PAUL Parry's opportunist double sent Cherries spinning out of the Carling Cup at the first hurdle for the third year running.

The Welsh international netted twice in the space of six first-half minutes to fire the Bluebirds into a 2-0 lead after just 13 minutes.

And although Jo Kuffour's well-taken strike reduced the arrears midway through the opening period, Cherries found further chances hard to come by.

Cherries boss Kevin Bond made two enforced changes to his starting line-up with Brett Pitman and Ryan Garry both ruled out due to injury.

Portsmouth loan signing Joel Ward was handed his full debut, while Warren Cummings was restored to the Cherries defence.

A tactical switch saw Lee Bradbury moved up front to partner Kuffour and new loan signing Ricky Sappleton was named among the Cherries substitutes.

The 18-year-old striker from Leicester signed ahead of kick-off and will remain at Dean Court initially until the end of the month.

Cardiff included Parry and Joe Ledley, the only survivors from when the two sides met in the third round of the competition in 2004.

Although Cherries made an encouraging start when Kuffour poked Marvin Bartley's cross past the post in the opening seconds, their optimism was decidedly short-lived.

Bond's men were left with a mountain to climb after two goals in the space of six minutes - the second following a defensive howler - put the Bluebirds in the ascendancy.

Cherries were also culpable as Cardiff swept from one end of the pitch to the other to take the lead after Scott Guyett had conceded possession from a free kick.

And after Roger Johnson's hopeful long clearance had picked out Parry, the striker finished coolly by slipping the ball under advancing Cherries goalkeeper Jalal.

Parry capitalised on some ponderous defending to double the visitors' lead with a cleverly taken 13th-minute effort.

The Welsh international seized on a comedy of errors involving Cummings and Jason Pearce, nipping in to loop a header into an unguarded net.

He profited after Cummings's weak back header had failed to find Jalal, who was then left stranded when Pearce shanked his attempted clearance.

The quickfire double seemed to knock the stuffing out of Cherries who were penned inside their own half as Cardiff pressed for a third goal.

Jay Bothroyd's stinging volley was touched over the crossbar by Jalal before the Cherries goalkeeper got down smartly to his right to smother Peter Whittingham's low shot.

Stephen McPhail's sweetly struck 30-yard drive then had Jalal scurrying across his line, the keeper relieved to see the ball flash past the post.

But, out of nowhere, Kuffour popped up to throw Cherries a lifeline when his splendid individual strike halved the deficit in the 28th minute.

The striker created an opening for himself with a teasing run across the top of the 18-yard box before drilling a low left foot shot into the bottom corner from around 12 yards.

Kuffour, recently recovered from hernia surgery, took his tally to six in nine games having netted five in seven at the end of last season.

However, Cherries had an almighty let-off on the stroke of half-time when the hapless Bothroyd missed an open goal from barely three yards.

City's £300,000 summer signing pounced on the loose ball after Jalal had saved from Johnson's header, only to scoop the ball over the crossbar with the goal at his mercy.

Bothroyd went close to atoning in the second half when his low drive drew another impressive save from Jalal before the keeper raced off his line to clear after Parry had sprung the offside trap.

Sappleton, who came off the bench in the 71st minute as a straight swap for Bradbury, almost teed up Kuffour with a flicked header, only for Glenn Loovens to clear the danger.

In truth, chances were few and far between for Cherries in the second half and it was again left to Jalal to save the day, the keeper diving bravely at the feet of Parry to deny the striker a hat-trick 10 minutes from time.

And Jalal capped an excellent individual display by preventing Miguel Comminges adding a third for the visitors in stoppage time.

  • Daily Echo merit marks

Cherries (4-4-2): Jalal 8.5*, Ward 7, Pearce 6, Guyett 6, Cummings 6, Cooper 6.5, Bartley 6.5 (Pettefer, 84), Anderton 7, Igoe 6, Bradbury 6 (Sappleton, 71), Kuffour 7 (McQuoid, 88).

Unused subs: Partington, Webb, Hutchings, Pryce (g/k).

Cardiff City: Heaton, McNaughton, Loovens, Johnson, Kennedy, Whittingham (McCormack, 62), Rae, McPhail, Ledley, Parry (Comminges, 82), Bothroyd (Thompson, 84).

Unused subs: Purse, Scimeca, Blake, Enckelman (g/k).

Referee: Graham Horwood (Bedfordshire).

Attendance: 3,398.