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Cardiff wait on Bellamy fitness

Image: Bellamy: Nursing a hamstring strain

Cardiff striker Craig Bellamy will be given every opportunity to prove his fitness to face Reading.

Talisman will face late test before Reading showdown

Cardiff manager Dave Jones trusts Craig Bellamy will make the right decision regarding his own availability for Tuesday's Championship play-off semi-final second leg against Reading. The Bluebirds talisman, who has managed 11 goals in 36 appearances during his season-long loan from Manchester City, will be given as long as he can to prove his fitness ahead of the decisive showdown in the Welsh capital. Cardiff-born Bellamy limped off after only 17 minutes of Friday's goalless first leg at the Madejski Stadium nursing a hamstring strain. Jones, who is also sweating over two other unnamed players, said: "We'll leave it as late as possible, he's still got a chance and we'll look at him tomorrow. "He came off as quickly as he could get off so we'll just wait and see."

Honest

Asked whether the Wales international has to be 100 per cent, Jones replied: "That will be down to the individual, it's not just Craig - there's one or two others, it will be down to them. "You've got to be sensible and if you think you can give a performance then you go with it, if you don't then you've got to be honest enough to say, 'no, I don't think it's right' and you give somebody else an opportunity." Cardiff, as well Bellamy himself, are no stranger to managing his injuries, with the 31-year-old having negotiated his troublesome knee problem for much of the campaign. Jones added: "If anybody knows his body then it should be him. He'll know himself, he's professional enough and he's wise enough now. "He's had lots of injuries in his career where maybe he's gone and not done himself any favours by playing, so he'll know and it'll be an honest answer from him. And that's all you can ever ask." Jones continued: "If he's not right then of course it'll be a massive blow, just as much as it would be if we lost any of our players."