Goalkeeper Will Norris saved two injury-time penalties as nine-man Cambridge beat Accrington 2-1 in an astonishing finish in League Two.

Norris saved from Chris Eagles in the first minute of time added on after Leon Legge was sent off for felling Terry Gornell, and later repelled Gornell's spot-kick after Brad Halliday was dismissed for punching Matty Pearson's header off the line.
Former Accrington player Piero Mingoia struck what proved to be the winner with a stunning volley nine minutes from time following tremendous play by substitute Uche Ikpeazu.
Mingoia had created Cambridge's opener after 14 minutes, whipping in a fine free-kick which was thumped home by Legge.
The visitors were level six minutes into the second half when Billy Kee rammed the ball home from close range after Norris had miraculously kept out Omar Beckles' header from Sean McConville's corner.
Accrington came within inches of taking the lead 12 minutes from time when Romy Boco's effort from outside the box thumped the inside of Norris' left-hand upright and rebounded to safety before the incredible drama in the final minutes.
Report supplied by the Press Association.
Match ends, Cambridge United 2, Accrington Stanley 1.
Second Half ends, Cambridge United 2, Accrington Stanley 1.
Attempt blocked. Scott Brown (Accrington Stanley) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Attempt saved. Uche Ikpeazu (Cambridge United) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Penalty saved! Terry Gornell (Accrington Stanley) fails to capitalise on this great opportunity,  right footed shot saved  in the bottom right corner.
Brad Halliday (Cambridge United) is shown the red card.
Penalty conceded by Brad Halliday (Cambridge United) with a hand ball in the penalty area.
Penalty saved! Chris Eagles (Accrington Stanley) fails to capitalise on this great opportunity,  right footed shot saved  in the centre of the goal.
Second yellow card to Leon Legge (Cambridge United) for a bad foul.
Penalty conceded by Leon Legge (Cambridge United) after a foul in the penalty area.
Penalty Accrington Stanley. Terry Gornell draws a foul in the penalty area.
Attempt blocked. Terry Gornell (Accrington Stanley) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
Substitution, Cambridge United. Conor Newton replaces Adam McGurk.
Substitution, Accrington Stanley. Chris Eagles replaces Janoi Donacien.
Substitution, Accrington Stanley. Terry Gornell replaces Jordan Clark.
Foul by Luke Berry (Cambridge United).
Paddy Lacey (Accrington Stanley) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Goal!  Cambridge United 2, Accrington Stanley 1. Piero Mingoia (Cambridge United) right footed shot from the right side of the box to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Uche Ikpeazu with a cross.
Corner,  Accrington Stanley. Conceded by Brad Halliday.
Romuald Boco (Accrington Stanley) hits the right post with a right footed shot from outside the box.
Attempt missed. Jordan Clark (Accrington Stanley) right footed shot from the right side of the box is too high.
Foul by Adam McGurk (Cambridge United).
Scott Brown (Accrington Stanley) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Uche Ikpeazu (Cambridge United).
Matty Pearson (Accrington Stanley) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt missed. Sean McConville (Accrington Stanley) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Corner,  Accrington Stanley. Conceded by Greg Taylor.
Sean McConville (Accrington Stanley) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Piero Mingoia (Cambridge United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Sean McConville (Accrington Stanley).
Attempt blocked. Uche Ikpeazu (Cambridge United) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Attempt blocked. James Dunne (Cambridge United) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Attempt missed. Uche Ikpeazu (Cambridge United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is high and wide to the right.
Jordan Clark (Accrington Stanley) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Greg Taylor (Cambridge United) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Jordan Clark (Accrington Stanley).
Substitution, Cambridge United. Uche Ikpeazu replaces Ben Williamson.
Substitution, Cambridge United. James Dunne replaces Max Clark.
Adam McGurk (Cambridge United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Scott Brown (Accrington Stanley).


French rail operator SNCF has been ordered to pay €150m ($170m; £110m) in damages for discriminating against more than 800 Moroccan staff.

The 832 Moroccans, who were hired as private contractors in the 1970s, were denied "railway worker" status and the accordant benefits, a court found.
Nearly all of them were awarded damages by the court, with the settlements ranging between €150,000 and €230,000.
Many of them waited more than a decade for the outcome of the case.
The industrial court, which specialises in workplace conflicts, said that SNCF was guilty of "discrimination in the execution of work contracts" and "in the rights to retirement".
The plaintiffs argued that their careers had been stunted and they had received lower pensions than their French counterparts.
Even those who later received French nationality and were awarded permanent contracts complained their careers had been deliberately curtailed.
There were shouts of joy in the courtroom when the verdict was read out. Ahmed Katim, who was hired as a contractor in 1972, burst into tears, describing the ruling as "restoring dignity to Moroccans".
Abdelhadi Fedfane, 66, who was hired as a contractor in 1974, retired in 2010 "broken from head to toe" after decades working outside, on the tracks, repairing wagons.
"We trained the youngsters, but we remained mere assistants. It broke our morale," he said.
Lawyers for SNCF made no immediate comment on the result.
Each plaintiff will be individually informed of their result and the rail company will have a month to appeal.
During the trial SNCF's lawyer said the plaintiffs' submission was "imprecise" and argued it was perfectly legal to distinguish between permanent hires and contract workers.


Sherwood Schwartz, creator of popular US television shows Gilligan's Island and The Brady Bunch, has died, aged 94.

The two shows, while panned by critics, are seen as an iconic and enduring part of American popular culture.
Gilligan's Island, which ran from 1964 to 1967, was about seven travellers marooned on a Pacific island.
The Brady Bunch (1969 to 1974) was about a clean-cut, attractive family formed by the marriage of a widow and widower and their six children.
Analysts say the shows were hit in part because they presented a wholesome image of America during a time of social upheaval.
Both programmes have endured on countless television repeats, influencing generations of children in America and beyond who never saw them on the original run.
Mr Schwartz conceived of the idea for The Brady Bunch in 1965 after reading that one-third of American households at the time included a child from a previous marriage.
"I realized there was a sociological change going on in this country, and it prompted me to sit down to write a script about it," Mr Schwartz told the Los Angeles Times in 2000.
He later said the show resonated with Americans because "it dealt with real emotional problems: the difficulty of being the middle girl; a boy being too short when he wants to be taller; going to the prom with zits on your face".
Mr Schwartz also said he planned Gilligan's Island, about a sea captain and his assistant, a science professor, a farm girl, a buxom movie star and a posh couple, as a social statement.
"It's one world, and we all have to learn to live with each other," he said in 1996.
Mr Schwartz was born in 1916 in New Jersey and grew up in Brooklyn, New York.
After earning a degree in biological science, he began writing jokes for comedian Bob Hope, and eventually turned to television.
"I was faced with a major decision - writing comedy or starving to death while I cured those diseases. I made a quick career change," he said in 2008, when he was awarded a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.


Police in Forth Valley are hunting a hit-and-run driver who may have hitched a lift after abandoning his vehicle.

The man was driving a red Renault van on the A9 northbound, near the B8033 Dunblane junction, at about 20:00 on Wednesday when it was in collision with an HGV.
Officers said the man made off from the scene by foot and possibly hitchhiked north.
The van driver was white, and wearing blue jeans and a white T-shirt.


A man has been charged with murdering a 22-year-old stabbed to death in Rochdale.

The victim, named locally as Akbar Masood, was found with stab wounds to his abdomen in Kellett Street at about 04:00 GMT on Friday.
Mohammad Shafiqul Alom, 34, of Kellett Street has been charged with murder, assault and possession of a controlled substance.
He is due to appear at Manchester and Salford Magistrates' Court later.


Overnight snow has closed hundreds of schools in Swansea, Carmarthenshire, and Neath and Port Talbot.

South west Wales awoke to a blanket of white although the worst of the weather passed Pembrokeshire by.
Bus services were hit with all routes in Swansea closed first thing while a five lorry crash shut the A4109 near Neath in both directions.
Meanwhile, the Met Office issued a severe weather warning for Friday night predicting further showers.
In Carmarthenshire over 130 schools are closed, about 80 are shut in Neath Port Talbot and over 100 in Swansea.
Swansea Council said all refuse and recycling services had been cancelled until further notice with refuse and parks employees diverted to grit the city centre and to clear walkways.
Many shops in the city centre were opening late as staff struggled into work.
Swansea council said it was focusing on providing emergency services to vulnerable people and clearing the roads and urged people only to contact the authority with emergency requests.
Carmarthenshire council said it had also cancelled all refuse collections while its day centres, meals on wheels service, libraries and leisure facilities had been badly hit.
A spokeswoman said: "Urgent calls have been made for friends, families and neighbours of those who usually receive meals on wheels to help out wherever possible to ensure older people have a hot meal whilst the service tries to overcome the worst of the disruption."
The authority is also appealing to owners of 4X4 vehicles to help deliver food in the Brynaman area and to help to transport staff to Amman Valley Hospital.
Ospreys say their Heineken Cup game against Munster on Saturday is going ahead.
The National Botanic Garden of Wales said it had "little alternative" but to close and it would remain shut for the weekend due to health and safety concerns.
Cor Meibion Llanelli's Christmas concert due to be held at the town's Theatr Elli on Saturday has been cancelled and Llanelli's rugby match against Nottingham has been postponed.
Pembrokeshire council said the worst of the weather had missed the county with most services operating as normal and less than 10 school closures.
But its Highways Department is monitoring the situation with gritting lorries out in expectation of more ice and snow.


Road racer Ryan Farquhar has praised North West 200 medical staff as he recovers from injuries sustained in a crash on the circuit.

