Cardiff City coach Jarrad Harvey praised senior pros Lee Tomlin, Anthony Pilkington and goalkeeper Lee Camp after they played for a Bluebirds XI at Truro City.
It was officially an under-23 line-up, but manager Neil Warnock slotted three senior players into the team.
“The senior guys have been terrific, outstanding,” said Harvey, who works alongside Andy Legg with the under-23 players.
“It speaks volumes for all three of them that they come in and are such an example for the younger players.”
Pilkington and Scottish defender Paul McKay scored the goals for Cardiff in a 2-0 win against Vanarama National League Truro City, while Camp kept a second successive personal clean sheet in pre-season fixtures.
He shut-out Taffs Well in a 3-0 City win on Friday and kept Truro out at their Treyew Road stadium in Cornwall.
“They were good opposition and the lads did well in difficult conditions,” said Harvey. “We have another three fixtures to play in Cornwall and we are looking forward to the tests.”
Cardiff included trialists Brayden Shaw, a 21-year-old, and goalkeeper Matthew Hall, aged 20 and a player who went on for Camp after an hour. Both are from Bangor City.
Hall made an outstanding, full length save from Truro centre-forward Lloyd Gardner soon after going on and he, too, kept a personal clean sheet.
Ryan Pryce, a talented young midfield player from The New Saints, started for the young Bluebirds.
Pryce, 21, has impressed with Cardiff during his trial spell and all three will certainly be given more match time the remaining matches.
Bluebirds manager Neil Warnock was at Truro, standing by the side of the away dug-out assessing both senior and younger players.
It was a noon kick-off in Cornwall – the start was brought forward from 2pm to avoid a clash with the France v Croatia World Cup final – and it was a hot and sunny day.
Republic of Ireland international Pilkington fired Cardiff ahead just after the half hour, while Glasgow-born McKay made it 2-0 after 51 minutes.
There were moments of skill from Tomlin as he worked to open up Truro, while he and Pilkington ran the channels at every opportunity.
Truro are the highest ranked Cornish club playing in the sixth tier of English football and provided tough opposition for Cardiff.
When Cameron Coxe suffered a muscle injury and limped off 15 minutes from the end Wootton returned to the action. He had been replaced by Scott McLean after half-time.
Tomlin and Pilkington also went off 10 minutes from time when they were suffering on a surface baked hard by the sun with Jamie Veale and new substitute Danny Martin going on.
Truro City: Cameron Atkinson, Cameron Kelly, Alex Hartridge, Ed Palmer, Austen Booth, Billy Palfrey, Max Smallcombe, Joe Hunt, Lloyd Gardner, Louis Rooney, Jared Lewington. Subs: Niall Thompson, Jordan Copp, Tyler Harvey, Ben Harding, Chris Todd, Connor Riley-Lowe, Noah Keats.
Cardiff City: Lee Camp (Matthew Hall 60), Ryan Pryce, Cameron Coxe (Laurence Wootton, 75) Jamie Veale (James Waite 46), Ciaron Brown, Paul McKay, Breyden Shaw (Jacob Evans 60), Laurence Wootton (Scott McLean 46), Anthony Pilkington (Danny Martin 80), Lee Tomlin (Jamie Veale 80), Mark Harris (Jack Bodenham 46).
Referee: Tim Burley.