Head Coach Matt Sherratt said his side gave a ‘scratchy’ performance at times but got better as the game went on against Bath Rugby at the Arms Park on Friday night.
The Blue and Blacks conceded twice as many penalties as the visitors in the first half, but mauled and scrummed well after working on their set play during the week.
An improved second half performance saw them run away with the game as they claimed the victory.
‘It was a little bit of scratchy,’ admitted Sherratt. ‘It wasn't a typical Cardiff performance.
‘Obviously our maul and scrum were on top and trying to treat it as we would a normal game so if we find a strength we go back to it.
‘I think our penalty count at half time, we've conceded eight penalties to their four so I think they spent four minutes in our 22 and we spent a minute in theirs and that's been a little bit of a concern.
‘Our penalty count has been pretty high in the first two weeks, but I think a lot of that is coming from we've got new boys playing and they're almost searching for moments, so we're maybe over-competing a little bit and you could see a couple of times we think that the ball's out and it's not. As players get game time, that'll ease off.
‘But I think second half we kicked well, chased well and that was what we talked about half time, is to see how many entries we can get in their 22, because obviously our maul was pretty strong.
‘We’ve done a lot of work on our maul this week, so we went into the game talking about making sure that we go to it.
‘We've done a lot of work in the week on it, so we went to it more than we probably would in a league game, but it was a good test of it really.’
Life long Cardiff supporter Callum Sheedy, who signed for the Blue and Blacks in the summer, came off the bench in the second half to make his debut for the Club.
Sherratt was delighted with his performance and sees it as a sign of what’s to come from Sheedy this season.
‘I was really chuffed for him (Callum Sheedy.
‘I actually didn't say anything pre-match. He's obviously a Cardiff lad, grew up watching here. I think he went and visited his mum this morning. He lives 10 minutes away.
‘I think he was actually a little bit nervous about playing because it means a lot to him to play for Cardiff.
‘I don't know if it was visible for supporters in the stand, but I thought he brought an air of calmness as well.
‘He had three kicks at the corner, all three got five metres out.
‘He kicked when he needed to and then and I think it's given us a little smell of what we can expect this year.
‘He's a Cardiff player, he's got a good mentality and obviously I've known him for a long time. He definitely brings some composure to the team, so it was great to see him run out there.’