Cardiff 2 Norwich 1. Match Report

It was the archetypal game of two halves as a rampant Cardiff tore Norwich apart in the first half. A 2-0 interval lead could easily have been 4-0 or 5-0, that‘s no exaggeration. Norwich inevitably hit back in the second period. They scored early to make it tense but despite heavy pressure, Margetson only had to deal with a couple of awkward crosses and watch one dangerous effort go wide as City’s tenacity and determination saw them home all aided by a singing Ninian Park 110% behind them.

City went into the game with real problems. Graham Kavanagh went absent injured, it later emerged that his season is over as he enters hospital for an ankle operation. Richard Langley, Paul Parry, John Robinson and even Lennie himself were suffering with flu strains and throat infections but all played key roles on the day. Other injured and unavailable included Peter Thorne, Rhys Weston and James Collins.

City’s line-up was Margetson, Croft-Vidmar-Gabbidon-Barker, Robinson-Whalley-Boland-Parry, Lee-Earnshaw. Tony Vidmar, Mr Consistent, was captain for the day and now the rest of the season too. Willie Boland was back after missing the shambolic last home game against Coventry. City owed themselves and the fans a performance after that showing but also wanting to make amends for the visit to Carrow Road.

You can almost pinpoint our recent decline back to our visit to the Canaries just three months ago. We travelled in good spirits with 35 points already on the board and knowing a win would take us within 2 points of 2nd placed Norwich. The warning signs were already there but a 4-1 pasting that day seems to have put us in freefall since.

At a time when all rivals were strengthening, we went backwards. We failed to secure Julian Gray or anyone else until Paul Parry arrived when the rot was in full swing. Defensive cracks were opening - 18 goals conceded in our first 19 games, 25 goals conceded in 16 games since tells a story. Just 11 points in 12 games since Norwich away before today - that’s relegation form - tells you everything.

So Norwich and their 1,200 fans arrived at Ninian Park (in a 16,317 crowd than looked more than that) proudly sitting on top of Division One, only a complete collapse in form and results can stop them reaching the Premiership. Meanwhile City started the day in 14th, a massive 21 points behind and only complete fantasists still clinging onto play-off dreams which disappeared long ago as far as the most realistic punters are concerned.

Nowich’s side were Green, Edworthy-Mackay-Fleming-Drury, Holt-McVeigh-Francis-Brennan, Svensson-Huckerby. Not too many household names or massive fees on purchases. Just reliance on shrewd buys and local produce and an ability by manager Nigel Worthington to improve them as turn what he has into a cohesive unit. Keeper Robert Green is touted as a future England player, Malky Mackay was captured for £600,000 from Celtic. Their midfield four cost £100,000, all spent on Gary Holt, the others are free or nominal fees.

The striking due stood out and not just because they were The Bleach Boys as Svensson and Huckerby had more peroxide on show than a night out in Essex but because City had scores to settle with them. Svennson, a one-time City target, scored at Ninian Park whilst playing for Derby early in the season whilst Huckerby single-handedly demolished us in that 4-1 defeat, scoring two making others and our defence making him appear the best player in the world. His loan at Norwich which inspired the side ended that day but he was back a fortnight later, signed for £750,000. He is an enigma, either brilliant or awful, too good for Division One, not good enough for the Premiership it seems.

Twenty four hours earlier, Ninian Park and South Wales were covered in upto 4 inches of snow but rising temperatures quickly made it disappear and the day was very spring-like with sunshine and fairly mild. Ninian’s pitch was spectacular, it looked like it was the start of the season.

There was a great atmosphere at the start as the visitors came to vocally back their team and City fans were not about to be outdone. The wind was obviously blowing in the right direction but you could hear the noise clearly waling up from Canton. Already Delia was the target of some chants with “Delia likes a spit-roast” especially popular.

The decibels rose again as both sides marched out and formed a guard of honour for Scott Young to take a bow, the much-loved centre-half having to retire at the age of just 28 after more than 340 games but, sadly, never able to play in Division One. He will live on in City history, especially for his FA Cup winner against Leeds. It was announced that City will employ him in community schemes.

Norwich started positively and showed why they are top with their style. They were fast and direct. When they pushed forward, they did it as a unit with their midfield four pushing up fast in support of their strikers. Such a contrast to City’s backwards and sideways style with only one of two midfielders pushing up, one holding midfield and another playing deep. However without Kav, City were forced into adjustments and, on the day, it suited them. With wide midfielders, we had to play up and down and take the game to the Canaries and how it suited us, how much better we looked for it.

