Cardiff City included five trialists in their under-23 Professional Development League Cup clash with Southampton.
Bluebirds manager Neil Warnock and his coaching staff are working to increase levels of quality and competition within the group just outside the first team squad.
The five players Cardiff drafted in this week, for development matches against Queens Park Rangers away and Southampton at Cardiff International Sports Stadium.
Winger Tyreke Johnson scored the only goal for Saints in their 1-0 win, a sensational 80th minute solo effort to decide a match which had looked certain to end 0-0.
Johnson’s joy turned to despair soon after when he was sent off after a mistimed challenge on Cardiff goalkeeper George Ratcliffe.
The five Bluebirds trialists are:
Nathan Mavila: Former West Ham winger, aged 20. Has played for Maidstone United and Wealdstone since being released by West Ham. He was an unused substitute in a Europa League tie against Romanian club Astra.
Amos Nasha: Defensive midfield player who started his career in the West Ham youth set-up. The 22-year-old was named in the Hammers Europa League squad four times, whole he went to play for Dover Athletic and Concord Rangers.
Liam Conte: Teenage American midfield player from Philadelphia. The former University of Mobile student is a tall and fast 19-year-old who caused problems for Southampton and went close with one effort which was superbly saved by goalkeeper Jack Rose.
Kris Owens: Liverpool-born 18-year-old who plays left-back or in midfield. Has had trial spells at Queens Park Rangers and Leeds United.
Lewis Byrne-Hewitt: London-born 20-year-old centre-forward. Played at the Arsenal and Norwich Academies, who he has been with Isthmian League Billericay Town this season.
Cardiff need only one substitute for the Premier League Cup group match, while Frederic Gounongbe was the only first team squad player in the starting line-up.
Gounongbe won a free-kick 25 years out and Mark Harris went for goal, but the effort was saved by Rose in the Saints’ goal.
The visitors had the majority of possession, but Cardiff defended solidly as a team and looked likely to earn their second draw of the cup competition having battled to a 1-1 result at Blackburn Rovers first time out.
Johnson then snatched victory for Southampton when he took possession on the halfway line and produced a sensational run before firing a fierce shot home off the underside of the bar.
Cardiff have two more Development League fixtures this month and both are at home. Coventry City visit Cardiff International Sports Stadium on Monday, November 13 (2pm), while Bristol City take on the Bluebirds at Cardiff City Stadium a fortnight later (Monday, November 27, 7pm).
Cardiff City: G Ratcliffe, C Coxe, N Mavilla, A Nasha, T Duffus, C Young, L Conte, L Byrne-Hewitt, F Gounongbe (J Waite 59), M Harris, K Owens. Subs not used: None.
Southampton: J Rose, R Bakary (Y Valery 70), W Wood, A Jones, O Cook, A O’Driscoll, N Tella (H Hale 58), T O’Connor (A Little 70), J Osolabi, C Slattery, T Johnson. Subs not used: A Cull, B Rowthorn.