Joel Colwill Shines in Championship Draw for Cardiff City

Brian Barry-Murphy believes Joel Colwill is only just getting started in front of goal after the youngster marked his first Championship start with a crucial strike for Cardiff City.

The 21-year-old’s second-half header salvaged a 1-1 draw against Stoke City, halting a run of two straight defeats and injecting some much-needed life into the Bluebirds’ early-season campaign. He might easily have gone home with the winner as well, denied only by the post after another sharp move in the box.

“It was a great finish and very important for us – he carries a big goal threat,” said Barry-Murphy, who made no attempt to play down Colwill’s impact. “You saw he got close to another goal. His movement in the box in the second half, particularly, was very good.”

The change came with a tweak, not a revolution. Barry-Murphy pushed Colwill higher up the pitch after the break, and Cardiff immediately looked a different side.

“Joel played a little bit too deep in the first half, but in the second half he was very good, very close to Yousef [Salech],” the Irishman explained. “A lot of our best moments in the box, he was on the premises, which is a big part of his role for the team.”

Colwill scored seven times last season and his manager is convinced there is more to come if he keeps arriving in those areas. The header against Stoke felt like a glimpse of what Cardiff want him to become: a midfielder who decides games, not just connects them.

There was, however, one notable absentee. Joel’s older brother, Rubin Colwill, missed the match as he continues to manage an ankle problem that has already disrupted his progress.

“Rubin’s ankle wasn’t OK yesterday. He didn’t train,” Barry-Murphy said. “There was talk of putting him on the bench, but I wasn’t sure he would be fully fit if he was to come on.

“That was also the case on Saturday, and I didn’t want to risk it because of what he’s been through with the ankle.”

Cardiff, still chasing their first Championship win of the season, now turn towards Saturday’s trip to Bolton with Barry-Murphy hopeful Rubin can rejoin a squad that has just been reminded how dangerous the Colwill name can be in the final third.