Ebou Adams scored a stunning volley as Cardiff City’s under-21s side beat Barnsley at Cardiff City Stadium on Tuesday.
However, it was his all-round performance which gave a glimpse of what Bluebirds fans might come to expect once he is fully fit and integrated into the first team.
Against the Tykes, playing in the slightly more advanced role of the midfield trio, Adams had a quiet first half hour in what was a scrappy start with both sides struggling to string together more than a few passes.
Once play resumed after Cameron Antwi’s horrible-looking injury, the game began to show signs of developing into a football match with Adams playing an important role as City started to keep a hold of the ball.
It was on the stroke of half-time when the box-to-box midfielder found himself free on the edge of the area to bury a side-footed volley into the top corner to open the scoring. The composure he showed with the finish set the tone for his remaining 20 or so minutes on the pitch after the break.
During that time the 27-year-old rarely gave the ball away and, as you might expect for someone of his experience playing in a game like this, showed real authority. He was a constant option for team-mates and often found himself appearing in the right channel drawing defenders and creating space for either winger Isaac Jefferies or right-back Taylor Jones to overlap into.
Aside from his goal, any other standout moments were difficult to pick out or paled in significance to the excellent finish, but nonetheless he kept things ticking over and with 66 minutes under his belt, demonstrated that he isn't too far off first-team football and could offer something different to other midfielders.
The likes of Joe Ralls and Ryan Wintle, while combative by nature, don’t always look the most comfortable when running into channels or trying to stretch defenders and while Andy Rinomhota can do this on occasion, his end product can sometimes let him down. Adams looks like he could offer both of these things for Sabri Lamouchi’s men next season with any prospect of a full Bluebirds debut unlikely to come in the final stages of this campaign, according to the gaffer.
"Honestly, I don't think so. Because the last three games, 10 days, it's finished," Lamouchi said when asked if Adams could feature.
"The last three games, we are probably talking about the last press conference before the end. He hasn't trained a full session with us, he will probably do that next week with us, but then next week it's the last game.
"So I don't think so. But I am happy for him, because he is a nice guy. I've never worked with him but he looked good. Here in the club, they are talking very well about him."
A full Gambian international, the former Forest Green Rovers man tore up League Two as the side stormed to promotion last season and his signing, on a free transfer, appeared to be a coup for Steve Morison after a number of Championship clubs were said to be after him. He then suffered a freak injury in pre-season which, along with subsequent setbacks, has seen his Bluebirds debut put on ice.
With two remaining games remaining for Darren Purse’s development side, away to Hull City on Saturday and at home to Crewe Alexandra on May 9, Adams will be aiming to add to his minutes in order to give himself a good chance of hitting the ground running in pre-season to provide Lamouchi, or whoever is in charge, some serious food for thought.
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