This was a sCrappy game (the capital C was deliberate) in the only style you come to expect from Steve Cotterill sides - tough, physical and muscle and in the pie-munching, rectangle shaped, seriously unfit David Unsworth, some bulk too! City withstood it all and won it with two quality Welsh-made goals with a superb Joe Ledley header and Paul Parry run and shot, even showing their character to win it again after another defensive lapse saw Burnley briefly back on level terms. Ledley continued his current run of outstanding personal performances even though he forced into central midfield and was either involved in or produced the only real moments of quality City should have more won emphatically despite JFH and Fowler being generally quiet but Burnley's Hungarian keeper Kiraly - as entertaining as ever in Primark-style jog bottoms - made some superb stops.
It's been yet another of those weeks. Two visits to South Yorkshire in 4 days saw Cardiff overwhelm Barnsley and Sheffield United but allowed both to equalise in the final moments, that following the last home game where they did the same with Preston. The Liverpool cup game moved to Halloween Wednesday Night which, incredibly,.meant the weekend Blackpool game was postponed. Lancs police recently switched it to Friday and couldn't revert or cover it on Saturday due to other trivial events in the region that had been known about for months. It was not without irony that The Bluebirds were home to Burnley on the same day a major rugby World Cup quarter-final and other events were in Cardiff
To their immense credit, Peter Ridsdale and the club agreed to reimburse fans with out of pocket non-refundable costs (still waiting to hear if he'll cover my £200 worth of train tickets so here's hoping!). The week however ended on a triumphant note as woefully inadequate goalkeeper Ross Turnbull was recalled to Middlesborough after injury to their back-up keeper. City agreed to have his season loan spell terminated leaving Dave Jones free to bring in another. That is the equivalent of a "Get Out of Jail" free card. Cardiff made all the right noises about how they could have stopped it and that he has a big future ... on the evidence shown here, I can only assume that'll be a big future serving in McDonald's. I bet Jones couldn't believe his luck!
Team-news as Steve McPhail was absent which was a surprise to me as the teams came out. He was in the wars at Sheffield United needing stitches for a head wound but unsure if that was the reason for his absence or it was another injury. McPhail is one of those players you love or hate and central midfield has been misfiring but there were some City fans who believe City's cause was aided by McPhail not being on the pitch. With few options, Joe Ledley - City's best player recently, was pulled inside meaning a start for Peter Whittingham who had a right stinker. Otherwise,Jones resisted the temptation to start with Captain Darren Purse with our defence under the spotlight having conceded those late goals and 12 in 6 games to go with Oakes, McNaughton-Johnson-Loovens-Capaldi, Parry-Rae-Ledley-Whittingham, Fowler-Hasselbaink. Subs were David Forde (back from a month loan at Luton)-Purse-Gunter-Thommo and prospect Aaron Ramsey.
Burnley have started the season well and came to Ninian Park with just one defeat all season. With the league table bunched up, they dropped one place below City, with identical goals for and against, 4:45pm having started the afternoon 7 places ahead of us in 8th. They do have a game in hand on most sides and their away form was good ahead of a trip to Cymru with 2 wins out of 3 (at Colchester and Sheffield Weds).
Steve Cotterill has limited finances and a small squad (the only time that term could be applied to Unsworth) but it has some quality and will always be competitive. They started with a bizarre 4-1-4-1 system featuring Kiraly, Alexander-Carlisle-Caldwell-Jordan, Unsworth, Spicer-Mahon-Blake-Gray, Lafferty.
Unsworth was some sight, a fatter version of Razor Ruddock if that's possible, must have been wearing the mascot's kit for the size fit and presumably playing in front of the back four and behind midfield as he couldn't keep up with either. He was one of three Burnley players replaced at the interval, I guess, to spend the second half cuddled up with an oxygen mask. If he can play for Burnley, so can I.
A decent defence with Britain's Brainiest Alcoholic footballer Clark Carlisle who now looks a dead ringer for Sucre in Prison Break and former Preston stalwart Graham Alexander and some attacking quality with former City loanee Alan Mahon, the dangerous Robbie Blake, Andy Gray (scorer of 7 already) and Kyle Lafferty.