The early scare came from Norwich as Svensson put a point-blank header over, he should have done better but other than some comedy wayward shooting from The Canaries, the rest of the half clearly belonged to Cardiff as Norwich were subjected to a good old fashioned battering.

Alan Lee cleverly flicked-on a long ball, Earnie spun and was away from his marker and onto the ball in the area, Green raced out but Earnie lobbed well over, it was the sort of chance he buried with his eyes closed earlier in the season. Moments later, Earnie turned and raced away again. The game opened before him and Alan Lee made himself available in space but Earnie got greedy and tried to shoot from 35 yards, his effort deflected for a corner. Earnie didn’t even look at Lee or apologise to him. The corner was scrambled away under pressure.

Norwich’s defence are the best in the league with only 18 conceded all season and 6 clean sheets in their last 7 games but, today, they made mistake after mistake and seemed unable to deal with any significant pressure on them. City were making headway just by pressurising them and waiting for an error which inevitably came.

Paul Parry was enjoying himself and a major threat. After brilliantly side-stepping two defenders, Earnie lost the ball under challenge. An outswinging corner found Vidmar, who put in an immense performance, his low edge of area shot was stopped by Green. Parry’s corner were far more effective than Kav but if he had been in the side, Parry wouldn’t have had this chance.

Another major chance came Earnie’s way and was wasted again as big Alan Lee turned his defender, delayed a pass to draw out a defender then slid it inside to Earnie 10 yards out for a clear opportunity but he incredibly delayed his shot long enough to allow a defender to get in the way and block him.

On 17 minutes, City took the lead with a fluke goal but how we loved it. City were passing the ball around and spreading Norwich, PAUL PARRY moved inside and knocked in a lofted ball towards Earnie lurking at the far post. Earnie got behind defenders, Green was distracted by his run but the little guy couldn’t get to the ball but instead it took one bounce, skidded on the new damp surface after rain started and zipped up into the top left corner.

It was Parry’s first City and league goal but I don’t think I’ve seen a more embarrassed scorer in my life. There was little emotion or acknowledgement by him, the rest of the players and 15,000 fans however were going absolutely mental.

The place was bedlam but three minutes later, it was 2-0 and out of control. Another defensive error, Vidmar found Parry who was suddenly running in clear on goal. Again, Green came out to close him down but Parry was the coolest customer in the ground as, with everyone waiting for his shot, he brilliantly cut the ball across goal to EARNIE who had the simple job of steering the ball into a completely unguarded net. Earnie somersaulted away in celebration.

Norwich were shell-shocked, Worthington could only look on shaking his head at his defensive horror show. Green throw a ball straight at Parry who charged to goal on another run but was denied. The centre-halves kept gifting the ball to City or slicing it out touch.

Before half-time, it could have been even more embarrassment for the league leaders. A Parry corner was decisively met by Alan Lee whose downward angled header smacked off the far post , Earnie just denied sending the rebound home by trying to be too cute and jinking past a defender instead of just hitting it. Lee flicked on again and Earnie showed some imagination by trying to loop the ball over Green but he got back to take it right under his crossbar. Gray Croft burst forward on the right and volleyed into the side netting and Chris Barker did likewise on a breathtaking 40 yard run but shot straight at Green getting over-excited when Lee was available inside.

It was a superb first half showing which had the whole ground buzzing and on a high. The only question we know wanted to know is what was Sam’s half-time announcement going to be. As soon as we saw a table coming with council and bluebird emblems on, we knew it was propaganda. Flanked by our Under-12’s waving Bluebird and St Davids Cross flaga, Sam came out to huge cheers followed by council leader Russell Goodway to muted applause and some good boos.

They were signing off the first leg of the stadium project, the re-building of the athletics stadium across to road to its current location which must be fulfilled before City’s new stadium can be built on its current site. Never have so many people applauded for an athletics stadium before! However the significance could not be lost as once that starts, there is no going back. Sam then proceeded to induce mass vomiting by openly crawling to, and praising, Goodway over the tannoy. Still, it was one way of everyone headed to the bars or toilets before the 2nd half started.

Half-time City 2 Norwich 0.

Nowich showed their intent at the start of the second period by switching to 3-5-2 with Leon Mckenzie and Phil Mulryne replacing a defender Brennan and a midfielder McVeigh but it clearly made them more attacking. It was nearly made to count for nothing in the opening action.