The 40-year-old from Dungannon suffered six broken ribs and a lacerated liver after colliding with Dan Cooper.
"I remember crashing and the marshals telling me not to move until Dr Fred MacSorley got there," said Farquhar.
"When I got to hospital they told me that whoever prepared me for the journey had saved my life."
It was a race meeting marred by the death of Malachi Mitchell-Thomas following a crash in the second Supertwins race on Saturday.
Farquhar and English rider Cooper were among five competitors injured at the event.
Farquhar - who has won the NW 200 five times - was airlifted to Belfast after being treated at the roadside by Dr MacSorley and the medical team.
"I lost the front end and I went down hard," added Farquhar as he recalled the crash.
"I hit the Recticel bale and bounced back out into the road but everything happened so fast that I don't really remember being hit by the other bike.
"I can't thank the doctors enough who saved my life - money couldn't pay them for what they have done for me.
"I was taken straight into surgery when I arrived at the Royal Victoria Hospital and I was lucky that the top liver surgeon in the country was available to operate on me.
"I am looking forward now to getting myself sorted and getting home with my wife Karen, my girls Keeley and Mya and our two donkeys."
He also paid tribute to Mitchell-Thomas. The 20-year-old from Lancashire died two days earlier following a crash at almost the same spot as Farquhar's accident.
"Having raced against Malachi it was obvious to me that he was a huge talent." said Farquhar.
"What has happened to the young fella is very sad. Malachi didn't do anything more wrong than I did but I am still here to tell the tale and he is not."


Frankie Dettori will miss the ride on St Leger favourite Bondi Beach because Saturday's Irish Champion Stakes has been brought forward.

Dettori hoped to compete in the world's oldest Classic at Doncaster on Saturday (15:45 BST) and then fly by helicopter to Leopardstown to partner Golden Horn.
But the Irish race has been brought forward 65 minutes to 17:45 because of concerns over the ground.
Dettori's agent Ray Cochrane said there was not enough time to ride in both.
"Frankie had rides in the first four races at Doncaster, the last one being in the Leger and then we were going to shoot over to Ireland and be there in good time," he said.
"Now they've changed it by bringing it forward there's no point thinking of trying to do both."
William Buick will come in for the ride on Bondi Beach, trained by Aidan O'Brien.
The Irish Champion Stakes is being billed as "the race of the season" with Derby winner Golden Horn and Guineas victor Gleneagles finally set to clash after their planned showdown at York was scuppered by the weather.
However, trainer O'Brien has said he does not want to run Gleneagles on soft ground, and Irish officials have moved the race forward because they were concerned the ground could become churned up later on as rain is forecast on Friday night.
The race will be held on an outside track on fresh ground, which has not been used so far this season.


In a suburb of Shanghai, a shabby old textile mill serves as a model of the wider economic transformation China is trying to achieve.

Where once low-wage workers churned out clothes for export, today a new company has taken up residence that is riding the wave of China's consumer spending boom.
In fact Mr Wedding - a small business employing 16 people - is part of an industry that has been booming like few others anywhere in history.
According to state media, China's marriage market - the money spent on ceremonies, catering, honeymoons and hospitality - has grown from almost nothing a couple of decades ago to a whopping annual 800bn yuan ($130bn; £78bn).
And Mr Wedding, from its old factory base, is trying to carve out a little slice of that economy by offering Shanghai's brides-and-grooms-to-be a familiar service with a twist.
"People can do a lot of almost impossible postures under water," the founder and owner, Tina Liu, tells me.
"The sense of losing gravity creates the beauty of floating."
Underwater wedding: In pictures
Two of her customers Lin Enxiao and He Huan introduce themselves by their English names - Lamea and YY.
They're not getting married until next year, but like many Chinese couples they've decided to get the wedding photographs out of the way early.
"Most of our friends did their photo shoot on dry land," YY tells me. "We wanted something different."
"When people think about wedding photos it's always grassland, white walls and doves," Lamea agrees.
"It feels good to change that picture."
China did not invent the underwater wedding shoot but it has embraced it like nowhere else.
There are dozens of studios offering the service in Shanghai alone, and it is a crowded, competitive market.
"Some talented people have a good concept and good creativity but they don't make it because they lack persistency," Tina says.
Each individual photo shoot is a painstaking, time-consuming process.
Mr Wedding's team of stylists gives Lamea and YY a full makeover, spending a couple of hours on their hair and make-up.
"We suggest that for underwater wedding pictures brides should wear a white wedding dress with a long trail," Tina says.
"And we use waterproof make-up so it doesn't run in the water."
Then, Lamea and YY, dressed for a full white wedding, are walked not down an aisle but up a small set of steps into the photography tank.
Measuring around 12ft by 12 ft (3.6m by 3.6m) - it is full of warm water with a lifeguard on hand to help them climb in and to accompany them throughout their time in the water.
Tina shouts instructions into a microphone from the other side of the tank's glass window and, taking a deep breath, Lamea and YY slip beneath the water and their wedding shoot is underway.
Tina started her business in 2003, at that point doing only traditional wedding photography, with an initial investment of 150,000 yuan.
She worked out of a small shop and used Shanghai's picturesque streetscapes as the backdrop for the photos as she had no studio of her own.
The decision to move out of the city centre, although it gave her space to expand and to build the water tank, presented a major challenge.
"Here, we are quite far away from where most people work so we lost a lot of customers," she says.
"People used to fight for a vacancy but suddenly our schedule board was blank. I felt depressed and even started to doubt the quality of my work.
"But it was useless to stay in that mood so we started addressing the internal problems, getting the teamwork right, and slowly the business came back up again."
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Today, Tina says, the it brings in a revenue of between 400,000 and 500,000 yuan a month.
But like small business owners everywhere she needs to stay constantly on her toes.
"The photography industry has reached a peak," the China Wedding Trade Association's Secretary General, Shi Kangming, tells me.
"Many famous studios have closed," he says, "and fewer young couples want wedding photos nowadays."
In 2009, he says, his organisation's figures show that around 90% of marrying couples booked the services of a wedding photographer.
Today the figure is down to just 70% - an extraordinary drop-off that highlights the fast changing pace of the industry.
But with more than 10 million couples tying the knot every year there's still plenty of opportunity for those who can adapt.
"We're launching a new project we call 'air filming'," Tina tells me.
She describes how they attach a movie camera to a small remote control drone so that aerial shots can be taken of the couple, who remain firmly on the ground.
"People will feel the product is beautiful and amazing, and although they might not be sure about it, they'll want to try when they see other people's results," she says.
The company is also introducing stop-motion animation in the form of a flipbook style photograph album.
Lamea and YY have no hesitation in paying the 2,000 yuan ($325; £200) price tag for their set of 15 underwater wedding photos.
They're delighted with the results.
"You only get married once in your life," Lamea says, "so you should spend money on what's needed."
"We started preparing a long time ago," YY adds. "We've been saving half of our income and putting it into our wedding fund for all the necessary things we'll be needing."


Captain Eoin Morgan top-scored with 95 as England warmed up for their three-match one-day series in the West Indies with a 117-run win over a Vice Chancellor's XI.

After being asked to bat first, four of the tourists' top five registered rapid half-centuries.
Jason Roy was particularly destructive as he hammered a 43-ball 79, while Joe Root made 71 and Ben Stokes 61.
Steven Finn struck twice in his opening over as the hosts fell short on 262.
That was despite the best efforts of opener Chadwick Walton, who smashed 121 off 109 balls before he was the eighth man out, lbw to new Test skipper Root.


Glamorgan head coach Robert Croft says the future for the county looks bright, despite a disappointing season.

Glamorgan suffered their eighth Championship defeat against Leicestershire, losing by 26 runs following a batting collapse.
"The position in the league is disappointing but it's been encouraging [in terms of] where our next wave of players are coming from," Croft said.
"I'll take time to reflect on the season as a whole."
He continued: "We need to identify challenging areas, and work out formulas to eradicate that."
Glamorgan had a chance to finish on a high after needing just 45 runs with six wickets in hand at Fischer County Ground, only to experience a familiar crash of wickets.
"Cricket's a game of technique and tactics, but that occasion was more a test of character," Croft said.
The former England spinner, who took control at the county as head coach in February, pointed to the emergence of young players as a cause for optimism going forward.
England under-19 batsman Aneurin Donald, still a teenager, has been joined by fellow batsmen Nick Selman (20) and Kiran Carlson (18), all-rounder Owen Morgan (22), and bowler Lukas Carey (19).
"Short term, it's been disappointing but for the middle and future it looks bright," Croft said.
"Aneurin has come in, Kiran Carlson has come in, Nick Selman, and Timm [van der Gugten] in his first [county] season."


A number of homes in east Belfast  reported a loss of supply after a water main burst in the area overnight.

A Northern Ireland Water spokeswoman said the burst was at the Castlereagh Road and Prince Regent Road junction.
A scheduled repair took place between 01:00 BST and 08:00 BST on Friday. The company said afterwards, some homes experienced low water pressure.
It said while up to 12,000 customers could have been impacted by the burst, they had less than 100 no water calls.
"When a water distribution system drains down, it takes time for the system to charge following the restoration of supply, having additional staff on the ground would not quicken this process up," NI Water said.
"Therefore, resources were not an issue on this incident and further resources could have been deployed if they had been required.
"NI Water regrets and apologies for the inconvenience caused to those customers but would be satisfied that every possible step was taken to ensure this disruption was kept to an absolute minimum."


A driver has died in a crash between two cars near Carlisle.

The 27-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene after her Peugeot 208 crashed on the A689 at Crosby at about 13:00 GMT on Sunday.
A man and two children were flown to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle.
The Great North Air Ambulance said the man suffered "multiple injuries" while the children had minor injuries.


Cremation fees at some council-owned facilities in Wales have risen by more than 50% since 2010.