There's an Indian Summer but it was light cloud and mild during the game, the crowd was disappointing at 12,914 but only 250 or so came from Burnley, one taken out in first minute and as befits a town where the main 3 course meal is a packet of crisps, Greggs pasty, and custard slice and where the key pastime is drinking cider and shouting at war memorials, a couple of them stood at the back of the Grange whirling their scarves in the air. Very 1970's.
The least said (or written) about the first half-hour,the better really. Blue shirts struggled to pass to another blue shirt and Burnley were no better. Our legendary duo produced no more than a Fowler shot into the stand and a JFH free-kick in a great position into the visitor's wall. The Bluebirds midfield struggled to adapt, Peter Whittingham had a hopeless half where everything he did went wrong and fluffed one of two outstanding chances in the opening phase. First came when Robbie Fowler was put clear down the right and has JFH free in the box waiting to pounce but Fowler woefully underhit his pass and danger was averted. Whittingham's failure came as .McNaughton advance, cut into the box and played the perfect ball across the face of goal which saw Whittingham play an air shot to a 'can't possibly miss that one' chance with an empty net facing him, he appeared to lack the courage to bundle it home but it underlined his half.
Burnley forced some early corners but City held firm but had more injury trouble as Glenn Loovens limped out after 25 minutes apparently with hamstring problems. Loovens is not having a great time with fitness and Cardiff always look better with him, let's hope it doesn't become a recurring theme. Back came Captain Darren Purse and within 5 minutes, he was the unlikely hero creating the first goal with a cross. His first attempt out wide was blocked but his second was a great delivery and in charged JOE LEDLEY between two defenders to plonk a superb downward header from 12 yards into Kiraly's corner, the keeper helpless. A classic header, Joe's 2nd goal in a week.
Cardiff seemed to settle more with that and Joe was now in a groove, advancing and spotting the opportunity to hit a first time 25 yarder that was screaming for the top corner with Kiraly off his line but the keeper managed to tip over. Burnley won some more corners before the interval but, again, City coped comfortably indeed.
The half-time whistle blew and everyone headed to the bar before having to endure the embarrassing sight of the cutting edge entertainment that is fans trying to kick a ball at a garden shed. Maybe it is just a ploy to get us all to the bar to spend money, I can't think of any other worthy reason for it.
Half-time: CITY 1 BURNLEY 0
Steve Cotterill went for broke by taking the highly unusual step of using all three subs at the restart, taking off Unsworth (which pleased the ground staff), Mahon and Lafferty, introducing Ade Akinbiyi, Wade Elliott and one-time City target Chris McCann and implementing the more traditional 4-4-2 method.
That instinctively felt more threatening but it was City who showed first as Paul Parry got up from one poor challenge with advantage waved, cut inside and had Kiraly at full stretch to punch away. Moments later he was in action again, doing well to hold Joe Ledley's 30 yarder then disaster as City got in a mess and were pegged back. There was no great threat as Burnley attacked down the left but McNaughton was beaten and Jordan's cross was missed by Elliott in front of goal but not by AKINBIYI at the far post who directed a neat header back across the flailing Oakes..
Two Burnley players lined up for headers in front of goal and no Cardiff defender near them, no wonder Dave Jones was going ballistic in the City dugout. He was perhaps more animated with the ref get sent to the stands at Barnsley last week but I've never seen him more animated with his team than at that moment.
The pressure was on City and, truth be told, there was an air of resigned "we're going to cock it up again" atmosphere in the stands but credit City for having different ideas as they regained the lead within 4 minutes and with a cracker. It was solo PAUL PARRY in a near identical run and shot to his earlier save but this time, he cut across tow men and unleashed an unstoppable 20 yard volley into the opposite bottom corner.
Having surrendered the lead the last 6 times they had it in league games, City knew they had to close it out that's exactly what they did. It was winning ugly but Cardiff were rarely in danger and looked strong and resolute when attacked. Purse was leading by example, Oakes was decisive in all he did and City looked stronger for it.
