|
They could/should have got more but predictably, if wrongly, over-elaborated and dropped a gear which allowed the visitors forced their way back with a goal in the final 10 minutes and caused a few flutters afterwards before sanity was restored as Peter Whittingham finished it in added time with a superb finish to an equally fantastic move.
+++++ THE TEAMS +++++
CARDIFF CITY
Dave Jones was as hacked off as Swansea fan looking at the current Championship League table condemning the madness of playing this round of the competition in an international week. He had a point with City having 8 men away on duty. Total absentees were 13 with injuries included but a goalkeeping crisis was averted with Enckleman asking not to be in Finland's squad for a friendly. With the day's sporting headlines declaring "Gerrard pulls out of Holland friendly", I guess our centre—half did the same.
However City still had a strong side with 7 of the starters who blitzed Scunthorpe at the weekend. Capaldi replaced the injured Kennedy while Marshall, Ledley and McCormack were covered by Enks, Rae and Comminges respectively.
City: Enckleman; Quinn-Hudson-Gerrard-Capaldi; Whittingham-Rae-McPhail-Comminges; Bothroyd-Chopra. The subs bench consisted entirely of Academy players feasting on water and spot cream with Santiago, Edwards, Meades, Evans, Jarvis, Farah and Wildig.
DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE
In true Soccer AM fashion, I ask the lad, 'do you want to watch City tonight?'. "'Who against?" he asks so I tell him it's Dagenham and Redbridge. "They're playing two games in one night, what time will it all finish then??" - he wanted to know.
A merger of two clubs in the 90's, they made the Football League in 2007 finishing 20th at their first attempt and missing League Two play-offs by 1 point last season after losing at home to Shrewsbury on the final day - The Shrews taking their spot. A decent record for the Essex club whose gates are nearly always below 2,000 but who have exited this competition in Round 1 each year but they opened their league season with a 2-1 success at Crewe.
Captained by former Welsh international keeper Tony Roberts - who was 40 last week - their side were: Roberts; Doe-Arber-Antwi-Griffiths; Gain- Thurgood-Taiwo-Green; Thomas-Benson.
+++++ THE MATCH +++++
Dare I say true Cardiff City Cock Ups almost caused me to miss the start. I ordered two tickets but when I got to the pick-up point, only one was in the envelope. City's answer to that? - go to the Ticket Office and queue outside with everyone else to get your other ticket printed. Wonderful!
The crowd was just 5,355 - including 200 or so from The Daggers who were out to enjoy themselves and make a noise - with stands behind both goals closed for the night and they were able to chat freely as the game took some time to come to life. When it did, it was often when City injected some pace into proceedings with Peter Whittingham looking a threat and Capaldi getting forward and overlapping.
A couple of shots blocked or wide, Roberts made saves from Chops and Whitts but the first shot in real anger produced the first goal on 20 minutes. Again it was Whittingham causing problems as he cut inside a defender, burst in the area and had sight of goal. There was a groan as he elected to square it but that was immediately drowned as GAVIN RAE let fly from 20 yards to comprehensively beat Roberts to match his goal tally for last season.
Six minutes later, it was 2-0 and felt like game over already but the story behind the goal was interesting. Whitts again burst forward and threatened but he cut the ball to Jay Bothroyd just inside the box who went down under challenge to earn the softest penalty award. I didn't think it was one, many did many near me and the whole of the Daggers side.
However Bothroyd lined up to take the spot-kick and showed what a sloppy, arrogant player he can sometimes by barely walking up, let alone, running in for the spot kick but then knocking it towards goal with as much speed as a 80 year old on a Sunday drive. The penalty was saved with ease, the crowd reaction towards Bothroyd was hostile but he was saved by the ref who was pedantic and awarded a re-kick for encroachment, again quite harsh on The Daggers.
Next up, was a tiff between Chopra and Bothroyd. Chops remonstrating that as he had missed, it was his turn. Bothroyd was having none of it and hid the ball so Chops couldn't take it off him. A quite embarrassing state of affairs. BOTHROYD took it and blasted it away with most players celebrating with him but Chops walking back and leaving them be.
City almost added a third straight afterwards as Roberts did well to block Chopra's close range stab while Comminges was denied on the rebound by a desparate block but the final few minutes of the half, until Enckleman was called on to make a stop, were pretty dull.
Half-time: CITY 2 D&R 0
D&R also had the first say of the second half as two City defenders blocked shots from a corner kick while an effort across goal wasn't too far away. The game appeared to be going through the motions but whenever City found the urgency and enthusiasm to inject some pace - which wasn't often enough - the visitors always had problems but they stayed in some contention thanks to more Roberts saves with Chops and Comminges both being denied one on one.
With the game not beyond doubt, Dave Jones' plans to use the kids were shelved although Aaron Wildig appeared for his debut in place of Comminges and did well, showing some good moments before City were punished for their lethargy as SCOTT grabbed a shock goal on 81 minutes meeting a whipped low cross first time on the bounce and steering his effort past Enckleman.
Suddenly, it was game on as Daggers forced a couple of corners, Quinn was skinned and a ball across goal was missed by a fraction of an outstretched boot and crosses were flying around City's area. We never do it easy, do we?
However City rode the storm and finsihed the night in sensational style with a smart move, Chops fed McPhail in the touchline, he danced past a defender and found WHITTINGHAM to swivel past two more defenders and smash a rising drive across Roberts high into his far corner. You beauty!
A good controlled performance on the whole but City got sloppy and almost paid the price. In all reality though, it was as comfortable a win as they could have hoped for. There was no real star of the night - they all put in reasonable shows - although that central defence still need to tighten up and control more, Enckleman still has wayward kicking and can't blame the pitch this year and we could do with being more direct and shooting when the chance is there instead of overplay.
Report from FootyMad
The Bluebirds made four changes to the side that beat Scunthorpe on Saturday, yet were still able to cruise past League Two side Dagenham.
After a quiet opening five minutes, Peter Whittingham sent Wales international keeper Tony Roberts sprawling to his left to push away a low ground shot.
Ten minutes later the busy Whittingham tried another shot but it lacked power and Roberts gathered.
The opening goal came in the 20th minute and once again the impressive Whittingham was involved. He slipped a pass back to the unmarked Gavin Rae who fired high into the net from 20 yards.
Five minutes later the Bluebirds doubled their lead from the spot. Jay Bothroyd was brought down by Will Antwi but his poorly taken penalty was easily saved by Roberts.
Referee Andy Penn signalled a re-take for encroachment by Dagenham and after a tussle with Michael Chopra, who also wanted to take the kick, Bothroyd drove home to extend the Bluebirds lead.
The visitors penned City back in the opening stages of the second half but despite forcing a couple of corners, they were unable to open up the Bluebirds defence. Peter Gain had their best chance but he fired wide when well placed.
When the Bluebirds did settle, they were kept out by 40-year-old Roberts who made smart saves from Miguel Comminges and Chopra.
Aaron Wildig went into midfield for Comminges in the 67th minute.
The Daggers pulled one back in the 81st minute when substitute Josh Scott met a superb cross from Antwi to turn the ball into the net for the first opposition goal at the new stadium.
The Bluebirds settled the match in the 90th minute when Whittingham exchanged passes with Stephen McPhail before beating Roberts from close range.
External Reports
Cardiff City Official Website
