Report: Marc Prosser
Defensive errors cost Cardiff City u18s dearly as they lost 4-2 to Nottingham Forest in their opening Premier League Academy match.
Forest, Champions of their academy section last season, scored an early goal after just three minutes through striker Joe Swindell. A lapse of concentration in the Bluebirds' defence allowed Swindell to nip in and fire past Brian Martin in goal.
The goal seemed to galvanise Neal Ardley's team and they were soon rewarded for a period of pressure. Speedy French winger Kevin Sante Luce continued his impressive form of recent weeks and set up Nat Jarvis to equalise with a neat finish past the Forest 'keeper.
City almost took the lead minutes later when Right-back Luke Jones played a terrific ball down the line to Sante Luce who drove forward and shot with power at the goalkeeper.
Ibrahim Farah also saw a shot saved before giving the Bluebirds a deserved lead. Striker Nat Jarvis turned the Forest fullback and cut the ball back for Farah to finish.
Cardiff could have extended the lead further, but Forest were denied an equaliser just before half time thanks to a decent save by Martin.
The second half began much like the first, with Forest scoring inside three minutes. This time it was Danny Meadows taking advantage of a defensive error to make the game all square.
Highlights of this match will be on Player on Monday
The goal stunned Cardiff after dominating most of the first half and Forest took further advantage after 57 minutes, with some help from the Treforest downpour. Robbie Gibbons shot at goal from a free kick but Martin saw the ball slip through his fingers and into the net.
Martin almost made up for his error before Forest sealed the win with a late penalty. An off the ball foul lead to a award of a spot-kick for the visitors which Gibbons duly stepped up to take. Martin, though, threw himself down to his bottom left corner to expertly save but Gibbons followed in to seal the away win.
Cardiff City's Under 18s play Manchester United away next Saturday.