According to Freedom of Information responses from local authorities, the average cost of an adult cremation has risen by just over a third.
The cost of new anti-pollution equipment and larger coffins have been blamed for the increase.
Neath Port Talbot, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Bridgend councils saw the biggest rise.
Not all councils have a crematorium under their control.
More than 170 UK local councils each run at least one crematorium.  In other areas they are operated by private firms.
The average adult cremation costs £640 in the UK, but critics say crematoria are being run inefficiently.
Bridgend - £425, up 45% to £615
Cardiff - £432, up 19% to £515
Swansea - £435, up 33% to £580
Conwy - £430, up 28% to £552
Gwynedd - £382.30, up 37% to £523
Neath Port Talbot - £385, up 52% to £585
Pembrokeshire - £439, up 28% to £564
Rhondda Cynon Taf - £420, up 49% to £626
Wrexham - £455, up 42% to £646


A selection of your pictures of Scotland sent in between 20 and 27 January. Send your photos to scotlandpictures@bbc.co.uk or our Instagram at #bbcscotlandpics


Cardiff Central railway station was built "for a different era" and will not be able to cope with a rise in commuters, a travel expert has warned.

About 265,000 people use it weekly, with developments like a new BBC building raising it to 475,000 by 2026.
Prof Stuart Cole believes new platforms are needed and could be built on the nearby Brains Brewery site.
Both Network Rail and Cardiff council said they were looking at ways to upgrade the transport system.
When Isambard Kingdom Brunel diverted the course of the River Taff in the 1840s to create the station on the old city walls, it was not meant to take centre stage like it is now.
It was designed predominantly for through-trains transporting coal plus a small number of passengers on the mainline to Swansea and to outlying villages such as Whitchurch and Radyr.
But things have changed - 13m people used the station in 2013, a figure expected to rise to 23m by 2023.
Increases will be exacerbated by the Central Square, Capital Quarter and Brains Brewery developments, while a new tax office for 4,000 employees has been mooted and redevelopment work on Cardiff Arms Park is also proposed.
The city is simply not prepared for it, because Wales traditionally is not a nation of rail users, according to Prof Cole from the University of South Wales.
He said valleys lines were mainly for coal transportation and it was only around 1900 when the industry began declining that Taff Valley Railway began seriously looking at other uses.
Despite this, cars remained the favoured transport method in the city into the 1990s, according to Prof Cole.
"Even when a franchise was awarded in 2003, no growth was built into it. It was in 2006 or 2007 that overcrowding became clear," he said.
"It was perhaps rising fuel costs, congestion, people wanting to do their bit for the environment. That's when it started going up and there was no plan for this.
"People in Cardiff are not used to being mass transited. They won't cwtch [cuddle] up with everyone like on the Piccadilly line at 8:30."
Part of the solution is using bigger trains - with Prof Cole giving an example of the impact of Intercity 125s, each capable of carrying 1,000 people, waiting to ferry the 45,000 rugby day crowds in a bid to keep queues to a minimum.
A proposed new electrified Metro system should also help with speed - currently, about six trains an hour go through Llandaf station, compared to about 11 on many London underground routes.
However, Prof Cole believes a bigger issue is getting rising numbers of passengers on to platforms safely.
"It was never designed for mass transit. It's not a commuter railway station, so it's not even fair to say it's the contractor's fault," he said.
"It was built for a different era, for mainline trains and a few other local trains."
Prof Cole believes a new platform eight, opening in 2017, plus improved signalling will help.
But he claimed the area around the station had been developed with no overarching travel plan - saying a new bus station being built will be "world class" but "not big enough".
Employers will also have a big responsibility, with 4,000 tax office workers on flexi-time, for example, reducing rush hour pressures.
And while ambitious plans have been unveiled for redeveloping central station, Prof Cole said they do not address a major issue.
"Network Rail want a nice mall and frontage. It would be good, especially if it extended to the BBC building, as it would allow people to stand undercover after events," he said.
"It's very pretty, but the key thing is capacity - and new platforms are needed."
With little available land, Prof Cole believes a proposed redevelopment of the Brains Brewery site behind the station holds the key.
When negotiating planning permission, it is not unusual for developers to offer 10% of land value as a contribution to improvement schemes, called a Section 106 agreement.
Prof Cole said "there is a deal to be done" and if land was requested instead, new platforms could be built.
While SA Brain is still months away from submitting a planning application, could the idea be a possibility?
The proposal is a joint venture with Rightacres and its chief executive Paul McCarthy said: "The timing for bringing forward the Brain's site ties in perfectly with the Metro system delivery programme.
"Public transport is pivotal to the success of any business district and to have a Metro terminal at Central Quay, adjacent to the central train station, would be good for all concerned."
Cardiff council said it is "actively engaged" with Network Rail, the Welsh Government and developers to find ways to improve the station.
A spokesman said: "It's essential that the ongoing regeneration of Central Square is reinforced by the regeneration of central station and the leader of the city council continues to press the case for investment."
Commuter Andrew Jones from Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, has already given up on the rail network.
"I could never get a seat on the train despite paying £20 a week," he said.
"It's easier to get here myself. I now bring my bike, which costs £15 a week and takes 15 minutes not 30."
One of Central Square's first tenant's - law firm Blake Morgan has moved in and employee Fiona MacDonald said the train from Lisvane and Thornhill is "fine" at 07:30 GMT.
However, this may not be the experience for commuters on the same line later in rush hour.
Gavin Davies, 31, who travels from Mountain Ash, said the journey is usually manageable, but adding Christmas shoppers into the mix has illustrated the pressures more people create.
"If you can't buy your ticket on the train, you buy it at central [station] to get through the barrier. But there was a queue from the one end right to the back," he said.
"I put it down to the time of year, but new developments won't help."
Tim James, Network Rail's head of strategy and planning in Wales, said work around the station is positive and co-ordinating activities will be "extremely important".
"We will need to refresh our [passenger] forecasts regularly to take into account any new developments in the immediate vicinity of the station," he added.
While admitting money is not currently available, Mr James said Cardiff council is helping it look at funding options for developing Cardiff Central.
He added: "We are particularly keen to leverage more commercial funding as a contribution towards delivering improvements for passengers and we are developing options to look at a range of possible solutions."


It was the thriving spa town which became home to thousands of troops during World War One - now the history of Llandrindod Wells in Powys has been brought to life through digital codes.

In 1893, the discovery of a previously unknown chalybeate spring - rich in iron salts thought to be good for health -  saw thousands of tourists flock there, and spawned the "Wells" suffix to the town's name.
But on the outbreak of World War One the tourists disappeared, to be replaced with about 4,000 troops from the Royal Army Medical Corps.
Other newcomers to Llandrindod included Belgian refugees fleeing fighting in their homeland, as well as hundreds of military deserters from throughout Powys, sent there to face courts martial at the headquarters of Radnorshire council.
Visitors to Llandrindod today can trace the town's fascinating role in the war with QR codes posted at the key sites.
The 2.3 mile (3.7km) trail is part of the HistoryPoints.org scheme, which has charted the history of more than 1,000 locations around Wales.
It features barcodes which can be scanned with smart phones to bring up details of what visitors are seeing.
Rhodri Clark, editor of HistoryPoints.org, said: "Presenting this wealth of information about wartime in Llandrindod Wells would not have been possible without the enthusiastic response we received from many local people, including historians, relatives of men who died in the war and owners of the featured properties."
Many of the points of interest are heart-breaking - from the town's war memorial listing many instances of entire families wiped out in the fighting, to the stories of the persecution meted out to the conscientious objectors among Llandrindod's Quaker community.
However some are surprisingly uplifting.
Like many places around the UK, Llandrindod played its part in supporting the troops and the Red Cross, raising money for luxuries such as cigarettes and Christmas puddings, as well as knitting more than 500 pairs of mittens for men at the front.
Though rather more unusually Llandrindod seems to have had a deep affinity for the animals thrust into war.
A December 1916 whist drive and cattle auction raised more than Â£100 towards the care of horses and dogs in France - paying for medicines to be sent out and injured animals to be returned home.
The trail also tells the story of how successfully refugees from Belgium were assimilated into the community.
One of the QR points marks the wartime home of a Belgian refugee who suffered burns when he bravely tore a blazing fairy costume from a fellow pupil during a school concert in 1916.
Councillor Avril York, Powys' cabinet member for regeneration, said: "One of the aims of this tour, and the war memorial project overall, is to encourage the young people of today to appreciate how their predecessors were affected by the war.
"The QR codes will provide instant access to this fascinating aspect of the town's history at the relevant locations."


Torquay United defender Aarran Racine is set to miss the rest of the season after suffering a suspected anterior cruciate ligament injury on his debut.

The 25-year-old signed on loan from Forest Green on Thursday and sustained the injury conceding a penalty.
Racine was taken off after fouling Luke Hannant in the 54th minute, though Torquay went on to win 3-1.
"He's given a penalty away at the time because his leg's buckled under him," said Gulls boss Kevin Nicholson.
"It's possibly ACL - we might be fortunate, but the chances are that Racine will be out for the season now.
"He looked like the leader I know he is - he was calm, solid, reading the game well and it's really unfortunate for him that it's happened."
Gateshead scored the penalty to level the match but Torquay, without Racine, still managed to pick up their first victory in five National League games.
"I worked so long to get an experienced centre-half in, I might have to delve back [into the market]," Nicholson told BBC Radio Devon.


New plans to improve treatment for children and young people with cancer have been outlined by Scotland's chief medical officer.

