Bristol Rovers 0-3 Cardiff City

Cardiff City: Gyepes (5), Brown (76), Smith (82)

Rovers reserves were beaten 3-0 by Cardiff City in a friendly reserve team fixture at the Memorial Stadium this afternoon.

The winning margin would have been greater had Mike Green not saved a second half penalty, though Rovers should have scored themselves when Josh Klein-Davies and Joe White went close.

Ryan Green took his place in this afternoon's reserve team lineup for his first appearance since the pre season Scandinavian tour.

Craig Hinton skippered a side that also included Andy Williams and triallist Richard Langley, formerly with QPR, Cardiff and Luton Town.

The visitors started strongly and after Rhys Kelleher had missed an early chance from close range, they took a fifth minute lead when the unmarked Gabor Gyepes directed a powerful header beyond the reach of Mike Green, from Jon Brown's cross.

Rovers response came in the form of a 20 yard free kick, taken by Langley, directed straight into the arms of goalkeeper Peter Enckelman, while Zak Evans headed over the bar at the other end.

Sean Rigg went close to opening Rovers' account just after the 20 minute mark, but his rasping 20 yard drive was touched round the post by Enckelman.

Josh McGuinness squandered a good opportunity of adding a second goal for Cardiff, but scuffed his shot in front of goal, allowing Alex Kite to clear.

Rovers lost midfielder Charlie Reece on 35 minutes, carried off with an injury to his right leg, sustained after a challenge on McGuinness.

With five minutes of the half remaining, Klein-Davies hit a low free kick through the Cardiff defensive wall but his shot carried little power, allowing Enckelman a comfortable save.

Charlie Clough, injured in a challenge just before the break, didn't reappear for the second half, so Craig Hinton moved into a central midfield role, with triallist Liam Harwood taking his place in the back four.

An early free kick by Jon Brown was only just wide of the target and the same player won his side a penalty on 53 minutes when he was unceremoniously upended by Liam Harwood in the box.

Gyepes took the spot kick but Green, diving low to his left, made a superb save.

The equaliser almost came on 72 minutes, when Andy Williams produced a delightful backheel flick which found White, but the ball was hacked away before the youngster could get his shot in.

There was another chance shortly afterwards, when Rigg played in Klein-Davies, who saw his shot strike Enckleman's leg and rebound to safety.

It was the visitors who added a second goal, though, when Brown raced on to a clearance and lashed a shot beyond Green from just inside the area.

With eight minutes remaining, Green was beaten again when substitute Leigh Smith clipped in a third goal from the edge of the area.

Rovers lost three players through injury during the course of the game, Charlie Reece with an ankle injury, Charlie Clough with a dead leg and Richard Langley with a hamstring strain.

BRISTOL ROVERS: Mike Green, Ryan Green (Adam Mahdi 65), Alex Kite, Craig Hinton, Tom Parrinello, Richard Langley (James Fraser 31), Charlie Reece (Charlie Clough, 37), (Liam Harwood, 46), Andy Williams, Ben Hunt (Joe White 68), Josh Klein-Davies, Sean Rigg.