Bodmin Town 1, Cardiff City 3
Frenchman Loic Damour scored twice and Danish ace Kenneth Zohore headed a third in Cardiff City’s comfortable win at Bodmin Town in Cornwall.
The Bluebirds, wearing their lime green away shirts and white shorts, followed their seven-goal success against AFC Tavistock on Monday with another victory against South West Peninsular League opposition.
There are around 300 Cardiff fans following their team on a tour which ends at Plymouth Argyle in Devon on Friday.
There were plenty of positives for Cardiff, whose movement, strong running and passing kept Bodmin at full stretch. Man of the match for the home team was goalkeeper Dave Painter, who made a series of excellent saves.
New signing Lee Tomlin made his first Bluebirds appearance, playing in a creative role behind main striker Danny Ward.
There were moments when Tomlin’s class shone out, although he looks a player who needs match minutes.
He took Cardiff corners on both sides, while his footwork in one dazzling run took him past three defenders before he stopped his shot wide with goalkeeper Dave Painter trying to block his run.
Damour, linking with Aron Gunnarsson in midfield, is confident in possession, looks for a forward pass and is quick to drop back and cover if the full-back his side goes on the charge.
He also showed he loves to score with two beautifully taken goals.
Ward made some clever runs and Cardiff created plenty of first half chances, but they weren’t able to take advantage apart from a massive strike by Damour.
That came after 10 minutes when Tomlin’s corner from the right was half cleared by Bodmin and Damour struck the bouncing ball first time from 25 yards, sending his shot high into the net.
The Bluebirds dominated play and almost scored a second when Greg Halford, operating at centre-back alongside Sol Bamba, fired a long diagonal pass which picked out Ward.
The striker knocked the ball neatly to Matty Kennedy, but the winger could not get his shot on target.
Bodmin equalised just after the half hour when centre-forward Ben Watson scored from a penalty, although it look harsh decision by referee Ciaran Barlow.
The score was 1-1 at half-time and manager Neil Warnock sent on three of his five substitutes on after the break.
Matt Connolly, Joe Ralls and Zohore took over from Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, Tomlin and Gunnarsson.
Bamba and Connolly joined forces at the heart of defence, while Halford moved forward into midfield.
Cardiff took control with two goals in two minutes with Ward creating both chances.
He set up Damour for his second of the game after 52 minutes, firing low into the net from 15 yards, and then crossed for Zohore to head in from close range.
City were desperately close to a fourth goal when Kennedy’s shot crashed against a post. The rebound ran to Zohore, whose shot was deflected onto the other Bodmin post with goalkeeper Painter stranded.
City sent on Sean Morrison and Bruno Manga in the closing stages. They played together at centre-back with Connolly moving to the right.
Bodmin Town: D Painter, E Timmons, L Rundle, S Simmonds, O Brokenshaw, S Colwell, S Matthews, B Watson (C McPhee 56), H Evans (M Gilbert 58), A Kelly, C Martindale. Subs not used: C Clifford, S Gilbert, D Gilbert.
Cardiff City: N Etheridge, L Peltier (S Morrison 77), S Bamba, G Halford, J Bennett, N Mendez-Laing (M Connolly 46), L Damour (B Manga 81), A Gunnarsson, capt (J Ralls 46), M Kennedy, L Tomlin (K Zohore 46), D Ward. Subs not used: B Manga, S Morrison.
Referee: Ciaran Barlow (first half), Stuart Kane (second half).