There can be no complaints from the hosts about the quality of squad City took over the Severn Bridge with EIGHT of tonights starting line up also lining up at Wembley for the play off final defeat.
The three changes included new boy Danny Drinkwater.
City lined up: Marshall, McNaughton, Gerrard, Blake, Kennedy, Whittingham, McPhail, Drinkwater, McCormack, Bothroyd and Chopra.
From the start City were on the attack and after just four minutes Jay Bothroyd headed the Bluebirds in front. A large City following, probably out numbering the home support by four or five to one, watched as Cardiff created chance after chance. The lively Chopra seeing an effort touched onto the bar and City again hit the woodwork for forced some decent saves from the Bath keeper.
Bar a couple of backpasses, a shot that went wide and the odd catch David Marshall was mosly a spectator.
City couldn't maintain full throttle attack but Bath when they did get possession struggled to get near the Cardiff goal.
Danny Drinkwater started alongsaide Steve McPhail in central midfield and impressed on his first outing.
The high numbers of Cardiff fans caught the officials and the police off guard resulting in toilets not being open and initially no access to refreshments if you were at the end of the ground that housed most of the away support.
Half time brought 9 changes with only Chopra and Bothroyd keeping their places.
2nd half starting line up: Heaton, Quinn, Matthews, Hudson, Gyepes, Burke, Meades, Bryan Hughes, Rae, Chopra, Bothroyd.
Less than three minutes after the restart City made it 2 - 0. Chris Burke finding space in the box to finish with aplomb past the Bath keeper.
Chopra and Bothroyd went off to be replaced by the returning Ross McCormack and youngster Nathaniel Jarvis.
I would guess that Tom Heaton had less to do in the second half that Marshall did in the first. Bryan Hughes, a 34 year old experienced player with several clubs behind him, did OK, some nice passes including the one that set Chris Burke up for his goal.
City continued to create the better chances and the 2 - 0 final score was generous on Bath who could have been mullered in the opening 20 mins. Fair play though they made a game of it and I wish them well in the Conference this season.
The was an unruly element of the home support who painted slogans on the walls of Twerton Park about 'the sole crew' and who then, post match, managed to smash a window on one of the supporters club coaches.
That aside a nice evening out and good to get back to the football again.