More than 300 people aged under 25 are diagnosed with the disease in Scotland every year.
Dr Catherine Calderwood said she wanted to ensure that children were seen by "the right experts in the right place".
She added that they should be able to access to "after care" services close to their family home.
Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland, Dr Calderwood said: "We want children to be seen by the right experts in the right place and we want them then to have opportunities as far as possible to participate in cancer clinical trials.
"Those are often the way that we can develop our medicines for cancer but also it often gives an opportunity for trial of new treatments for children.
"So we want as many children to be seen where the expertise lies but also to be treated by an expert team."
She said that approximately 150 children a year were diagnosed with cancer in Scotland.
About 180 young people aged 16-25 receive similar diagnoses.
She added: "The plan will also have children being able to be cared for, for their after care, closer to their own homes.
"So it doesn't mean children moving and having to stay away from family and friends and their usual activities."
The move has been supported by Cancer Research UK.
Spokesman Gregor McNie said: "We all know that the support networks and the holistic needs of someone who's ill with any disease are always best served close to home.
"So what this strategy tries to do is strike the balance of getting the specialist care from the very best at what they do but the wider care being as close to home as possible."


Plans to axe free lunches for infant school children from better off families in England have been scrapped.

Schools minister Nick Gibb said the government would "retain the existing provision", having listened "very carefully" to the views of parents.
The Tory manifesto proposed restricting free lunches to infants from poorer homes - with free breakfasts for all primary school pupils funded instead.
It was intended to save Â£650m a year - but was left out of the Queen's Speech.
And Mr Gibb told MPs: "We have listened very carefully to the views of the sector on the proposal to remove infant free school meals and we have decided that it is right to retain the existing provision."
The Tories have abandoned a host of proposals since failing to win a majority, including plans to means-test winter fuel payments, end the triple lock guarantee on pension increases and to hold a vote on foxhunting.
Free school lunches for all infant children were introduced by the Tory-Lib Dem coalition government in 2014.
Plans to limit their availability again to low-income families had proved controversial, with some parents complaining the offer of a free breakfast was not directly comparable and was merely a cost-saving measure.
Many schools were also unhappy about the move, arguing they had gone to great expense to adapt their facilities to provide hot lunches.
During the campaign, the Conservatives argued that free breakfasts would have equal, if not greater, nutritional benefit for pupils and could be delivered at the fraction of the cost of lunches.
But challenged on the policy by shadow education secretary Angela Rayner in the Commons, Mr Gibb confirmed the government had changed its mind.
"Universal infant free school meals ensure children receive a nutritious meal during the day," he said. "It saves hardworking families hundreds of pounds a year and it boosts educational achievement, especially among children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds."
Labour is pressing the government to clarify whether plans for free breakfasts have now been scrapped.
During education questions, Mr Gibb also promised that no school would have its budget cut as a result of the national funding formula, which aims to make funding fair for schools.


The UK's construction industry continued to grow in July, a survey of the sector has indicated.

The Markit/Cips construction purchasing managers' index (PMI) was virtually unchanged at 53.5 points in July from 53.6 points in June. A number above 50 indicates growth in orders.
But employment in the sector in the sector fell for a second month.
The data comes after a similar survey of manufacturing on Monday showed its first contraction in two years.
Within the construction sector there was an increase in commercial and civil engineering orders but a small decrease in residential orders.
"Following a recent flurry of disappointing surveys and data, it is actually somewhat of a relief to see construction activity expand at a similar pace in July to June," said Howard Archer an economist from IHS Global Insight.
It was the 17th successive monthly rise in construction orders.
Confidence amongst construction companies improved slightly but Markit said it remained subdued by historical standards.
However, PMI surveys are not always a reliable indicator of economic performance.
Data from the Office of National statistics showed the construction industry contracted during the winter despite surveys indicating solid growth in orders.


Venezuela's electoral authorities have dismissed a claim that turnout in Sunday's controversial vote for a new constituent assembly was inflated.

The firm behind the voting system said turnout was at least one million fewer than the government figure.
But the head of the election council hit back, calling it an "irresponsible claim, with unfounded estimations".
President Nicolás Maduro has said that the new assembly will be inaugurated on Friday.
The opposition see the assembly as an attempt by Mr Maduro to cling on to power.
They boycotted the election and also held an unofficial referendum in which they said more than seven million Venezuelans voted against the constituent assembly.
Turnout in Sunday's poll is seen as a key indicator of the level of support the government enjoys.
The government said more than eight million people, or 41.5% of the electorate, had voted.
"It is with the deepest regret that we have to report that the turnout numbers on Sunday 30th July for the Constituent Assembly in Venezuela were tampered with," the boss of Smartmatic, Antonio Mugica, told journalists in London.
He said a full audit was needed to establish the exact number of voters but he said the firm estimated there was a difference of at least one million.
But Tibisay Lucena of the election council accused Mr Mugica of trying to "raise doubt over the result of the election".
Mr Maduro said the vote was free and fair and that it would not be tainted by "a company with its headquarters in London and its bank accounts in the United States".
The opposition-controlled National Assembly has approved a request to open a criminal investigation into Smartmatic's claims.
Separately, the Reuters news agency reported it had seen an internal memo from Venezuela's electoral authorities saying fewer than four million votes had been cast just two hours before polls closed.
Venezuela's controversial vote explained
Despite intense pressure at home and abroad, Mr Maduro is ploughing on with the constituent assembly.
The first deputies for the new body have received their credentials, among them Mr Maduro's wife and son. Swearing in has already begun and the assembly's first sitting is due on Thursday.
Mr Maduro says the constituent assembly, which has the power to rewrite the constitution and bypasses the National Assembly, is needed to restore order after months of crisis.
The opposition is calling for fresh demonstrations with a march planned to coincide with the expected installation of the assembly.
Venezuela remains in political and economic turmoil. Tumbling oil prices have hit social programmes hard and scores of people have died protesting against the government.
But despite the unrest the government retains the crucial support of the armed forces.


A woman whose office was searched in an investigation into the online purchase of abortion pills has said she feels violated and shocked by what happened.

Helen Crickard, who is a pro-choice campaigner, said the suggestion that she had abortion instruments made her feel like a back street abortionist.
No pills were found during the raid.
The searches, conducted by the Police Service Of Northern Ireland (PSNI), were carried out on International Women's Day.
As celebrations and rallies were taking place around the country on 8 March, police officers arrived at Ms Crickard's workshop in south Belfast.
The search warrant stated that they intended to seize her laptop, mobile phone and bank documents.
Police were also looking for "drugs or instruments to cause abortion".
Colleagues in neighbouring offices looked on bemused, some were shocked at what was unfolding.
Ms Crickard was not there at the time and police left empty-handed.
She said while the allegation of having abortion pills was worrying, the allegation of also having instruments to cause abortion was shocking and threatening.
She told the BBC that it felt like the PSNI was looking for some sort of backstreet abortion clinic.
It is important to remember that the police are acting legally.
They are arriving at premises with search warrants.
It is also important to note that the purchase and use of abortion pills is illegal throughout the UK.
However, the difference between other regions and Northern Ireland is that women elsewhere can avail of health care from hospitals when faced with an unwanted pregnancy.
Women in England, Scotland and Wales are allowed to have an abortion within the first 24 weeks of their pregnancy, if it is carried out in a hospital or a licensed clinic.
The PSNI is policing a difficult situation. Some of the drugs purchased online may be dangerous.
Women caught in the situation are often frightened, confused and acting alone.
While all the political parties in Northern Ireland stated that women found in such circumstances should not be criminalised, they appear reluctant to change to the law to uphold that.
It remains another issue to support the notion that the sooner Stormont and its institutions are rebooted, the better.


British number one Johanna Konta was beaten in the Miami Open quarter-finals by an in-form Victoria Azarenka.

Konta, the first British woman to reach the last eight of the tournament, was beaten 6-4 6-2 by her Belarusian opponent in just over 90 minutes.
World number eight Azarenka, 26, is on course for back-to-back titles after beating Serena Williams in Indian Wells earlier this month.
World number 23 Konta, 24, failed to convert any of her five break points.
The Briton, making her debut in Miami, would have broken into the world top 20 had she reached the final.
Azarenka, who won the tournament in 2009 and 2011, made just 14 unforced errors in 119 points.
She will next face either second-seeded German Angelique Kerber or American world number 22 Madison Keys.
Konta had made more winners and fewer unforced errors after an hour's play in blustery conditions, against an agitated Azarenka.
However, the Belarusian saved her best tennis to fend off five break points, while Konta double-faulted twice to drop serve.
"I do believe the few chances that I was able to create, she did an incredible job," Konta told BBC Sport.
"I think maybe bar one, when I felt I could have maybe made a return - I think she really did win every single point.
"She definitely kept her claws in there and she took it way from me."
The British number one, who was ranked 151st in the world this time last year, was playing in the quarter-finals of a WTA Premier event for the first time.
"I'm happy with the level I was able to bring to the court," she added.
"Obviously I'm disappointed that I couldn't have done a little bit better but I'm taking the positives from it."
Wednesday's defeat brought an end to another impressive week for Konta.
She is in line to move up to 21st in the world rankings, and will next head to Stuttgart for the clay-court season.
"I maintain that I don't have a favourite but I really enjoy the changes that come when we go from surface to surface," said Konta.
Having really begun her charge up the rankings last June, Konta has plenty of opportunity to gather ranking points before the return to grass courts in the UK.
"Honestly I'm not looking at that," she said.
"I'm very happy with the level I was able to produce almost day in, day out here. I'll just try to just reapply that to the next practice I have, and also the next matches I have."


A motorcyclist who died following a crash in Denbighshire was a "passionate motorcycle fanatic", his family have said.

Robert Downs, 63, from Mold, Flintshire, was killed in the collision on the A525 link road between Denbigh and Ruthin on Friday.
North Wales Police said he died at the scene.
In a tribute, Mr Downs' family described him as a "loving" father and grandfather.
"He was a kind, loving and caring man who was always willing to assist anyone when he could. He was the rock of our life and was a long-standing and passionate motorcycle fanatic," the tribute said.
"He left our side so suddenly and we all sorely miss him. But he will always be there in our minds and hearts and never forgotten."
Police have appealed for witnesses.


Bournemouth midfielder Harry Arter will put personal heartache to one side when he faces Burnley on Saturday.

