Amario Cozier-Duberry produced his latest trick to steal victory for Bolton with boss Steven Schumacher admitting: “You just can’t take him off.”
The Brighton loanee pinged in a stunning winner four minutes into stoppage time for a second successive game to hand Cardiff only a third Sky Bet League One defeat of the season.
“I thought he looked tired in the last 10-15 minutes,” said Schumacher of his 20-year-old star.
“That is to be expected because he plays nearly every minute of every game. It is difficult for someone so young.
“But you just can’t take him off because he has that match winning capability. He reminds me a bit of Morgan Whittaker who I had (at Plymouth) a couple of years ago who can produce a moment of magic to win you a game from nowhere.”
Schumacher confirmed Cozier-Duberry’s Premier League parent club have been monitoring the player’s impact.
“They are pleased with his progress,” said the Trotters’ chief. “He had a loan last year (at Blackburn) that didn’t go unbelievably well.
“But this season he is playing every week and becoming the main man. Brighton needed us to give him the opportunity to shine and he is getting there.
“Who knows how far he can go? It is over to him. But his stock is only getting higher that is great for both clubs.”
Until Cozier-Duberry’s trademark left-foot curler from 18 yards, the teams cancelled each other. Neither produced a shot on target until stoppage time.
Cardiff’s best chance came in the first half but David Turnbull headed wide from eight yards.
The stalemate continued in the second half until Cozier-Duberry netted his fifth of the season, eight days after another injury-time winner at Huddersfield.
“It was very disappointing from our point of view because it came so late for us to do anything about it,” said Cardiff manager Brian Barry-Murphy.
“We got to the final third pretty easily and Bolton paid us a lot of respect in how they pressed.
“But our final product in terms of creating and getting into shooting area was very poor.
‘When you don’t have enough attacking momentum you are in danger of conceding a goal like we did. And today that was the case.
“For as much possession as we had, we didn’t create enough chances close to their goal. To have such little impact on the keeper was disappointing.
“If you don’t convert that possession into clear chances then it is worthless.”
Cardiff’s defeat ended their unbeaten away record this season with Barry-Murphy adding: “When you concede a goal like that it can feel sickening.
“But we can use it as motivation to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
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