Cardiff City win first match under Erol Bulut as Tanner and McGuinness score

Erol Bulut got off to winning ways as Cardiff City manager as his side beat Penybont 2-0 in his first game in charge.

There will be plenty the new Bluebirds boss will want to change after what was an unconvincing performance from his side, but headed efforts from Mark McGuinness and Ollie Tanner were enough to see off their spirited JD Cymru Premier opposition at the Cardiff City Stadium.

Bulut had spoken pre-match about wanting to experiment and give the club’s young talents an opportunity to impress and he stuck to his guns by naming two different XIs, one for each half, with several youngsters involved on each side of the interval.

Callum Robinson and Ebou Adams were involved as they made welcome returns from injury, while Joel Bagan also started after being offered a new contract by the club. However there was no place for Jamilu Collins or goalkeeper Ryan Allsopp, although both are expected to soon return.

It was Robinson, on his return from injury, who posed an early threat as he fed a smart ball into Isaak Davies in the Penybont penalty area, but the youngster’s shot was well blocked by Pennock who would frustrate Cardiff throughout thehalf.

The visitors enjoyed plenty of the ball in the opening exchanges however, with Chris Venables and Lewis Clutton making themselves nuisances for the Cardiff defence.

The Bluebirds soon grew into the game, though, as Etete, serviced by Joe Ralls, began to pepper the Penybont net, only to be denied by Pennock, who tipped his efforts wide.

But the Cymru Premier side could only hold firm for so long and the deadlock was broken after 12 minutes, as Ryan Wintle’s fizzing cross from a corner was met by McGuinness, who rose highest to power home a bullet header.

Cardiff looked comfortable from