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The visit to Turf Moor takes place on the first anniversary of the stillbirth of Arter's daughter Renee.
The 26-year-old starred in a 2-1 win over Manchester United just days after Renee's death last December.
"It will be a strange sort of moment against Burnley," Arter told BBC Radio Solent. "We see Renee's birthday as a milestone, which will be difficult."
Arter's family raised £13,000 through a charity auction in aid of other bereaved families in the months after Renee's death.
But approaching the anniversary, Arter admits emotions on and off the pitch will be high.
"It's always going to be a memory for my family either a year or 20 years on," he said. "We'll never be able to forget it and it's not something I would want to be able to forget.
"When it comes to the game, I'll be professional and put my head down and family matters will have to be pushed to one side to deal with after."
His fiancée Rachel is currently well-advanced in her second pregnancy, with a baby girl due early next year.
"That's helped with a bit of hope, but it doesn't change the loss you have," the Republic of Ireland international added.
"When you lose a baby, you naturally just want to have one. We've got to make sure Rachel stays strong and her mind is focused."


Contracts to run school fitness programmes in east Cheshire will not be renewed by the council.

Cheshire East Council Leader Michael Jones stepped down last year following pressure over three deals given to his personal physiotherapist's firm.
The council blamed the ending of the deal on "budget constraints" despite an academic report saying Core Fit Ltd's classes "worked well".
A Cheshire Police probe into Mr Jones' links to the firm's owner is under way.
Core Fit founder Amanda Morris branded the council's decision to stop funding the classes "disgusting".
About 3,600 children in 28 schools, and 200 adults aged over 50 have participated in classes run by Core Fit Ltd under its council contracts since 2014.
A report by the Centre for Public Health at Liverpool John Moores University, commissioned by the council, found the programme had "an impact on both the physical [and] overall wellbeing of the children".
The report said adults who took part "reported greater mobility which enabled them to live more independently", and claimed potential savings to the NHS and social care teams would outweigh the cost of delivering the classes.
Cheshire East Council said: "Owing to budget constraints, the council is not in a position to continue to commission these services.
"However, the council understands that a number of schools in Cheshire East, and on a wider footprint, have purchased the service independently."
But Ms Morris said: "If the council's policies are that they're fundamentally looking at improving mental health, its disgusting that they're not putting money into this sort of thing."
"It doesn't make sense."
Mr Jones has previously denied wrongdoing after the council waived its own financial rules three times when granting contracts worth Â£156,000 to Core Fit.
He stepped down in December 2015 to avoid "infighting" after fellow Conservatives called for an external investigation.
The police investigation was launched 11 months ago.


Jenson Button's Formula 1 career will continue into a 16th season following McLaren's decision to retain him alongside new signing Fernando Alonso.

McLaren finally announced their line-up on Thursday after taking weeks to decide whether to keep Button, 34, or 2014 team-mate Kevin Magnussen, 22.
"I am very pleased to have been invited to do my bit," said Button. "In fact, I am absolutely raring to go."
Dane Magnussen remains with McLaren as test and reserve driver.
"Fernando and Jenson have started a combined total of precisely 500 grands prix between them - a mighty aggregate - and have won 47 of them," said McLaren chairman Ron Dennis.
"I can safely say, therefore, that we now have by an order of magnitude the best driver line-up of any current Formula 1 team."
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Double world champion Alonso, 33, was signed weeks ago after being persuaded to leave Ferrari.
The Spaniard's capture is a big coup for McLaren, but they are unlikely to challenge world champions Mercedes in 2015.
The Surrey-based outfit are starting a new engine partnership with Honda, with whom they won four consecutive titles between 1988 and 1991, but to expect a sustained title bid in 2015 is overly optimistic.
"I am joining this project with enormous enthusiasm and determination, knowing that it may require some time to achieve the results we are aiming for, which is no problem for me," said Alonso.
He said he had received a number of "really tempting" offers but revealed McLaren had contacted him more than a year ago and asked him to return to the team he left at the end of 2007.
Magnussen, who made his F1 debut in 2014, had appeared favourite to get the drive alongside Alonso, but a late change of heart swung the decision back in Button's favour.
Button's new contract is said by insiders to be for one year with a further year as an option.
The Englishman, world champion in 2009, had admitted being unhappy about the delay but wanted to remain in F1 and test himself against Alonso, who is regarded by many as the best all-round driver in the world.
Button's strong finish to 2014 helped convince McLaren to keep him, as was the fact he scored more than twice as many points as Magnussen, who finished second in Australia, the opening race of the season.
But there were those within McLaren who felt retaining the Dane was the better option, because of his youth and promise.
He was out-qualified by Button, whose F1 career began in 2000, 10 times in 19 races but insiders say McLaren's internal data suggests that he was marginally quicker over a single lap.
McLaren said Magnussen would remain an "important part of the team", with Button adding: "He is a very quick driver and a really nice guy."
BBC Sport asked McLaren boss Dennis to clarify the length of Alonso's contract and he said it was for three firm years with no facility by which it could be shortened.
Button added: "Like Fernando, I am certain that McLaren and Honda will achieve great things together and I feel sure that, working together, all of us will pull incredibly hard to create a brilliantly effective winning team."
Mercedes - Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg
Red Bull - Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat
Williams - Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas
Ferrari - Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen
McLaren - Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button
Force India - Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez
Toro Rosso - Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz Jr
Lotus - Pastor Maldonado and Romain Grosjean
Sauber - Felipe Nasr and Marcus Ericsson


A disqualification order against a Fife private landlord has been granted - the first to be agreed by a Scottish court.

The man, understood to be Mohammed Murtaza, 47, from Kirkcaldy, was convicted for continuing as a landlord after his registration was refused.
He was found guilty on 27 April of breaching the Antisocial Behaviour (Scotland) Act 2004, and the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006.
He was fined Â£500 and banned as a private landlord for 12 months.
Sheriff Gilchrist said it was "a flagrant breach of legislation".
The landlord had previously been convicted at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court in November 2014 for failing to comply with his private landlord duties under the Antisocial Behaviour etc (Scotland) Act 2004 and for being in breach of Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations 1998.
He had six convictions with fines of Â£540.
He was refused entry onto Fife's landlord register, as a result of the convictions, in June 2015, making it a criminal offence for him to rent out a residential property in Fife.
John Mills, Fife Council's head of housing said: "A significant proportion of private landlords are of good character and comply with the law, however, there are some who act unlawfully.
"The outcome of this particular case sends a clear message to private landlords in Fife that the council will continue to take all appropriate action to protect tenants and improve property standards in the private sector."


Lily Allen has revealed why she turned down an invite to sing on Band Aid 30.

She told the Mail on Sunday that "it's difficult to explain why I didn't do it."
The singer added: "I prefer to do my charitable bit by donating actual money and not being lumped in a with a bunch of people like that.
"It's like the success club and I'm not really in that club. I don't think I'm above it all - I'm way below it. But there's something a bit smug about it."
The latest version of Do They Know It's Christmas? features acts including One Direction, Ed Sheeran, Jessie Ware and Rita Ora.
Within two days of being released, the song had sold 206,000 and become the fastest-selling single of 2014 and is on course to be number one in this Sunday's top 40.
However, Allen did go on to praise Band Aid organiser Bob Geldof saying "I actually don't mind Sir Bob" and that "he's grumpy like me".
Speaking to Newsbeat following the recording of the track, Geldof confirmed Adele hadn't snubbed his call to take part.
He said: "Adele won't pick up the phone to her manager. She's just out of it, which you respect. Nothing. She's not part of that anymore. That's absolutely her thing.
"Some people just don't want to do it, some people say no.
The singer's comments came less than 24 hours after Emeli Sande said "a whole new" Band Aid song is needed and that she's not fully satisfied by the lyrical changes made for this year's remake.
In a message posted on Twitter, the 27-year-old said she and African singer Angelique Kidjo "made and sang our own edits" whilst recording Band Aid 30.
She added: "Unfortunately, none of these made the final cut."
Later in the post, Emeli apologised "if the lyrics of the song have caused offence" but that the new version of the track "came from a place of pure and respectful intent".
Some of the lyrics have been rewritten for the fourth version of the charity single to reflect the track raising money for Ebola-hit west Africa.
The virus has killed more than 5,000 people in the current outbreak, including 1,267 in Sierra Leone.
Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube


A survivor of the al-Shabab attack on Kenya's Garissa university campus has been describing how she spent more than two days in a wardrobe in fear of rampaging militants.

Cynthia Cheroitich, 19, said she drank body lotion because she was hungry and thirsty.
She was only brought out on Saturday morning after security forces found a teacher she knew to convince her it was safe to come out.
Ms Cheroitich said her ordeal began at around 05:30 (02:30 GMT) on Thursday when she and her fellow students were in class studying for their exams.
"Suddenly, we heard the bullets and then we started coming out and then we said: 'What is happening?'" she told the Associated Press news agency.
"We ran to our rooms, then these people came running, following us. When we reached our rooms, we hide under the beds."
She said that their pursuers told them to come out of their hiding places, but she decided to hide in the wardrobe instead where she covered herself with some clothes.
It was then that the gunmen entered the room. Ms Cheroitich described a scenario that other survivors have alluded to.
Her roommates were taken out and divided up between those who were able to recite verses of the Koran and those who were not.
It was not clear what happened to them.
She said she found some bottles of body lotion where she was hiding and "drank all of them", describing it as "nice and lovely".
But she was too scared to move. "I was just praying to my God," she said.
It was not until 10:00 on Saturday, long after the attack ended, that the authorities were able to persuade her to come out.
She told AP: "You know at first I did not believe it [when police came to rescue her], at first I was thinking that maybe they were the al-Shabab.  So I said: 'How do I know that you are the Kenyan police?'"
It was only after a member of the college staff came to convince her that it was safe to come out that she emerged.


