SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY (0) 0
CARDIFF CITY (0) 0
ATTENDANCE:
23,935
CITY TRAVELLING SUPPORT:
2,300
WEATHER:
Rainy drive up,. overcast when getting north, sunny spells whilst there but chilly.
THE ‘You're The Man' AWARD to:
Joe Ledley - welcome back to form my son.
Roger Johnson - the most reliable outside our 11, the only reliable outside our 11.
THE “You're Not Very Good” BOOT goes to:
Steven McPhail - not a bad game but we know he can be better and far more effective. Midfield are not firing lately, they're being stamped on but they have to work out an answer.
ATMOSPHERE:
From City - Excellent support all game long.
From Wednesday - a few chants but given a big support, albeit little more than half-filling their ground, I thought they would be more raucous.
PROGRAMME:
Didn't see, didn't buy.
PHOTOS:
A selection can be viewed at >>> http://tinyurl.com/yxthdc
THE TEAMS:
CARDIFF- There was a shock on arrival as Glenn Loovens was missing, rumours of it being a groin strain. Roger Johnson, who never lets us down, got his chance. The other key change was the week's loan signing of 35 yr old Diddy Alan Wright, just 5'4" and 35 yrs old. We only have him until year end as he's needed for panto with Snow White afterwards. To accommodate him at left back, Kevin McNaughton had to shuffle to the right.
The team was therefore Alexander, McNaughton-Johnson-Purse-Wright, Parry-Scimeca-McPhail-Ledley, Thompson-Chopra. Sub goalkeeper Mark Howard was called to the bench for the first time in a couple of months with the now usual suspects of Campbell, Flood, Johnson and Kamara. Subs were Howard-Campbell-Glombard-Gunter-Kamara
SHEFF WEDS- Early season struggles and poor form including just 1 win in their first 7 home games put paid to Paul Sturrock's managership and brought along Brian Laws from Scunnie. As often happens, things improved and they came into this clash with 13 points in 6 games to take them 7 points clear of the relegation zone and 13 behind City. Their only defeat in that run was last weekend at Coventry where they had to play much of the game with 9 men. Their previous 4 home games had all been won so it was now a stiffer test than envisaged a month ago.
The two players sent off in that match - Chris Brunt and Wade Small - were their widemen and the only natural ones at the club so they dipped into the loan market for Wayne Andrews and started with Crossley. Bullen-Bougherra-Simek-Hills, Lunt-Folly-O'Brien-Andrews, Burton-Tudgay. Not many names to stand out there but Welsh keeper Mark Crossley, now 37, stood in the way of City whilst long-term City fans will recall Deon Burton having a loan spell with us 10 years ago - his two goal debut for us in a match against Torquay where the visitors forgot their kit so wore City away shirts - them were the days!
THE DAY & THE MATCH:
Another long trip for City's first awayday in 3 weeks but after the previous excursions being to Norwich, Sunderland and Colchester, this 400 mile round trip along 5 motorways and an A road almost felt like a local derby. A full busload left the Lansdowne with two real life virgins, grown men who had never been away with Cardiff City before - and they came back still never having seen City score away to know the pandemonium that breaks out when we do.
It was a trip where City were under surveillance. Wolves' crass decision to ban us from Molineux in January - as punishment for the inadequacies of their policing and inability to communicate with City fans, it remains the only venue where we've had real difficulties in recent years - brought out league officials and other clubs to monitor us. It was, thankfully, a trouble-free and friendly day, the supporters clubs and the local police should take much credit for that.
Coaches carrying more than half our 2,300 support were directed into Rotherham. Ours stopped in the Midlands for "breakfast" in an early opening Wetherspoon's where 1 local wanted to take on a coachload of "sheepshaggers" on his own which was funny. They had a good day's taking, as we left, they were preparing for Boro fans on their way to Villa, At Rotherham, we met a large presence but very friendly policing - as well as CCFC stewards. There were designated pubs but we were allowed free access around the centre. I think the boys were enjoying themselves so much, some could have quite happily stayed there all afternoon but pubs shut at 1:45pm and we were then taken on a mystery trip over hills and dales for the 10 mile trip to Sheffield, arriving there only 15 minutes before kick-off and finding only 4 turnstiles open at the infamous Leppings Lane away end to get in. We all made it.
