Albion's young reserve team were literally left in the cold at Ninian Park yesterday.

They fought out a goalless draw with Cardiff City on a pitch thick with mud, then discovered there was no hot water.

The players, still in their kit, had to walk across the road and 400 yards through a park to find the nearest alternative showers.

Both teams made the trip to the nearby athletics stadium after an Avon Insurance Combination match which was dictated by the muddy conditions.

Neither side were able to pass the ball well on a sticky surface and a goalless draw was a fair reflection.

Albion included trialist goalkeeper Chris Jones for his debut. He was the oldest player in the squad. The rest were from the under-19 and under-17s teams, apart from first year senior professional and team captain Shaun Wilkinson.

Australian Jones, aged 26 and a former South Melbourne player, was rarely troubled on a quiet afternoon for the keepers.

Cardiff has seven senior pros in their starting line-up, including defender Spencer Prior, a £700,000 signing from Manchester City.

City had their own trialist in 22-year-old Dutchman Nick Kuypers, a former Ajex junior now playing Dr Martens League football. Kuypers was withdrawn after an hour, looking too lightweight to attract further interest from manager Lennie Lawrence.

Albion Reserves: Jones, Wilkinson, Jackson, Hemsley, Bridle, Hammond, Beck, Wojciechowski, Sansom, Bartholomew, Greathwich. Unused subs: Budd, Packham, Windsor, Bryant.