Grainne McCabe from Bristol Zoological Society tells Newsround why many primates are endangered.

25 November 2015 Last updated at 16:59 GMT


The US state of North Carolina has enacted a law that bars its cities and counties from having their own anti-discrimination rules.

Legislators pushed for the bill after Charlotte passed an ordinance allowing transgender people to use restrooms according to gender identity.
A Republican-controlled General Assembly voted on Wednesday to invalidate the ordinance.
The governor, who signed the bill, called it a matter of "basic privacy".
Governor Patrick McCrory said in a release that "the basic expectation of privacy in the most personal of settings" was violated by "government overreach and intrusion" by Charlotte's city council.
Lawmakers several other US states have proposed similar legislation - sometimes referred to as "bathroom bills".
A Houston anti-discrimination ordinance that offered protections for gay and transgender people was overturned by voters in November.
Democrats in North Carolina's Senate walked off their chamber floor in protest as the bill was being debated. It later passed 82-26.
Republican leaders booked the one-day session for $42,000 (Â£30,000) because the ordinance was set to take place on 1 April.
Local governments cannot prohibit discrimination in public places based on gender identity and sexual preference under the new law.
"We choose not to participate in this farce," said Dan Blue, a Democratic state senator.
North Carolina Republicans said they felt it was necessary to intervene to protect women and children from Charlotte's "radical" action, arguing that men could enter women's restrooms by calling themselves transgender.
"It's common sense, biological men should not be in women's showers, locker rooms and bathrooms,'' said Republican representative Dean Arp.
Gay rights advocates said the law places a stigma on the transgender community and spreads dubious claims about increased risk of sexual assault. The law will deny the LGBT community basic protections, the groups said.
"McCrory's reckless decision to sign this appalling legislation into law is a direct attack on the rights, well-being and dignity of hundreds of thousands of LGBT North Carolinians and visitors to the state,'' Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin said in a statement. "Civil liberties groups pledged to push for repeal and were weighing legal options."
The law requires public schools, government agencies and college campuses bathrooms and locker rooms marked by gender. Transgender people in North Carolina now must use restrooms that match the gender listed on their on their birth certificate .


Police are investigating a report of a man impersonating a police officer who stopped a teenage driver on a road in Forth Valley.

The 18-year-old man was driving on the A905 between Grangemouth and Skinflats at Glensburgh when he became aware of a car with a flashing blue light.
He was pulled over and approached by the man, who asked to see his driving licence and discussed his driving.
The incident happened on Thursday, shortly before midnight.
The man was allowed to go on his way after his licence was returned.
Police Scotland said they were keen to speak to anyone who may have dashcam footage of the incident.
The suspect was described as a bald white man in his 40s, about 6ft 2in tall, of heavy or muscular build.
He was wearing a black fleece jacket and high-visibility trousers with a reflective stripe and had what appeared to be safety glasses on his head.
He was believed to be driving a dark-coloured hatchback, possibly a Ford Focus with an 07 or 57 registration plate.
Sgt Craig Heron said:  "Impersonating a police officer is not only inappropriate, it is also illegal.
"There have been no further incidents of this nature reported to us.
"However, we would advise that if you are stopped by someone claiming to be a Police Scotland officer, request their collar number and ask to see a warrant card.
"All our officers are happy to provide this information to the public and it should be offered readily."


Volkswagen's Audi arm has bought Italian motorcycle firm Ducati for an undisclosed sum.

The 20-member supervisory board of Europe's largest carmaker agreed to add a 12th brand to its portfolio.
The purchase will be completed when approval from the necessary regulators is received.
Ducati has won 13 rider's Superbike World Championships since 1988, and the deal means Audi's rivalry with BMW will now include superbikes.
However, one expert has questioned the wisdom of the purchase.
"I can't think of a concrete reason for Audi to warrant a business case for buying Ducati," said Stefan Bratzel, director of the Center of Automotive, at the University of Applied Sciences in Bergisch-Gladbach.
"Ducati does not enhance Audi's business model in any way, it is just a trophy in the wall cabinet."
Ducati makes about 40,000 bikes a year across its range of cruiser, supermoto, adventure, "naked" or basic, and superbikes.


Control of three of Leeds' cultural venues is to be given to a new independent charitable trust.

Leeds City Council has approved plans to hand over the reins of The Grand Theatre, City Varieties Music Hall and the Hyde Park Picture House.
All three venues have reported "significant annual deficits" in recent years, a council report said.
Council leader Keith Wakefield said the move would allow the venues to "move to a new level of success".
The decision to hand over control was taken after an assessment was carried out by Festivals and Events International (FEI).
FEI reported the three venues had made deficits, before Leeds City Council grant funding, over the last six years ranging between Â£196,000 and Â£716,000.
Ahead of the decision being approved Mr Wakefield said: "While there is no doubt that this new approach will, if given the go-ahead, offer a change in how the company is managed, what will not alter in any shape or form is the council's continuing commitment to both support and protect them in the future."
He said: "We believe these recommendations in the executive board paper offer this security and also an opportunity for these undoubted jewels in our city to really prosper and move to a new level of success."
The report said that while the venues, have struggled financially, recent improvements mean they have "potential for a break-even position for the current financial year".
They are currently managed by Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House Limited, a charity owned by the council.
It said the trust would have the freedom to sub-contract the running of each venue to a commercial organisation, but that decision would lie with the trust.
The Grand Theatre, in New Briggate, the City Varieties, in Swan Street, and the Hyde Park Picture House, in Brudenell Road, put on more than 1,500 screenings and performances during 2013/14.


Brett Johns says remaining undefeated is the only thing on his mind ahead of his Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) bout against Ian Entwistle.

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Johns, 25, is undefeated in his 13 professional MMA fights, including his UFC debut in Belfast in November.
The Welshman takes on England's Entwistle at UFC Fight Night 107 at London's O2 Arena on Saturday.
"I'm feeling brilliant, it's an amazing atmosphere and I can't wait. It is a Battle of Britain," Johns said.
He added to BBC Wales Sport: "It's the first ever Wales v England fight and fingers crossed the Welsh will have that first win.
"It feels strange. This is a home fight for me but I'm behind enemy lines."
Johns had no problem making the bantamweight ahead of his fight, however his his opponent Entwistle came in 3 pounds over.
"I can't slate anyone for missing weight as I have done that in the past. It means that I get a bit of his money so I'm looking for a big pay cheque, now," Johns said.
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Johns is one of 12 British fighters on the bill for the event as the UFC arrives in London.
It is the first UFC event of 2017 to be held in Europe as the sport looks to win more fans, with around 15,000 people expected at the O2 Arena on Saturday.
"It's a massive stage and will only get bigger from here, but I'm not looking forward to the fight or Entwistle. This is going to be a hard fight. Stylistically this is going to be a different match up but I'm ready to gom" he added.
"I'm going to punch him in the head as that's the only trick I've got, but tomorrow it will be 14-0. I will stay undefeated and the journey goes on."


Even to the untrained ear, it is a magical sound.

Choir boys, and more recently choir girls, have been enchanting congregations for centuries with their distinctive voices.
Some say it is their pure tone, others an angelic shimmer, and then there are those who just cannot put their finger on it at all.
At Ripon Cathedral in Yorkshire, only the very best singers are chosen to form part of the choir.
Edmund Aldhouse, assistant director of music at the cathedral, says: "When we do voice trials and auditions for the choir, one thing that we talk about is that sparkle factor: did the boy or the girl shine.
"And it is just something you know, maybe not something you can define."
But that has not stopped researchers from trying to find out.
Professor David Howard, from the University of York, thinks there is more to the choristers' sound than meets the ear.
Working with music trainer Jenevora Williams, from Guildford, he has been trying to pin down exactly what it is in the singers' voices that make them sound so special.
Professor Howard explains: "The hypothesis is, if we can hear a difference, we should be able to see something that will show us what the acoustic attribute is that means that the brain hears it in that way."
But to study this you need an anechoic chamber - a room designed to prevent any sound from being reflected, which means only the purest tones of volunteer singers are recorded.
Professor Howard uses special software to monitor choristers as they sing.
It breaks this down into the unique set of frequencies that make up their sound.
And he has found that when choir boys and girls sing, particularly soloists, whose voices can soar above the rest of the choir, certain frequencies peak again and again.
He says: "In our experiments it looks as if that particular 'ring' is happening above the normal speech area, in the region up around 8,000 Hz, where there is something appearing when you get this really shimmery sound.
"It's something that makes you sit up, it's something that communicates with the soul. It's way beyond the words, it's way beyond the music, it's something about the content going from the brain of a singer to the brain of a listener."
The frequency peaks, he says, are all down to how the folds within the larynx vibrate, which also explains why a choir boy or girl's voice changes as they approach adolescence and their larynx increases in size.
Previous research has also found that opera singers have a similar resonance - although these appear lower on the frequency spectrum.
Professor Howard says that most choristers produce their sound subconsciously, but quantifying an enigmatic vocal feature to a few squiggles on a graph could help choir boys and girls get more out of their voices.
He says: "The potential may be that it can be used in conjunction with singing training in the studio to help children develop that area of the spectrum, so they develop that certain voice."
And in the future, Professor Howard thinks it could even help scientists to develop a synthetic choir.
He explains: "Maybe you can get to the point where maybe the computer could be at the back of the choir.
"It's a speculative thought, and I think we might get the acoustic right. But what we don't know is the emotional driver - and I think that I think is a long long way off."


As the latest UK unemployment figures come out, BBC News asks four experts for their tips for prospective job-hunters.