City burst forward with Parry and Barker on the left, Barker took the ball on and crossed low to Alan Lee who dummied to leave the ball for John Robinson behind him, Robbo hit his shot for the top corner, Green produced an outstanding save to deny him. Maybe Robbo should have shot low instead but there was no denying the quality of the stop.

City were looking to hold firm and ride out the storm to make Norwich become increasingly desperate but those plans went out of the window on 56 minutes.

There was no danger at all as Boland played the ball to Earnie on 56 minutes but a defender stepped in front of him, came away with the ball, played it forward to McKENZIE who skipped the immaculate Gabbidon and steered the ball home wide of Margetson.

Mention has to be made of Earnie’s dreadful personal performance. You have to ask where his head is at the moment. He was lazy beyond belief, never running for the ball as we know he can and which makes him so effective. Every time, he stood around waiting for the ball to come to him, it was how he was caught for Nowich‘s goal. Someone commented earlier how he looked hungry for Wales the other week and how it was a huge factor in his hat-trick. We all love him, he’s essential to the team but Lennie needs to get hold of the player and have a strong word with him.

The rest of the contest was now a right battle but City’s resolution and desire was a joy. They gave nothing, their determination to see the job though was as fantastic in its own way as the first half free-flowing football was.

Alan Lee took a battering up front and really not helped by Premiership ref Jeff Winter officiating like a novice. Wanting to referee with a smile on his face, not book anyone unless it was necessary (nobody was) and allow the game to flow are admirable qualities but not when players are allowed to offend time after time. MacKay cynically took out Lee time after time, got spoken to twice, and was still allowed to carry on what he did. A dreadful first half frustration lunge by Huckerby sending Gabbidon off the pitch got no more than a friendly word of advice either.

Midfield did their jobs well too. Willie Boland everywhere as usual but Gareth Whalley stuck to his task too, going in bravely all the time, putting a foot in where it mattered and going close in the second half after breaking through and shooting a foot wide. Robbo was at his inspirational best, rallying the others and always being involved. After all City’s subs had been used, he pulled up suddenly with what looked like a hamstring strain or pull but ran it off and still put himself about for the final 15.

In defence, Vidmar and Gabbidon were imperious. Vidmar so big and strong, first to everything, Gabbidon fantastic in the air winning header after header and often bringing the ball away. Croft and Barker stood up well too, Huckerby having no joy at all as Croft with someone doubling up behind him giving nothing away. Huckerby produced only one moment of danger as he cut inside but shot weakly wide only for Winter to cause more anger as he awarded a corner. Robbo went berserk with him, the whole ground jeered, Winter at least showed some common-sense by awarded City a free-kick from the corner for a non-existent infringement and looking to Robbo with a smile.

Cardiff ran into problems as Paul Parry went off with a foot injury, many booing not realising what the problem was. Alan Lee went off looking completely knackered after his immense efforts, the ground again booing in non-appreciation of why it was done. Then from the restart Croft jumped for a header and his shoulder popped out.

It looked a broken arm at first but with physio and doctor on the pitch, it soon became apparent what the problem was. It was horrific viewing watching them trying, and failing, to put it back with Crofty screaming out in pain. They gave up and Prior came on, the very second it happened, Croft managed to pop his shoulder back in and wanted to get back on but it was too late. He was in no pain at all and had free movement. A bizarre incident. The other subs on were Gordon and Langley, Vidmar went to right back to continue snubbing Huckerby and Prior was throwing himself into everything in the middle too, he won everything too.

As much as they huffed and puffed, they was no way back for Norwich. City’s 11 and 15,000 fans now singing and cheering saw them home. It wasn’t pretty but it sure was effective. Four minutes of added time caused a shock but with 6 subs, a goal and Croft’s injury, it couldn’t have been any less.

Richard Langley and Boland saw it out by themselves in getting the ball to the far corner of the Norwich end and somehow, through play, corners, and throw-ins keeping it there for all bar the far 30 seconds. The last flings of action brought heart flutters as Norwich won a free-kick. There were 21 players in the City area but Vidmar rose to head away and that was it. Wild celebrations followed, the reaction of the players showing what it meant to them. It was a stirring, passionate showing, a throwback to the old days when we love City most - they gave 110% honest effort and worked, worked, worked from first to last.