Parry's effort saves unconvincing Bluebirds <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" border="0"><tbody></tbody></table><table class="headerTable" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td><p class="headtypea">Jul 12 2006 </p></td></tr><tr><td><p class="headtypea"><b /></p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><p class="headtypeb">By South Wales Echo</p></td></tr></td /></tr /></tbody></table><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="400" border="0"><tbody><tr><td colspan="3"> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"><p class="headtypea" align="left">Paul Parry saved Cardiff City's blushes with an 88th-minute strike to secure victory in this friendly at Richmond Road.</p><p class="headtypea" align="left">But good though the goal was - Welsh international winger Parry played a neat one-two with Andrea Ferretti on the edge of the area before picking his spot - it couldn't disguise the fact that the overall quality of the Bluebirds' performance left something to be desired.</p><p class="headtypea" align="left">And that's a point which won't have escaped the attention of watching owner Sam Hammam and manager Dave Jones, neither of whom will have been greatly impressed by City's efforts against a Welsh Premiership side whose players had been at work earlier in the day.</p><p class="headtypea" align="left">Indeed, Carmarthen played with great commitment and no little skill throughout and if they'd only shown greater steadiness in front of goal, could well have finished with at least a draw.</p><p class="headtypea" align="left">As it was Jones at least had a proper opportunity to see some of his summer signings in action for City for the first time.</p><p class="headtypea" align="left">Former Wycombe Wanderers captain Roger Johnson looked every bit the true pro at the back and will be pushing Glenn Loovens and skipper Darren Purse hard for a start when the Coca-Cola Championship campaign kicks off at Barnsley.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">Malvin Kamara and Nick McKoy, who have been shipped in from MK Dons, showed plenty of good movement but will have to improve ten-fold to break into the first team.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">And while teenage goalkeeper Mark Howard, newly arrived from Arsenal, was not really tested, it was noticeable that he was quick off his line and did leave the six-yard box to collect crosses.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">For most of a disappointing first half you would have been hard pressed to tell that City included six of last season's first team squad in Rhys Weston, Joe Ledley, Jeff Whitley, Loovens, Parry and Ferretti.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">Small wonder then Jones walked into the changing rooms at half-time with his hands in his pockets and head down, doubtless having been given rather more food for thought than he might have expected.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">Perhaps encouraged by memories of their 2-1 FAW Premier Cup win over the Bluebirds last season, Carmarthen began the second half in a positive fashion and could easily have taken the lead within a minute of the restart as Sasha Walters made the most of a mistake by Ledley, but his volley was safely collected by Howard.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">A minute later Chris Thomas skipped past City's Johnson and headed for goal, but his shot went inches past the upright.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">Ledley then produced the best from the home 'keeper Andrew Delve, who dived to save with his feet as City started to push for a win.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">The visitors' next attack saw a Parry free-kick headed onto the bar by French Under-18 international triallist Guillame Plessis.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">Carmarthen's Frank Hart produce some great skill to set fellow substitute Mattie Davies through 10 minutes from time and the veteran striker really should have scored, before Parry stepped up to have the final word.</p><p class="headtypea" align="left">Low-key start for Bluebirds <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" border="0"><tbody></tbody></table><table class="headerTable" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td><p class="headtypea">Jul 12 2006 </p></td></tr><tr><td><p class="headtypea"><b /></p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><p class="headtypeb">Western Mail</p></td></tr></td /></tr /></tbody></table><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="400" border="0"><tbody><tr><td colspan="3"> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"><p class="headtypea" align="left">Merthyr Tydfil 1-0 Cardiff City</p><p class="headtypea" align="left">IT was really the sort of evening one should have been out in the garden firing up the barbecue, instead we found ourselves in Merthyr Tydfil as Cardiff City kicked the first ball of the new season (sort of) in anger.</p><p class="headtypea" align="left">What is there to learn from such high summer encounters as these? Probably not a lot and tactically there was even less to discern from this friendly as Bluebirds' boss Dave Jones split his squad in two, with the other half heading west to Carmarthen Town.</p><p class="headtypea" align="left">It was all about fitness Jones had said, the manager was keen to give all his squad as much of a run-out as possible.</p><p class="headtypea" align="left">The boss himself was at that encounter so, it was up to assistant manager Terry Burton to look after matters at Penydarren Park.</p><p class="headtypea" align="left">For the healthy number of Cardiff supporters who made their way up the A470, there was slight disappointment that new striker Michael Chopra, brought in from Newcastle United, failed to make the team. He is carrying a slight injury to his knee and the decision was made not to risk him.