The biggest compliment you can pay to young Cardiff City striker James Crole is that when Cameron Antwi played him in behind Swansea City's defence on Tuesday afternoon, you never even contemplated the eventuality he would miss.
That goes for anyone who has seen this young forward grow into such an accomplished finisher over the last few years and especially the last few months.
In the mini South Wales derby, Crole bagged a brace, which also included a coolly-dispatched penalty, which he earned after rounding goalkeeper Remy Mitchell before being brought down, during Cardiff's last-gasp 4-3 win over their rivals, which was capped off by a stunning effort from Jack Leahy with just minutes left to play. You can read the match report in full here .
Crole's stock has risen sharply since December last year, when he was chucked into the under-23s team at the age of 17 and scored a hat-trick on debut. He finished the under-23s campaign with six goals, second only behind Chanka Zimba, whom he replaced in the side after it was decided the young forward would head out on loan to Northampton Town.
Cardiff now find themselves in a very familiar position to what they did a year ago. Zimba started the season like a house on fire, catapulting Cardiff's under-23s side to the top of the Professional Development League 2 table with a bucketload of goals. He, like Crole now, never looked like he was going to miss.
Zimba was rewarded for his sterling efforts at under-23s level with a first-team call-up, courtesy of his old academy boss, Steve Morison, who had been handed the reins after Mick McCarthy had vacated the post at senior level. Zimba was asked to start away to Preston North End and endured 45 rocky minutes before being hooked at half-time.
Zimba clearly straddled the level between under-23s starlet and Championship striker and that is likely where Crole finds himself now. Before Steve Morison left he said he did not think anyone in the club's under-21s side, as it has been rebranded this season, would trouble the first-team squad over the next few months.
So Cardiff clearly have a decision to make. Does Crole, who now has four goals in five games for Darren Purse's side, remain with the under-21s, train with the first team and hope to get his chance later in the season? It's not like they are lining up behind Callum Robinson to grab his shirt. With Mark Harris the main understudy, it looks like a scramble between Kion Etete, Max Watters and, perhaps, Crole for that third striker spot at the minute.
Or does he seeks some proper men's football and secure a loan move somewhere for the final few months of the campaign?
The main thing he does have, other than his clear knowledge of where the back of the net is, is time. He is still only 18 years old, more than two years Zimba's junior. Since January, Zimba has enjoyed mixed spells away, first with Northampton and now with Newport County in League Two. Across the two loan spells he has scored three goals in 28 games, but struggled for regular starting spots.
Is there a benefit in sending him on loan to get that experience of playing league football? Even if it is to sit on a bench or be an impact sub? Or will it serve him better for this year to continue banging in goals, under the watchful eye of Mark Hudson no doubt, as his confidence builds?
One thing is for certain, Darren Purse is not doubting the lad's ability in front of goal.
"When James is through, he shows that composure. When he's on it, he's very tough to play against. Games like today, they suit him. Especially when it is open up top," Purse said after the thrilling derby win at Leckwith on Tuesday.
"They're quite expansive in the way that they played, and with the way we set up, we hit them on the counter, for the first goal and then for the penalty as well. He takes that well. Croley is the type of player that he will take opportunities when they come. It's about getting him those opportunities to finish off"
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Cardiff's mixed start to the season at under-21s level is a stark contrast to the team of 12 months ago. There are fewer obvious standout candidates for potential promotion to the first team, although captain Xavier Benjamin, midfield duo Cameron Antwi and Joel Colwill, and playmaker Jack Leahy have all been mentioned in dispatches to this paper.
Crole, though, is the one drumming up that excitement. It will be interesting to see if his career trajectory rises as steeply over the next year as it has done in the last 10 months or so. If it does, Cardiff have one really encouraging prospect on their hands.
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