Cardiff City 3 Port Vale 1 - Match Report

Over 90 minutes, it wasn’t always spectacular and for a long period either side of half-time, tedious and (unnecessarily) tense but, again, whilst it wasn’t always pretty to watch, City were comfortable and professional. I keep getting the feeling we’re going to have to get used to being patient this season, there is a definite touch of the ‘boring boring (George Graham era) Arsenal’ about City but it’s proving effective and getting results – all that matters for this season.

City had an enforced change from the team that won at Oldham last Saturday as Willie Boland started a 3 match absence as a result of a sending off in a pre-season friendly at Motherwell but there was a surprise as Andy Legg replaced him rather than Layton Maxwell which was hinted throughout the build up to the game. With two left midfielders in the three man midfield (Whalley being the other), City adjusted being pushing Kavanagh more to the right side than usual.

Port Vale came to Ninian Park after a disastrous home hammering to Tranmere in their opening game and having conceded 4 games in their last 50 minutes of football – a blistering Bluebird start made it 6 goals inside an hour and it could have been worse.

City went for Oldham with vociferous crowd backing which got louder as a Port Vale defender ripped off Leo’s collar in the opening seconds. I thought Leo’s shirt looked far better than the rest of them with collars!

Within 2 minutes, it was 1-0 with the simplest goal you will ever see. City won a throw-in, Andy Legg prepared for a long throw. Port Vale defence knew what was coming but seem hypnotised watching an astonishing throw to the far post where PETER THORNE was left totally unmarked and nodded home with ease.

And seven minutes later, after just 9 minutes, it was dreamland as it became City 2 Port Vale 0 with a wondrous Leo goal. City advanced and picked out Leo on the wide left edge of Vale’s area, the rest was Leo doing a Ronaldo as he stopped the ball, dragged it back and side stepped to leave his marker lying on the pitch and then hit a perfectly drilled shot across the face of goal on the outside of his left foot which rose as it flew inside the far post past Goodlad’s grasp. That wasn’t ‘just like watching Brazil’, it was EXACTLY like watching Brazil!!

Then came a turning point in a moment which should have put the game totally beyond Port Vale’s reach although, in truth, it already was. Another brilliant move, all started by that man Leo again, this time with a 50 yard cross field ball to pick out Thorne. Thorne floated a ball over Vale’s defence to pick out Rhys Weston making a brilliant run, he was tugged back and penalty!

At this point, City fans were in a daze and talking of 6 or 7 goals but then reality dawned as Kavanagh looked far too casual as he took no run up, just a couple of slow steps, and put the ball at a perfect height for Goodlad who guess the right direction and beat the ball away. A good save, his first of many, but Kav was far too cocky. One of those penalties that look great when they go in, stupid when they’re saved.

The miss shook Kav and the whole team as City suddenly went quiet and settled down, they seemed happy enough to contain Vale and leave it to them to make a game of it. City’s only effort of the next 20 minutes was Leo again who turned a Weston cross over the bar from 15 yards.

The game was so quiet that the only fascination for me was watching ref Rejer’s double jointed elbows every time he pointed to award a free-kick or throw in, his arms were an upside down “v” shaped rather than straight when he held them out!

But then more drama on 36 minutes within seconds of a bad foul on Whalley near halfway, City took a free-kick with Andy Campbell (the easiest player in football to knock off the ball) brought down as he went away from Collins who had a yellow card for an earlier challenge. I’m not sure if the ref was influenced by the fact it was 2 fouls within 5 seconds (not by the same player) or the crowd but he got out a yellow – a little harsh – which became red as Collins was already booked. Ninian erupted again with 13,000 chants of cheerio, cheerio, cheerio.

In a lifetime of watching Cardiff City, I can barely think of a single example of them playing 10 men and whilst some drooled of a flood of goals again, we still showed we don’t know how to do it and within 30 seconds, it was 2-1!

