s low effort from close in.
After weathering the storm, City had two chances of their own. The first falling to Antwi in the 65th minute, who opened up the Charlton Athletic defence, courtesy of a smart one-two with Conte, but Adegoke’s save prevented City from doubling their lead. Quickly after, substitute Troy Perrett found himself one-on-one with Adegoke from a tight angle and struck the post with his effort.
Perrett made amends in the 74th minute and deservedly doubled City’s lead with a great finish into the bottom right corner from the edge of the box.
Despite a late scare, in which Pat Casey halved the deficit, City claimed the three points after defending well against a late flurry from the visitors.
FINAL SCORE: CARDIFF CITY 2-1 CHARLTON ATHLETIC
Cardiff City: Thomas, Semenyo, Lawlor (Spiers 50’), Cook, Giles, Mafico (Perrett 66’), Antwi ©, Colwill, Conte, Wigley (Nyakuhwa 81’), Johnson. Subs: Armstrong, Spiers, Perrett, George, Nyakuhwa.
Charlton Athletic: Adegoke, Asiimwe, Toure, Gough ©, Dench, Hand (Safa 80’), Williams (Mbick 61’), Santos (Hunter 80’), Ladapo, Casey, Huke (Enslin 77’). Subs: Batt, Hunter, Safa, Enslin, Mbick
Speaking following the final whistle, Darren Purse expressed his satisfaction with the win following a busy schedule:
“I think that’s 7 points from the last 9 for us on a tough schedule of fixtures, when you’ve got boys out on loan, it’s been a pretty productive week,” he began. “Obviously preparing the boys for two games or three games within a week and the turnover and the quick succession, it’s been really good and they’ve had to adapt to information that’s being given to them, like changing shape for a couple of the games.
"To be fair to the boys, especially the younger ones that are stepping up they’ve adapted really well to it, so listen, delighted to win everyone’s delighted to win.”
“At half-time when we were one-nil up that was the biggest thing about the half-time team talk, not being wasteful in front of goal.
"A couple minutes into the second half we create another great opportunity and the keeper pulls off a really good save, but we should be scoring. Could we have won the game more convincingly, yes, could we have ended up drawing the game and dropping some points, yes we could’ve done.”
“It’s a learning curve as it always is with the boys, but it’s always a nice feeling when you win the game."