Dennis the menace ends City’s cup bid

CARDIFF City scored their first competitive goal of the season but it couldn’t prevent a dominant Norwich City securing a 3-1 victory in this Carabao Cup tie.

Dennis Srbeny’s brace either side of the interval, coupled with Max Aarons’ strike, ensured the Bluebirds’ inauspicious start to the 2018/19 campaign continued in front of a sparse home crowd.

German forward Srbreny rifled home an eye-catching effort in the 26th minute to rock Neil Warnock’s side, who never really recovered and were punished twice in five second-half minutes, which took the game out of their reach.

After drawing blanks in their opening three Premier League fixtures, the Bluebirds went into this game as the only club in the top four English divisions not to have found the net this term.

And, although the Bluebirds fans were forced to wait until the 77th minute, they at least put an end to that record when Bruno Manga nodded in from Bobby Reid’s corner.

Warnock made nine changes from the Huddersfield game on Saturday, forwards Gary Madine and Reid among those to come into the side.

Norwich weren’t exactly in flying form themselves, having been humbled 3-0 by Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United at home last weekend.

Daniel Farke’s side started brightly enough though, with Srbeny testing Cardiff debutant Alex Smithies with two early shots, the second of which he ought to have done better with after ghosting into acres of space.

Cardiff, playing a lop-sided 4-4-2 with Jazz Richards as a right-winger, struggled to gain a first-half foothold – perhaps a result of Warnock’s wholesale changes which meant only Manga and Victor Camarasa were retained from the West Yorkshire stalemate.

Mind you, Norwich made 10 changes themselves yet looked the more invigorated team especially before the interval.

Reid, who must be desperate to force his way into Warnock’s league plans, squandered the Bluebirds’ first major chance when he volleyed over from Madine’s knockdown midway through the opening period.

Norwich eventually capitalised on their first-half dominance after 26 minutes, Srbeny beating Smithies this time with a fine left-footed shot to cap a flowing team move.

Richards then produced a carbon copy of Reid’s earlier effort by skying a 12-yard effort high and wide.

Cardiff’s frustrations festered throughout a limp first half, which ended with Madine going closer than any of his teammates, forcing Michael McGovern into a superb save to tip around the corner.

Kadeem Harris ought to have brought Cardiff level when he latched onto a Madine flick-on after 55 minutes, but again McGovern was there.

Four minutes later, Warnock acted decisively by introducing Danny Ward and Callum Paterson, two of the substitutes who failed to break down Huddersfield’s 10-men on Saturday.

Yet it was the visitors who doubled their lead after 64 minutes – through Srbeny again.

Marco Stiepermann gave Matt Connolly the slip down the Norwich right and stood the ball up at the back post for his fellow countryman to nod home.

After Aarons’ instinctive strike to fox a leaden-footed Smithies, Manga then pulled the goal back with a towering header – cuing chants of “we’ve scored a goal!” from the home fans.

There were late chances for Cardiff through Reid – whose free-kick cannoned off the woodwork – and Ward, who tested McGovern with a header, but the hosts gave themselves too much work to do. OXFORD United struck early to send Newport County out of this season’s Carabao Cup at Rodney Parade.

The Exiles gave themselves a mountain to climb in this second round tie after falling two goals behind inside the opening five minutes and were never able to recover against their League One visitors.

Manager Mike Flynn made five changes to the side that started Saturday’s 1-0 League Two win over Grimsby, with County bidding to reach the third round of the competition for the first time since the 1962/63 season.

But it was a nightmare start for Newport, who found themselves 2-0 down with only four minutes on the clock.

The first came when, after good work from Shandon Baptiste, a low cross in from the left caused havoc in the home box and only resulted in Mickey Demetriou slicing a clearance into his own net.

Less than two minutes later, the U’s were celebrating again and this time it came from Baptiste who unleashed a screamer from 30 yards that flew into the top corner and gave keeper Nick Townsend no chance.

In fairness to Newport they did improve as the half wore on after what was a terrible start.

Jamille Matt almost halved the deficit on 31 minutes when his flick from Antoine Semenyo’s cross was saved by Oxford keeper Jon Mitchell at point-blank range.

The first chance of the second half fell the visitors’ way four minutes after the re-start as Gavin Whyte fed Jon Obika, but the latter’s shot was parried by Townsend and eventually cleared.

Top scorer Padraig Amond was introduced from the bench with just over 20 minutes to play before Tyreeq Bakinson saw an effort graze the crossbar.

Oxford were reduced to 10 men on 78 minutes when Jamie Hanson was shown a straight red for a late challenge on Semenyo.

Newport also finished the game a man short with Semenyo unable to continue as a result of that challenge, but Whyte added a third in added time.