FOREST Green kick-started their pre-season campaign with an encouraging display against Championship outfit Cardiff City.

Joe Mason gave the Bluebirds the lead 10 minutes after the restart, but new Forest Green striker Aaron O’Connor levelled things up for Ady Pennock’s side.

To negate the loss of first-choce goalkeeper Steve Arnold (ankle) and back-up stopper Paul White (thigh) Pennock drafted in QPR - bound Jonny Maxted and the former Doncaster and Chesterfield keeper didn’t disappoint as he capped a fine display with a stunning second half penalty stop from Peter Whittingham.

Rovers were also missing defenders Danny Coles (knee) and Charlie Clough (ankle).

Earlier, Jon Parkin was handed the armband against his former club and the burly striker was afforded a warm reception from the 409 vociferous Cardiff City travelling contingent.

Welshman Darren Jones returned to the New Lawn for his second spell at the club and took his place at the heart of the Rovers’ defence alongside Aarran Racine, following his summer switch from Newport County.

Former Lincoln City forward Delano Sam-Yorke started the match on the right-wing.

New marquee signing Keanu Marsh-Brown, signed for an undisclosed fee from Barnet, was named as a second half substitute with fellow attacker O’Connor.

Rovers looked comfortable in possession on a balmy summer evening.

Parkin was head and shoulders Rovers’ brightest first half spark, but it was left to nimble winger Elliott Frear to conjure the first worthwhile opening.

Former Manchester United striker Federico Macheda tried to find a way through and then Joe Ralls tried his luck with a dipping strike, which the athletic Maxted touched onto the bar.

Rovers almost edged ahead on the cusp of the break. Academy graduate Aden Baldwin and Corby Moore worked an opening for Parkin, who watched his side-footed volley force a routine stop from Simon Moore.

The raft of expected second half changes saw Rovers and City make nine and 10 tweaks respectively.

David Pipe took over the armband from Parkin and Marsh-Brown, O’Connor and Kurtis Guthrie formed a new-look front three.

City opened brightly, and nosed ahead on 50 minutes. Craig Noone found Mason and he slotted the ball through the legs of Maxted.

On the hour Baldwin returned to the fray in place of Jones.

Seven minutes later sub Tom Bender upended Mason, but Maxted pulled-off a stunning penalty stop to deny Whittingham.

Rovers netted deserved parity on 71 minutes.Marsh-Brown picked out O’Connor who glanced home a neat header.

Ady Pennock's side travel to Hellenic Premier League Division Brimscombe & Thrupp on Saturday, 1pm.

FOREST GREEN: J Maxted, A Baldwin, J Jennings, D Jones, A Racine, S Wedgbury, C Kamdjo, D Sam-Yorke, E Frear, C Moore, J Parkin, D Pipe, D Bennett, A O'Connor, K Marsh-Brown, M Kelly, K Guthrie, T Bender, R Sinclair, L McGrory, M Dodson S

Subs not used: E Ripley, L Merchant, J Stokes

CARDIFF: S Moore, L Peltier, B Manga, S Morrison, D John, A Pilkington, F Macheda, K Dikgacoi, A Revell, J Ralls, M Kennedy, B Wilson, Fabio, P Whittingham, J Mason, C Noone, J Blaise, E Doyle, S Malone, S Ajayi, D Oshilaja, M Connolly, M Southam, R Patten Attendance: 1,125

Referee: Richard Hulme

Star man: J Maxted