Cardiff City 2 Bolton Wanderers 1

PER Frandsen was philosophical after Bolton's 2-1 defeat by Cardiff City at Ninian Park on Saturday writes Richard Mulligan

The Second Division side pipped Premiership Wanderers with two goals in the last eleven minutes, through Peter Thorne and Daniel Gabbidon.

But there were many plusses for Sam Allardyce's side, and as midfielder Frandsen pointed out, the results only start to matter when the Premiership campaign gets under way against Fulham on Saturday week.

He said: "These games are about getting ready for the season - we always seem to do badly in the warm-up games but come good when the season starts.

"We still have two weeks before then, and things are looking good. There is plenty to work on but we played well in the first half against Cardiff and made plenty of chances."

The Dane was at the heart of many of those opportunities, not least a number of long-range efforts that came close to breaking the deadlock in Wales.

Wanderers, travelling without the slight injury worries. Simon Charlton (calf) and Paul Warhurst (groin), began the game with three central defennders with Mike Whitlow, Gudni Bergsson and Bruno N'Gotty.

Bernard Mendy and Ricardo Gardner operated as wing-backs, both showing pace and energy on their respective flanks. In midfield, Gareth Farrelly and Frandsen sat behind stars Jay-Jay Okocha and Youri Djorkaeff, who both seemed to have a free role just off striker Michael Ricketts.

It was Djorkaeff who pulled the strings, sitting in a deep position and always looking to play the energetic Ricketts through. After 14 minutes, Ricketts galloped on to one such ball but was crudely hacked down by defender Scott Young in the area. Amazingly a penalty was not given,however, just minutes later Ricketts turned provider for Djorkaeff, who then mis-kicked a free shot in the box.

Bolton's great start was tempered a little by a heavy rain storm, which arrived after half an hour. But that had passed by the beginning of the second half when Ricketts put the Whites ahead, on 52 minutes.

After a sustained period of pressure, Djorkaff nodded the ball down from a throw-in and into the path of the striker on the left-hand side of the area. Ricketts managed to turn outside of Young, and finished from the tightest of angles, the ball just helped on its way by the far post.

That was enough to silence the crowd, who had given the 23-year-old such a tough time throughout the game that the PA announcer was forced to ask the infamous Cardiff fans to temper their language.

But just as Wanderers were really starting to turn on the style, six changes were made on the hour which saw the likes of Okocha, Djorkaeff and N'Gotty removed. Wanderers also changed formation, reverting to a more conventional 4-4-2, with Whitlow and Anthony Barness out wide, and Henrik Pedersen joining Ricketts in attack.

After 75 minutes, two of the fresh players combined well, with Barness hitting an excellent cross from the right which striker Pedersen glanced on with his head, but a quick reaction save by Neil Alexander kept Wanderers at bay.

Cardiff began to get the better of the game towards the end, perhaps due to the fact that they are a few weeks ahead of Wanderers in terms of match fitness.

On 79 minutes a long ball was not dealt with sufficiently by centre-backs Danny Livesey and Bergsson, and former Stoke striker Thorne blasted home a magnificent effort from a full 25-yards and past the stranded Jussi Jaaskelainen.

Seven minutes later and the Bluebirds grabbed victory with an excellent overhead kick by defender Gabbidon, as Wanderers fell asleep on a deep corner.

Wanderers: Jaaskelainen; N'Gotty (Livesey 62), Bergsson, Whitlow; Gardner, Mendy (Barness 62), Farrelly (Nolan 62), Frandsen (Southall 62); Okocha (Pedersen 62), Djorkaeff (Hansen 62), Ricketts.

Subs not used: Poole.

Cardiff: Alexander; Weston, Croft, Whalley, Gabbidon, Young, Boland, Campbell, Thorne, Earnshaw, Kavanagh.

Referee: Mr R. Ellingham.

Attendance: 5,604.