REPORT: BATH CITY 1-1 CARDIFF CITY

Handing a first start and Cardiff City debut to Spanish striker Javi Guerra, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s selected first-half eleven saw Federico Macheda link-up with the former Real Valladolid striker up front. 

Proving as potent a threat as ever, it was Mats Møller Dæhli who provided much of the Bluebirds early impetus as they looked for an early opener. Some neat play from the Norwegian set up Guerra only for the Spaniard to send his shot over.

Magnus Wolff Eikrem was next to try his luck from distance before Dæhli this time set up on-running full back Fabio, who sent his curling effort just wide. Filip Kiss was next to try an effort from distance only to see it denied by Jason Mellor. 

The Bath stopper was enjoying his outing against the Bluebirds’ ominous attacking line-up, but there was little he could do about Macheda’s next effort as the Italian rattled the crossbar with a thunderous effort. 

With the opening goal proving elusive for Cardiff, Bath brought a first test to Simon Moore just after the half hour mark as Andy Watkins called the Bluebirds’ goalkeeper into action. Dave Pratt and Ross Stearn saw efforts fire just wide as the hosts threatened an opener before the break. 

Ten changes at half-time saw a complete change of outfield personnel for the Bluebirds, with Simon Moore the only remaining starter to take the field for the second half.

Making his first appearance of pre-season, Jordon Mutch looked to make an immediate impact as he curled a shot over the crossbar. Midfield colleague Guido Burgstaller was just as close just ten minutes later only to see his effort hit the side netting from the tight angle.

With just 25 minutes to go the Bluebirds finally got their goal as Berget unleashed a powerful shot towards the bottom corner of the net to beat Bath stopper Mellor and give the visitors the lead. 

John Brayford almost grabbed a quick fire second from the restart only to guide his shot just over the crossbar. 

With twenty minutes to go the Bluebirds were dealt a blow as Theophile-Catherine was forced to withdraw through injury and with no outfield player on the bench, saw Cardiff play the rest of the match down to ten men. 

Seven minutes later the hosts were level as former Cardiff City youth player Zak Evans snatched an equaliser with his very first touch of the ball having came on as a substitute moments earlier. 

Despite the man disadvantage chances still came the way of the Bluebirds as they looked for a late winner, Declan John proving instrumental on the left to provide a pinpoint cross for Adam Le Fondre only for Mellor to brilliantly intercept with a punch clear.

Indeed, the hosts almost snatched a winner themselves as Jordan Ricketts raced clear of the Cardiff defence, only to be denied brilliantly by Cardiff stopper Moore late on.