They give their advice on how to approach that all-important job interview - from what you wear to how you can use body language to impress your potential future boss.
Sue Powell is a relationship and career coach and she says that "preparation is key" when it comes to doing well in a job interview.
She tells BBC News about the kinds of things candidates can do to prepare themselves before an interview.
This includes doing some research on the company you are applying to, and making sure there are no inappropriate pictures of yourself available on the internet.
Neil Mullarkey is a comedian and improviser who advises business people on communication.
He gave BBC News a few tips on how to beat the nerves and stay cool under pressure.
He says the key is to breathe deeply and listen closely to the questions you are being asked.
For many people, job interviews can be nerve-racking - but a bit of preparation and a few simple techniques can make them less painful.
It is important that candidates give the right impression and this means wearing smart and professional clothing.
Sudarshan Singh is a personal stylist. He tells BBC News what kind of clothes to wear to an interview.
Carly Stephens is a recruitment director at Maine-Tucker. Here she explains how to perform to the best of your ability in an interview situation.
She says one of the most important things is to give tangible examples of your experience in your answers.
Produced by Lucy Burton
The BBC Lab UK's Get Yourself Hired Test takes 20 minutes and includes practical jobseeking advice from The Apprentice winner Tim Campbell.


Northampton Town midfielder Jak McCourt will be out for "a couple of months" because he needs shoulder surgery.

The 21-year-old joined the League One side on a two-year contract this summer following his release by Barnsley.
But he injured himself in a pre-season friendly against Nuneaton on Tuesday and although X-rays revealed no broken bones, he needs an operation to reduce the chances of the injury recurring.
"I am gutted for the lad," manager Rob Page told the club website.
"It was one of those things, it wasn't anyone's fault, it was an impact injury and all we can do now is work with Jak to get him fit and ready as soon as possible."


The Brexit bill is in its final parliamentary stages, with the House of Lords on the verge of backing down and backing the landmark legislation.

The EU Withdrawal Bill is set to be passed after peers voted by 273 votes to 135 not to challenge the Commons again over the rights of EU nationals.
Labour says it will not continue its opposition, including over the issue of a vote on the final Brexit deal.
This came as MPs voted overwhelmingly to overturn the Lords amendments.
MPs rejected calls for the government to protect the status of EU nationals within three months of the start of Brexit talks by 335 votes to 287 and then dismissed calls for Parliament to have a meaningful vote on any Brexit deal by 331 to 286 votes.
Labour peers have said they will not vote to reinsert the provisions, meaning a period of what is known as "parliamentary ping-pong" between the elected chamber and its unelected counterpart is highly unlikely.
Conceding defeat, Labour's leader in the Lords Baroness Smith, told the BBC they had "done their best" in the face of what she claimed was the government's "pure stubbornness" but she said for the Lords to continue its opposition when the views of MPs were clear would be an "empty gesture".
Crossbench peer Lord Pannick said "it was time to give way" to the elected chamber.
As peers gathered to consider their position. the Lib Dems accused Labour of "giving up" and said they would continue to "fight until the end of the process" - forcing a fresh vote on the status of EU nationals in the UK.
Both Houses of Parliament have to agree the text of the bill before it can be sent for Royal Assent and become law. Prime Minister Theresa May could then theoretically trigger Article 50, which formally starts the Brexit process, as early as Tuesday.
However, Downing Street sources have said this will not happen this week and the PM is expected to wait until the end of the month to officially notify the EU of the UK's intention to leave.
Only two Tory MPs - Tania Mathias and Alex Chalk - defied the whip over the issue of EU nationals as the government won the first vote comfortably, aided by six Labour MPs who backed Theresa May.
There were no rebels in the second vote although 11 Tories abstained, including former cabinet ministers Nicky Morgan, Dominic Grieve and Anna Soubry.
Opening Monday's Commons debate, Brexit Secretary David Davis said MPs had already approved the bill "without any strings attached" and putting it into law "without further delay" would enable the negotiations to begin.
He said the government was committed to a "quick deal" on the rights of EU residents, but insisted guarantees must be reciprocal.
He repeated the government's verbal assurances that both Houses would have a vote on any Brexit deal, but warned that while the Lords amendment "has been badged as a meaningful vote, the reality is there are some who would seek to use this to overturn the result of the referendum".
"We will not have anything that will put the intention to leave the EU in doubt," he told MPs.
But he was pressed by a number of Tory MPs over the exact nature of the parliamentary vote they've been promised. Former minister Anna Soubry said it was "perverse" that if the UK and EU were not able to agree a deal at all, that Parliament would not be "entitled" to pass its judgement.
"I would urge the government, for the sake of bringing unity to the country at large, that they allow Parliament's sovereignty to reign and in the event of no deal we have a vote and a say," she said.
For Labour, shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer said there was a "compelling case" to give EU residents the certainty they deserved, arguing that "not only is it the right thing do in principle but it would set the right tone ahead of the negotiations".
Former Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg accused ministers of "shameful inaction" on the issue, while Green Party leader Caroline Lucas said MPs "were not elected to be lemmings" in the Brexit process.
The SNP's Stephen Gethins said the question of the future of EU residents "went to the heart of what kind of country we want to be" and warned MPs not to hand the government a "blank cheque" in upcoming talks.
But the government won the backing of the vast majority of Tory MPs, including Dudley South's Mike Wood, who had been unable to vote during previous stages of the bill after being hospitalised with sepsis.
He tweeted: "I'm still recovering from sepsis but I was determined to vote to make sure that the decision taken in last June's referendum is implemented."
Mrs May has said Parliament will get a vote, but some MPs and peers want a stronger commitment to give them a more "meaningful" say - and to be able to potentially send her back to the negotiating table in Brussels.
Mrs May has said she would rather take the UK out of the EU with no deal rather than a "bad deal".
No deal would result in trade rules defaulting to World Trade Organisation standards, meaning the UK and EU would be obliged to apply to each other the tariffs and other trade restrictions they apply to the rest of the world.


A 31-year-old British man is missing in Australia after failing to return from an evening swim, police have said.

New South Wales Police said he swimming alone at Sydney's South Curl Curl Beach at about 19:00 local time on Saturday after fishing with a friend earlier.
Emergency services searched the area overnight and a sea search involving police divers resumed on Sunday.
Police said his last known address was in Manchester and they had contacted his family.
Insp Susan Preston, of New South Wales Police, said the man had only been in the country for a week.
"So we also have the concern that perhaps he's gotten out of the water at some point, not knowing where he's gone and perhaps is wandering around the local area," she said.
The UK Foreign Office confirmed a Briton had been reported missing in Sydney.
"We are in contact with local police and providing consular assistance to family," a spokesman said.


Angry Chinese fans have called for the resignation of the president of China's football association, after the country lost to Syria in a World Cup qualifier.

Syria's 1-0 victory on Thursday shocked fans in the Chinese city of Xi'an who took to the streets.
China has said it wants to become a "world football superpower".
But the loss means the team could now miss out on a place in the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
China is ranked 78th in the world whereas Syria is 114th, just ahead of North Korea. The Chinese team faces Uzbekistan on 11 October which will decide if they qualify.
Tencent's sports website said large group of fans gathered on the streets outside the Zhuque stadium, demanding the resignation of Cai Zhenhua, president of the Chinese Football Association after the game.
"Resign, resign, resign!", they are heard shouting in a video posted to Twitter.
Online, fans were equally critical of the Chinese team's performance.
"The Syrian football team has proved that we aren't strong and victorious," said one user on micro-blogging site Weibo.
"I'm going to hide my face now," said another.
"My blood pressure literally rose when I was watching the game," a user said.
"Syria, a war-torn country who can't even afford to buy their own shoes or shirts, whose manager earns a monthly salary of 2000 yuan, defeated China whose players earn millions," one person said.
Syria, who play their home matches in Oman due to the war, has seen almost five years of armed conflict.
Earlier this year, China laid out an ambitious plan to become a "world football superpower" by 2050.
The country's President Xi Jinping, a football enthusiast, previously said he wanted China to win the World Cup in 15 years.
The country also wants 50 million children and adults playing the game by 2020.
"The president of the country is pushing for football," Sven-Goran Eriksson, who coaches the Chinese Super League, told the BBC earlier this year.
"He wants China as a national team to be big, to be better in football."


A man who admitted stabbing a woman whom he believed had slashed his niece has been jailed for five years and three months for attempted murder.

Stephen Mann, 39, from Saltcoats, admitted attacking Annette Campbell in the North Ayrshire town's Dockhead Street on 14 July this year.
The High Court in Glasgow heard that after being detained Mann told police: "I hope I got her and killed her."
The victim suffered non-life-threatening back injuries.
The court heard that before the stabbing, Mann saw Ms Campbell in the town's Albion Bar and told her she was "getting it", adding: "You're dead."
Minutes later as she stood outside the bar chatting, he walked up and stabbed her in the back.
Mann later claimed that he carried out the attack because he believed Ms Campbell was responsible for slashing his nice.
He told police: "Nobody slashes my niece and gets away with it."
The court heard that Mann's niece was slashed at a party on 14 April 2014, but Ms Campbell denies any responsibility for this.
The doctor who treated Ms Campbell described her injury as non-life-threatening, but was of the opinion that if the stab wound had penetrated deeper her heart could have been pierced.
Mann also pleaded guilty to having a knife in a public place.


Clare Shillington announced her retirement from one-day internationals after Ireland lost to South Africa in their final World Cup Qualifier game.

