AFC Bideford 2, Cardiff City under-23 1
Ibrahim Meite, Cardiff City’s promising young striker, smashed home from a penalty to provide his team with a moment of joy at AFC Bideford.
Meite scored from the spot six minutes from time after substitute Marco Weymans had set off on a tricky run which carried him into the penalty area before he was brought down.
Cardiff’s goal was a rare moment of success for the development team, who conceded two goals after individual defensive errors.
This was the final match of the Bluebirds’ pre-season tour to Devon and Cornwall. Club manager Neil Warnock watched from the main stand and went into the away changing room after the final whistle.
Cameron Coxe again showed good moments, while Declan John played his third match in three days and produced some bright work.
Goalkeeper Olive Byrne again looked solid, while Meite is a forward who certainly has talent. He is raw, but there is a genuine spark of ability.
City were a goal down after three minutes when Sol Wheatley’s effort was saved by Byrne and Ryan Turner bundled the loose ball home for Southern League Bideford, who play a level below Merthyr Town.
Byrne was hurt as he tried to keep the ball out, but was able to play on after treatment.
Cardiff hit the outside of a post when a cross was headed on by a Bideford defender, while the home team made it 2-0 after 22 minutes.
Big centre-forward Kevin Squire was allowed to jump almost unchallenged and headlock across goal and inside the far post. He was allowed the time and space to guide his header goalwards.
The key moment came with the last kick of the first half. Substitute Jamie Waite picked out Coxe’s run down the right with a neat pass and the full-back cut inside before being brought down.
A goal at that stage would have sent Cardiff players in at half-time on a high, but Jamie Veale’s spot-kick was saved by goalkeeper Joe Moore.
The powerful running of midfield player and substitute Lloyd Humphries was a plus for the Bluebirds as they pressed for a goal.
That came when Belgian player Weymans went down and Meite fired home with clinical ease from the penalty.
Plenty of lessons learned by the young Bluebirds, who included a number of unnamed trialists. The big number five in particular, playing alongside Conor Young at centre-back, impressed.
AFC Bideford: Moore, Sampson, Reed, Roberts (Joyce), Beattie (Veale), Harrison, Smallcombe, Wheatley, Squire (Butcher), Tucker (Levine), Turner (Western).
Cardiff City XI: Byrne (Duffey), Coxe, John, Veale, capt (Humphries), Trialist (Weymans), Young, Trialist, Trialist (Duffus), Trialist (Waite), Harris, Meite.