When Cardiff pushed forward, either Kiraly saves or, more often than not, Burnley's brutal approach got in the way. Joe Ledley was scythed a couple of times, they were head injuries and some annoyance at the ref for not being firmer although I thought he was excellent overall. However it was ironic that when Caldwell become the first player booked, it was with one of the lesser challenges of the game and it was the same for Spicer although, in his case, he probably got booked on a totting up process for taking his foul challenges into double figures. Joe Ledley was buzzing and everywhere, holding central midfield, charging up the wing, supporting play on the left and right and going on lung-bursting runs into the penalty box while being hacked down and coming back for more. Some of his forward passes were brilliant but Robbie and JFH looked a little jaded and couldn't take advantage ... as someone commented by me, they were the perfect passes for Chopra.
Elliott had one dangerous mazy run which, thankfully, wasn't matched by his finishing, Robbie Fowler went off 25 minutes early for Thommo and Parry, on another great run, twisted and turned a defender inside out before Kiraly was excellent in blocking his rising drive. Kiraly was at it again, doing very well indeed to not just block but hold onto a rasping JFH free-kick with true venom and now it was down to whether City could hold out in those final few minutes.
That they did so - despite 4 added minutes too - is probably due to lessons learned by manager and players. The players took every opportunity to slow or kill the game, taking the ball to corners, playing higher upfield and working to keep the ball in the Burnley half. Dave Jones also removed JFH for the last 5 and brought on Aaron Ramsey going 4-5-1. Ramsey had the youngest head but also showed a football brain to win a couple of challenges and clearances, one of them giving City fans kittens as he ran back towards goal but it was only to make space to turn and launch the ball to the Bob Bank. And the fans played their part too as a Joe Ledley shot fond the Grange End and the fans decided to play basketball in there with it. It eventually went back when a replacement ball turned up.
Final whistle and you would have thought we had a major cup victory but such is the joy of relief. Ten games into the season is usually a time when some managers declare they can be judged. Cardiff are exactly in mid-table, exactly where they have been for 3 seasons Can they go higher? It's certainly not a strong division and I've yet to see an outstanding side and despite City's inadequacies, I've yet to see anyone better than us at all either. Take away those late equalisers in the previous three games and missed penalties in the first two home games and we'd be well clear in 2nd.
And there lies the key. City are now finding the net with regularity (17 in the last 8 games) and goals are being shared around the team too (8 different scorers) but they remain powerless to prevent them at the other end and keep clean sheets. One clean sheet so far is just not good enough and unless that improves, we're always be looking up and wondering. However, sort it out, then maybe ... just maybe ... anything is possible.
Report from FootyMad
A Paul Parry stunner gave Cardiff City their first home league victory in nine attempts.
Joe Ledley opened the scoring with a close-range header, but when Ade Akinbiyi equalised early in the second half, it looked like more home points dropped until Parry stepped up.
City were forced to make a very late change with Steve McPhail ruled out through illness.
Peter Whittingham came into midfield while Darren Purse and fit again Steve Thompson were on the bench.
Former Bluebird Alan Mahon was prominent for the Clarets in the opening stages, but it was Robbie Blake who first threatened the home goal in the 14th minute when he cut inside only to fire high over the bar.
Purse replaced the injured Glenn Loovens midway through the half after the Dutchman suffered a pulled muscle.
City almost opened the scoring when a cross from Kevin McNaughton went straight across the Burnley area but Whittingham failed to get a touch at the far post.
The breakthrough came in the 36th minute when Purse crossed and Ledley leaped high to beat Gabor Kiraly with a firm header.
Three minute later he almost doubled the lead but this time Kiraly tipped his rising shot over the bar.
The Clarets brought on all three substitutes at the start of the second half and it worked when one of them, Akinbiyi, headed in to the far corner in the 50th minute for the equaliser.
Just as the visitors seemed to be taking a stranglehold on the game, Parry received the ball out wide, cut inside and unleashed a shot into the net beyond the diving keeper.
He almost claimed his second with another venomous drive but once again Kiraly managed to tip over the bar.
Burnley pressed hard in the closing stages but City held on for their first home victory in almost seven months.
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