Vale broke forward and hinted no danger as Brooker shot from the wide angle of the area but Kav threw a hand in front of it and penalty to Vale. BRIDGE-WILKINSON became the second double-barrelled surname scorer of the night (who wants to check the last time that happened in the Premier or Nationwide Leagues???) by sending Alexander the wrong way.

Kav had now cost us a goal at each end and given Vale a lifeline when they should have been out of sight. He also had a yellow card, I’m not sure City would have been adversely penalised if he had red instead, he was having a poor night. He tried to atone when he broke clear on the right but with Campbell screaming in the middle for a pass, he blasted straight into the keeper’s arms.

Andy Campbell almost restored City’s lead from the restart as he waited for a ball to drop on the edge of the area then volleyed low to watch Goodlad make a Goodstop!

Half-time: City 2 Vale 1

Cardiff opened the second half as they played for much of the first period, very quietly. On reflection, it was comfortable as Neil Alexander never had a single save to make all night (other than face the penalty) but it was poor entertainment for the spectators.

Port Vale were allowed to play, some of their football was pretty but they contained no threat whatsoever. In fact, until their ex-Premier striker Brett Angell was removed with 25 minutes remaining and his name was announced over the tannoy, nobody realised he was playing.

City’s defence was solid. Chris Barker and Danny Gabbidon had an easy night whilst Rhys Weston and Gray Croft were able to push on frequently. Midfield were ok. Kav finished last season poorly and has started the season below his best too, it seems to be a combination of the system and his own personal form. Whalley was quiet too, Legg stood out more. As a unit, they did their job. Up front, Leo shone brightest again. His goal was the highlight but there were more flicks, a 40 yard touchline run when he went past his defender and keeping the ball safe when it mattered. Campbell was very quiet while Thorne played well but was as average as the team display over the 90 minutes.

When all put together, it was still too powerful for Port Vale whose assistant manager and ex-City goalkeeping hero, Mark Grew, forever to be remembered (by me anyway) for saving Keith Curle’s late penalty and ensure our fantastic FA Cup win over Man City a decade earlier, was animated in the opening period but accepted their fate as the game progressed.

Gary Croft had a great game and was deservedly man of the match. He produced a few tackles at the back but with much better fitness than last season, he really impressed and excited when he got forward and was very unlucky not to make it 3-1 after 55 minutes as he beat 2 defenders and hit a shot destined for goal which was deflected narrowly wide.

The next best chance was City’s too as a Thorne back flick sent Kav clear, his edge of area shot was beaten away, again being at an easy height to help Goodlad. Overall though, City had lost their way. It frequently looked as though Vale had the extra man, not Cardiff, and for a team causing concern to many fans with their lack of width, it was worrying that we still struggled to find any even with an extra man on the pitch.

The game was killed after 69 minutes, and like the opener, it was Andy Legg who made the difference. Firstly, his wide cross brilliantly picked out Andy Campbell at the far post, his header bringing another good save from Goodlad. Kav’s corner was met by a looped header from a Vale defender but with fantastic technique, LEGGY watched and waited for the ball to drop and then hit an unstoppable, powerful drive from 20 yards which gave Goodlad no chance and it blasted the net. A fantastic strike.

It finally woke City again and killed any lingering doubts. Vale accepted their fate, City were happy to play the game out. Layton Maxwell brought one final great save from Goodlad as he lost a marker and hit another low shot which the keeper did well to get down and finger tip away. City weren’t always fantastic to watch and still didn’t create enough but Goodlad made enough saves to prevent the final score being embarrassing to his team, most of the efforts were form distance rather than close range however.

Two games, two wins, five goals, no clean sheets but the only goals conceded followed a foul on our keeper and a needless penalty and second place in the table. There’s a lot more to come from City, we’d all like to see better football for the whole 90 minutes and many of us are still not overly convinced about the system, but every one of us would have taken this start to the season last Friday night.