Shillington, who made 90 appearances in the 50-over format, will continue to play Twenty20 internationals.
The 36-year-old scored 1,276 runs, including six half-centuries, in an ODI career which began in August 1997.
Ireland, already out of contention for a World Cup place, lost by 36 runs in a rain-affected contest in Colombo.
The Irish were bowled out for 166 with a ball of their 50 overs to spare, with Malahide keeper Mary Waldron top-scoring with an unbeaten 33.
Isobel Joyce (30), Cecelia Joyce (29) and Gaby Lewis (21) were unable to push on against a South Africa side who had already made sure of qualification, as Lizelle Lee, Sune Luus and Dane van Niekerk all took two wickets.
Kim Garth trapped Lee lbw early on in South Africa's reply, but Laura Wolvaardt (32 not out) and Mignon du Preez (29 not out) took them to 82-1 when rain and thunder at the Colombo Cricket Club curtailed the game with the batting side well ahead on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern system.
Shillington, whose ODI career began as a 16-year-old, said: "It feels like it's the right time to move away from the longer format due to the increased programme and upcoming tour commitments.
"But I am excited to stay involved in the T20 format with a qualifier and World T20 coming around in 2018."
In 2013, she became the first Irish woman to score a Twenty20 hundred in a 117-run victory over Japan, hammering an unbeaten 114 from 72 balls in Dublin, although that match was not classed as a "full" T20 international as Japan do not have T20 international status.
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Hearts winger Jamie Walker and Partick Thistle forward Ade Azeez have been cleared of diving after being booked last week.

A Scottish FA disciplinary tribunal upheld their clubs' appeals against their yellow cards.
Azeez had been cautioned after going down under a challenge by Celtic goalkeeper Craig Gordon during Thistle's 4-1 defeat on Friday.
Walker was booked after a collision with Rangers' Jason Holt on Saturday.
The Edinburgh side lost the Scottish Premiership game 2-0 at Ibrox.
Both players have now had their yellow cards rescinded.
Azeez had been booked by referee Craig Thomson 10 minutes from the end of the Glasgow derby with his side trailing 3-1.
John Beaton cautioned Walker, who was substituted by Hearts early in the second half, four minutes before half-time with the visitors 1-0 behind.
Earlier this season, Walker had been retrospectively banned for two matches for simulation after Beaton awarded Hearts a penalty in their 2-1 defeat by Celtic in August.


People searching for “depression” on Google will soon be prompted to take a questionnaire to assess if they may be suffering from the illness.

The search giant has partnered with the US National Alliance on Mental Illness (Nami) to roll out the project which is currently only for US users.
Users searching for depression will be prompted to “check if you’re clinically depressed”.
“While this tool can help, it’s important to note that PHQ-9 is not meant to act as a singular tool for diagnosis,” Nami said.
In a blog post announcing the news, Nami said the test should not be seen as replacing the insight of qualified mental health professionals - was instead a method to help people get the right help more quickly.
"By tapping “Check if you’re clinically depressed,” you can take this private self-assessment to help determine your level of depression and the need for an in-person evaluation,” the organisation explained.
"The results of the PHQ-9 can help you have a more informed conversation with your doctor."
The question will appear in the Knowledge Panel - the box that appears at the top of results when users search on a mobile device. Typically this panel is used for factual information, including details drawn from Wikipedia entries.
The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 is a series of nine questions about the subject’s mental health.
It asks how often you feel you have “little interest or pleasure in doing things” or “trouble concentrating on things, such as reading the newspaper or watching television?”.
Various studies have concluded it is a concise, reliable way to accurately detect signs of clinical depression.
Speaking to the Financial Times, Google product manager Vidushi Tekriwal said users who fill out the test will not have their answers logged by the company, nor would advertising be targeted to them as a result.
However, one psychotherapist said the idea seemed "terribly redundant".
Someone googling depression will probably not find more useful information via a short diagnostic than they have already surfaced in search results, argued Dr Aaron Balick, author of "The Psychodynamics of Social Netowrking".
"A better approach would be some sort of acknowledgment that the searcher may be feeling down, and offering them resources and a direct line - perhaps a chat box - to local psychological services," he told the BBC.
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Follow Dave Lee on Twitter @DaveLeeBBC
You can reach Dave securely through encrypted messaging app Signal on: +1 (628) 400-7370


As Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper prepared to address a crowd of blue-clad, thunderstick-banging supporters gathered at a Conservative Party rally in a conference hall on the outskirts of Toronto Saturday night, a small band of protestors gathered in the near-freezing temperatures to offer him a different sort of welcome.

There was a giant papier mache version of the prime minister waving a "be afraid" sign, a group of placard-carrying Marxists and a small band of folk singers led by Tony Turner, who performed a song he penned for the election.
"Harperman, it's time for you to go," was the refrain.
Mr Harper, Turner says, "has undermined government in so many different ways".
And if the prime minister's Conservative party loses on Monday night?
"I'll crack open a bottle of champagne," Turner laughs.
But Mr Harper isn't going to go down without a fight. On Saturday night, he and fellow Conservatives offered some of the most pointed attacks on Liberal party leader Justin Trudeau and his plan to run a budget deficit and raise taxes on the wealthy to fund new spending.
Mr Trudeau and his fellow Liberals "will absolutely destroy this country," said Doug Ford, the former Toronto city councillor who hosted the Harper rally. He was joined by his his controversial brother, former Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, who infamously admitted to smoking crack cocaine in 2013.
Although Mr Harper had distanced himself from the Ford brothers in the past, their support in the final days of the campaign could be the key to winning closely contested parliamentary races in the suburbs of Toronto.
A black-track-suit-clad Rob Ford watched from the crowd as Mr Harper took the stage and wasted little time continuing the attack, explaining what he saw as the Liberal philosophy: "You make it, they'll take it, and they'll spend it".
He then brought out Sanjib Bhattacharya, who made headlines after mocking Mr Trudeau for having "nice hair" in a Conservative campaign commercial.
While Mr Harper detailed what he said were the high costs of Mr Trudeau's tax proposals, Bhattacharya handed over piles of money to the sound of a cash register clanging.
Mr Harper's sketch-comedy criticisms of Liberal economic policy go fist in glove with the closing theme of his campaign - that Mr Trudeau is "just not ready" to be prime minster, as Bhattacharya's television advert bluntly put it.
After the rally, Conservative supporters in attendance echoed that line of attack - although they did confess some unease.
"You hear the polls, and you hope they're all wrong," says Eli Kantor. "We can't have a Liberal government. Trudeau is just not ready."
Nelly Eiven says Mr Trudeau is a good drama teacher, referring to the Liberal leader's career before he followed in the political footsteps of his father, former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. "But to run the country? I don't think so."
"I hope we win, but I feel that there were some mistakes made in the campaign and some of these things that they're bringing up now should have been brought up a little earlier," she continues.
And how are these themes playing out among a broader Canadian public that is less involved in the political process?
Earlier on Saturday, a crowd gathered in Toronto for a different reason - to watch a play-off baseball game between the home town Blue Jays and the Kansas City Royals on a jumbo television screen set up in front of city hall.
Some attendees said they were more emotionally invested in who won the game than which political party triumphed in Monday's general election - but among those who cared, their allegiances were split.
"I think this election is more about change than who is ready," says Bryan Loubert of London, Ontario. "Maybe the real question should be; is Stephen Harper ready to continue for another four years?" Mr Loubert says he's voting for change.
Lisa Tiqui of Whitbey, Ontario says that while she thinks Mr Trudeau is ready to lead and she likes him personally, she's still leaning toward Mr Harper and the economic leadership he displayed during the 2008 global recession.
"I can't seem to get that out of my mind that Canada did so well during the bad times," she says.
Despite challenging poll numbers, could the Conservatives pull out an upset on Monday night? Eric Grenier, founder of the polling analysis website ThreeHundredEight.com, writes for CBC News that Mr Harper's closing gambit may still pay off.
Opinion surveys could be under-representing the prime minister's vote due to a "shy Tory" effect - where those polled are unwilling to express their true Conservative allegiances. John Major's surprising win in the 1992 UK general election is cited as a prime example of this phenomenon.
A well-funded Harper-backed get-out-the-vote campaign and Conservative-backing elderly voters who cast ballots in disproportionately high numbers could also prove decisive, he writes.
But if Mr Harper does accrue enough votes to win a plurality, he'll still likely have to confront a parliament where Liberal and left-leaning New Democratic Party MPs could unite to topple his government.
As Mr Harper left the stage on Saturday night, Collective Soul's song Better Now blared over the loudspeakers - an interesting choice that could be viewed as revealing a bit too much about the Conservative prime minister's closing strategy.
"Oh, I'm newly calibrated," the lyrics go. "All shiny and clean. I'm your recent adaptation. Time to redefine me."
But after nine years of Harper rule, it may be too late for redefinitions.
If there is a path to victory on Monday for the prime minister making his last stand, it will be a long and narrow one.


An underground wireless station set up in 1940 by Winston Churchill to counteract a feared German invasion has been given heritage protection.

The secret station was manned by civilian volunteers who would send and receive messages for the Army.
It was discovered in 2012 at a house just outside Norwich called Pinebanks.
Complete with a fake bookcase to conceal the room and an escape tunnel, Historic England said it was a "rare example."
By June 1940, the increasing threat of German invasion and potential occupation prompted Prime Minster Churchill to set up a secret mission called GHQ Auxiliary Units, with a particular branch known as "Special Duties".
It used civilian volunteers, living in areas like the south-east of England and East Anglia seen as most under threat of invasion, to spy and report on German military activities, had the UK been invaded.
Historic England said these recruits to "Churchill's secret army" transmitted messages from hidden "Out-stations" to military-run "In stations", like the one at Pinebanks.
"So much information about the stations was either hidden or destroyed," said Historic England's Tony Calladine.
"This small but significant dugout has great potential to teach us about a relatively little known area of our 20th Century military history."
Details about their locations and construction were kept secret and very little documentation on the 32 In stations exists.
Only 12 In stations have been found so far and Historic England is asking the public for help in tracing the remaining 20.
By July 1944, 3,500 civilians had been trained and 125 civilian-run Out stations had been established, often hidden in dugouts.
Two other wireless stations are protected as ancient monuments - Hare Warren Control Station in Wiltshire and an Out station at Heiferlaw in Northumberland.
The Pinebanks station is at Thorpe St Andrews near Norwich. It is not open to the public and was gutted by a fire in 2014.