By Chris O'Brien
March 11 2004

Cardiff City's hopes of winning West England & Wales reserve league were dented at Dean Court on Wednesday, with Paul Wilkinson's side going down 3-0 against AFC Bournemouth. Jason Bowen, Mark Bonner and Gavin Gordon were all included in the starting line-up.

The Bluebirds' hopes of winning the West England & Wales Pontins Combination reserve league title took a blow on Wednesday, with the Bluebirds comfortably beaten by an AFC Bournemouth side who are struggling at the other end of the table.

Derek Holmes hit a hat-trick for the hosts to send the small crowd at Dean Court home happy, with the south coast outfit winning only their third reserve league game of the season.

Reserve team manager Paul Wilkinson has been fielding some overly-strong second-string sides recently, one of which included 10 players who are actively involved in first-team affairs. The team that made the journey south was more like our real reserve side, with Arran Lee-Barrett, Jason Bowen, Mark Bonner, Gavin Gordon and Stuart Fleetwood the only players in the starting line-up who hold squad numbers.

City remain top of the table, having taken 28 points from the opening 13 league matches, but Devon outfit Plymouth Argyle remain hot on the heels of Paul Wilkinson's side. The unpredictable reserve results means there are a handful of other clubs who will still fancy their chances of lifting the title.

AFC Bournemouth: Scriven, Hubbard, Hunt, J O’Connor, Broadhurst, G O’Connor, Thomas, Stock, Holmes, Williams, Elliott. Subs: Saadi, R Moss, Cannon, Coutts, Rowe.

Cardiff City: Lee-Barrett, Anthony, Taylor, Cronin, Huggins, Bowen, Bonner, Parkins, Jerome, Gordon, Fleetwood. Subs: Kift, Attard, Jenkins, Jacobson, Hartley.

For full reserve team league tables, please click here.