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">Although how a nine-hour transatlantic flight to Canada today, as the Bluebirds' squad jet out for a North American tour, will aid the forward's recovery is obviously a matter for conjecture.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">As it was, the Bluebirds' starting XI was an expected mixture of youth and experience.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">Of the new boys Kevin McNaughton, signed from Aberdeen, took his favoured place at right-back and former Barnsley player, Stephen McPhail, slotted into midfield.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">One could also class left-back Joe Jacobson as a bit of a new boy, brought through the club's academy, he signed his first professional contract recently after being given his first-team debut by Jones at home to Norwich near the end of last season.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">Of the more familiar faces lined up to play the Martyrs, Neil Alexander was between the posts, captain Darren Purse was the familiar figure at centre-back, partnered by Chris Barker, moved to the less familiar role at the heart of the Cardiff defence from his usual berth on the left.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">Riccy Scimeca and Neal Ardley were the names in midfield Bluebirds' fans will best know from last season's Championship campaign.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">Cardiff started with just the lone striker in the shape of the diminutive Jamal Easter, a hugely promising youngster who has made his way up through the youth ranks at Ninian Park.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">And it was Easter who caught the eye until his substitution with 20 minutes of the game to go. Always busy, always active, he has a keen eye for goal not unlike a certain Robert Earnshaw. Easter's industry was often out of keeping with the relaxed pace of proceedings.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">Of the two new signings, McNaughton and McPhail, the report card must read simply: a satisfactory start. The Scot covered a lot of ground, was solid in defence and looked good when he got forward, putting in a couple of good crosses and linking up well with Ardley, who was excellent at times.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">McPhail was more subdued in the middle, understandably still finding his feet, he showed some neat touches, provided some good balls, but kept things as simple as possible.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">Cardiff may have lost the encounter, but that is immaterial as the team head towards the real work of the Championship season.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">It was in fact a game Cardiff dominated for most of the time, if they could not find the killer touch to get a goal.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">After eight minutes, good work by Easter saw him charge down Merthyr keeper Ashley Morris' clearance and a good ball fired in from the left by Curtis McDonald.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">Scimeca was unmarked from five yards out, but inexplicably chose to head across goal when he really should've gone for the net and the Martyrs cleared the danger.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">Four minutes later Scimeca missed another good headed chance after great work and a cross from Easter on the right. Easter was on the charge again into the box on 16 minutes and it took a good tackle from Steve Williams to halt his progress.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">But then, completely out of the clear blue skies, Merthyr took the lead. Bluebirds' captain Purse failed to clear his lines. A ball in from the left was beautifully met on the edge of the box by striker Grant Thomas. His right-foot volley flew past the despairing dive of Alexander.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">Naturally, being behind, injected a bit of urgency to Cardiff. Ardley in particular started to get a bit more upfield on the right. In the 28th minute he won a free-kick on the flank took it quickly himself and Purse, who had bombed forward was inches from making contact with his header.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">On 43 minutes great work through the centre by new signing McPhail saw him find Ardley lurking in the box, but the former Watford man's sliced shot was well tipped around the post by keeper Morris.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">Passions had hardly been at a high throughout the first half, in fact the one tempestuous moment came just before the break when Ardley seemed to catch an elbow from Merthyr left-back Paul Keddle. Ardley ended up with a bloody nose, but referee Mark Hulberg took no action.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">Anyway Keddle could be forgiven for the error, he'd been the pick of the Merthyr players through the first period, tireless working the flank, breaking up attacks and getting forward as often as he could.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">The players took to the pitch for the second half, but had to wait while the schoolboys' match which had provided the half-time entertainment was played to a finish. It was that sort of evening.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">When we did get going Merthyr manager Paul Sugrue indulged in a flurry of substitutions. Most notable of these was the arrival of Leon Jeanne, a former QPR and Cardiff City player, who is on his "final, last chance" after doing his best to throw away his talent in a flurry of drink and drugs.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">And it was Jeanne who had a couple of chances to snatch another for Merthyr.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">Cardiff huffed and puffed and, despite a host of substitutions, couldn't draw level.</p> <p class="headtypea" align="left">At the final whistle the sun set over Penydarren Park but the Bluebirds will hope the future is a lot brighter for them over the coming months.</p></td></tr></tbody></table></p></td></tr></tbody></table>