Former Cardiff City midfielder Jobi McAnuff

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Former Cardiff City midfielder Jobi McAnuff has praised James Collins' match-winning impact from the bench despite saying the player would have been frustrated at being behind two rookies in the starting XI.

Steve Morison plumped for Isaak Davies and Chanka Zimba up top against Preston North End and they struggled to really make an impact in the game.

But Collins, who came on for Zimba at half time, put in a top performance and deservedly got the winning goal.

"He went very young, two first starts for Isaak Davies and [Chanka] Zimba up front - with [Rubin] Colwill as well, so a very inexperienced front three," McAnuff said on Quest.

"Mark McGuinness' header, his first goal, it was massive. Second-half goals have been what they do. They might have changed managers but they're still scoring from set pieces.

"James Collins, you can see the relief in the celebration. He must have been thinking, 'what have I got to do?' being behind two youngsters, comes on at half time and makes an impact the manager wants."

Explaining the decision to omit Collins, and Mark Harris, out of the starting lineup to accommodate Davies and Zimba, Morison said: "I had more confidence in Collo and Sparky finishing the game for us than I did in Isaak and Chanka coming in to finish the game for us.

"[That's my] personal opinion, but today I'm a genius because it worked."

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