Cardiff of course are flying high, Peterborough are struggling just above the relegation zone. It should be a formality that City win, ermm no. Now's not the time to be complacent, tonight is Peterborough's cup final, a win would almost secure their place in Division 2 for next season. Cardiff City to a man will have to be totally professional and work hard to secure a victory that would give City the advantage over Crewe with only 4 games remaining.
London Rd is not a ground City have faired well at. We have only ever won there one in 8 attempts. Their manager the larger than life Barry Fry will not allow City an favours tonight.
Two things City have running in their favour at the moment.
1, we have not lost a 7.45pm league game this season and
2, whenever we have been inconveinienced by late postponements we have gone on to win the games when they were played.
On the pitch City welcome back Daniel Gabbidon to the starting line up. A hamstring injury means Spencer Prior will miss tonight game and Saturdays home game v Colchester. Gabbidon will line up alongside Chris Barker in central defence with James Collins expected to move up to the bench.
Martyn Margetson has kept two clean sheets in his last two games so it would follow that he will keep his place and Neil Alexander will be on the bench again.
Gareth Whalley has been added to the squad after his excellent display for the reserves yesterday. He may get a place on the bench.
City (probable)
Margetson, Weston, Gabbidon, Barker, Croft, Ainsworth, Boland, Kavanagh, Mahon, Earnshaw, Thorne.
Subs. (from) Alexander, Collins, Whalley, Legg, Bonner, Gordon.
Robert Earnshaw will again have a chance of scoring his 31st league goal of the season and see him set a new club record. His striker Partner, Peter Thorne, is looking to add to the five goals he's scored in the last 3 games.
Tonights match is pay at the gate, and a large City following is expected.
Radio Wales will be giving live commentary on tonights game and there will be internet commentary to thos with Cardiff City World. The chatroom and messageboard on this site will also keep tyou up to date.
Managers quotes ahead of the game.
Barry Fry
"The Cardiff game is a massive match and one we are certainly capable of winning. Our home form has not been very good this season, but if we show the same level of commitment, attitude and desire as we showed at Mansfield and at Barnsley then we should get a positive result. Hopefully with it being half-term, a lot of kids will come down to London Road and support us and I am sure Cardiff will bring a large travelling support, although it won't be as many as they would have brought for a Saturday game."
Lennie Lawrence
"No disrespect, but Peterborough are better than Wycombe and Chesterfield In Andy Clarke and Leon McKenzie they have two lively forwards. They've got pace up front and they will be looking to get behind us. But we have to win. We've got to force them back. We must take the game to them."
Remaining fixtures
Cardiff
16/04/03 Peterbrough (a)
19/04/03 Colchester (h)
22/04/03 Bristol City (a)
26/04/03 Wigan (h)
03/05/03 Crewe (a)
Crewe
19/04/03 Swindon (h)
21/04/03 Barnsley (a)
26/04/03 QPR (a)
03/05/03 Cardiff (h)
Cardiff have got to keep winning. Promotion is assured if City win all their games, that will be difficult but tonight and Saturday are huge games. If City pick up 6 points then we go into the last three games with our noses in front. Crewe face tricky games at Barnsley and QPR before they play us. I'm assuming they will win at home on Saturday. Who has got the bottle?
Peterborough Utd v Cardiff City
London Rd, tonight, 7:45pm.