CARDIFF CITY 5
Collins 3, 25, Denham 18, Vassell 37, Davies 88
CARDIFF CITY made the four-division gap prevalent with a five-goal success over Bath City.
The visitors’ boisterous fans, making up nearly half of the 830 crowd, went home jubilant thanks to a first half salvo.
Mick McCarthy’s near full-strength Championship starting XI scored four before half-time before Issak Davies plundered a fifth with two minutes remaining.
National League South side Bath improved after the break but they were unable to grab a consolation.
Cardiff got off to the perfect start. James Collins received the ball inside penalty area and with half a yard of space found room to drill it inside Coniah Boyce-Clarke’s right post.
The debutant stopper had to be at his best to deny Sam Bowen’s stinging drive but from the resulting corner he was stranded as Marlon Pack’s corner was powerfully headed home by Oli Denham.
The visitors made it three on 25 minutes. James Connolly nodded Pack’s free-kick across goal and Collins was on hand to fire home his second from close range.
Boyce-Clarke spread himself to deny Lee e Tomlin before City were undone by another set-piece as Aden Flint’s header found Vassell who lashed home from six yards.
Dillon Phillips was forced into a difficult save before the break as Tom Sang’s wayward pass picked out Alex Fletcher, whose deflected strike had the Cardiff keeper at full-strength to palm behind.
The second half was evenly contested as Cardiff changed their entire starting XI.
It was the introduction of Mo Dobre who added tempo for Jerry Gill’s men but he and his teammates couldn’t find a way past Alex Smithies, with the replacement stopper smartly gathering Cody Cooke’s curler from 25 yards.
The Bluebirds notched a fifth on 88 minutes with Chanka Zimba’s jinking run concluded with a low centre for Davies, who hammered into the roof of the net from six yards.
Although a big defeat for Gill’s men, the manager was positive and delighted to play in front of a crowd at Twerton for the first time since 7 March 2020.
“The stadium looked great with people back inside it,” said Gill.
“The disappointing thing for me is conceding from three set-pieces, though they’ve got some players that are extremely tall.
“We had a really good reaction second half and worked a bit harder.
“Cardiff had a great attitude and thanks to Mick and Terry for bringing over a really strong side. We will take a lot from this game.”
STAR MAN: James Collins (Cardiff City)
ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★☆
