The young Bluebirds suffered against Bolton Wanderers at Cardiff City Stadium.

The visitors won 3-0, while City defender Paul McKay was carried off on a stretcher during the first half of the under-23 match.

Bolton extended their lead at the top of Professional Development League North to seven points and their coach, David Lee, said: “The boys put in a professional performance and showed a fantastic desire and attitude to win away.

“It was a great experience for them to play at the Cardiff City Stadium.

“We dominated the game and put together several good phases of play, while our shape and discipline was extremely good.

“The dressing room was buzzing after the game. We have a feel-good factor and a fantastic winning mentality within the group.”

Connor Hall opened the scoring for Bolton midway through the first half. sliding in Chris Allen’s cross from close range for his 18th goal of the season, before late efforts from Ryan White and scholar Cameron Moore sealed the win.

That was the only goal until the last five minutes when Cardiff almost equaliser when Matthew Campbell went for goal just after the half hour mark, but goalkeepers James Aspinall palmed the ball away.

Bolton were given an early scare in the second half when Aspinall was forced James Waite’s fierce long range effort over the bar, but Wanderers were well organised and disciplined. They frustrated Bluebirds’ efforts to break them down.

White took Dennis Politic’s pass in his stride and scored from 10 yards after 85 minutes, while Cole Lonsdale played Hall in down the left during the last minutes. The forward cut the ball back for substitute Moore to finish from close-range.

Thomas Walters took over from McKay when he went off injured, while Adam Sharif and Lloyd Humphries were other substitutes who went on for City.

Cardiff City: Burwood, P McKay (Walters 42), Margetson (Sharif 69), Young, Brown, Bexton, C Davies, Waite, Walker, Campbell (Humphries 80), Carr. Sub not used: Smith.

Bolton Wanderers.: Aspinall, Morris, Lonsdale, Edwards, Brockbank, Jones-Griffiths, Politic, Earing, Hall, White, Allan. Subs: Navarro, James, Fearnley, Moore, Hartshorne.

Professional Under-23 Development League:

Cardiff City’s remaining fixtures 2017/18

March

Friday 23 Leeds United v Cardiff City (Away) at Elland Road (7pm)

Thursday 29 Colchester United v Cardiff City (Away) at Florence Park (1pm)

Saturday 31 Watford v Cardiff City (Away) at Colney Training Centre (2pm)

April

Wednesday 4 Ipswich Town v Cardiff City (Away) at Ipswich Town Training Centre

Monday 9 Cardiff City v Birmingham City (Home) at Cardiff City Stadium (7pm)

Thursday 12 Cardiff City v Colchester United (Home) at Cardiff International Sports Stadium (TBC).

Monday 16 Barnsley v Cardiff City (Away) at Oakwell (2pm)

Monday 23 Cardiff City v Nottingham Forest (Home) at Cardiff City Stadium (11am)