This was my first trip to Hillsborough (my 85th ground of the current 92) and I was impressed. A traditional ground like ours, it housed huge crowds in former days like ours, it was individual and had character like ours but it was still a large arena and quite modern in its own way ... unlike ours. SWFC have very loyal support. They were mocked by City fans with chants of "your ground's too big for you" as it was packed in parts, scare in parts and empty in parts but attracting well over 20,000 homes fans to a club who have struggled for several years and not making the greatest impression in the Championship is something we can only dream about.
The away end, behind a goal, was huge. A two tier layered stand, the bottom deck was closed and we were some way back from the goal in the upper section. If offered great views and also helped with the acoustic as we made a fantastic noise all afternoon.
The first half would have passed without incident had it not been for the erratic, frustrating, over-fussy performance of Premiership ref Phil Dowd. He came into the game with stinging criticism from both managers of Spurs and Blackburn having sent off two and given a highly dubious penalty and he seemed determined to carry on in that vein as 5 players were yellow carded by half-time, at least three of them very harsh nut he set the tone by booking Hills of Wednesday and City's Alan Wright (who couldn't argue over his) in the first 8 minutes. Both sets of fans found themselves moaning. There was so much whistling, half the stray dogs in Sheffield must have turned up outside the ground.
City, attacking towards us, gave us very little to get excited about and, by the interval, hadn't troubled Mark Crossley at all. Two edge of area free-kicks were both sent tamely cruising over the bar, one skimming the top of the net but it was always over. Oh for a Koumas, some variation or someone just to smack the ball. Promising moves often broke down when trying to create in the final third. Wednesday were spirited but limited. They tested Neil Alexander twice with shots from distance producing routine saves and caused a couple of dangerous moments but it was a general stalemate as City coped comfortably enough although Wright was taking time to settle. Deon Burton went off injured midway through the half, that was the only time I noticed him.
Another 45 minutes that won't stay in the memory, we've had a couple too many of those recently. Owls and Bluebirds alike would have been asleep, fans of clubs with those nicknames could have done the same.
Half-Time: SWFC 0 CCFC 0
If the first half was poor, the second was as frustrating as meeting a top bird, getting her drinks but failing to get her home. City had glorious chances but wasted them and could even have lost out.
Cardiff were working hard to build pressure although often letting themselves down as play broke up in the final third. It was almost fifteen minutes in before either side had a shot, Paul Parry hitting straight at Crossley who seemed to be doing his best to help us by flapping at crosses and looking uncertain. How Chopra didn't punish him straight after, nobody can explain. A lofted back-pass which Chopra chased down in hope, Crossley miscontrolled a touch and sent the ball to Chops. His first touch took him away from the keeper and facing an empty goal, he just needed to turn it home but crazily decided to opt for an extra touch rather than shoot on the turn, how it cost as a defender closed him down and his effort went behind. It was an inexplicable miss. From the resulting corner, Thommo bundled wide from 10 yards.
The backing from 2,000 City fans was immense. All seater but we were all standing, there to be seen and heard in support of our team. It was an impressinve sight and sound throughout.
Wednesday had been camped in their own half and almost made us pay as a fast move from the back opened City, a ball played wide found Andrews with Wright caught out of position, he bore down on goal and hit a great shot only to be matched by a top drawer one handed Alexander diving save. After that, Andrews skinned Wright again and sent the ball across the face of goal narrowly evading two players.
Back came City only to fluff another guilt-edged chance as Chops superbly went on the burst from halfway, Parry made the run into space and was fed the ball in the area with the whole goal at his mercy nut managed to direct it to the only Wednesday player between him and goal with Crossley beaten, another one that looked easier to score than miss.
Before final whistle, it had started to dawn on City fans that we weren't going to get the win we deserved, our pressure not creating nearly enough chances but when we did have them, we weren't clinical enough to take them. Sure enough, three more chances followed with Ledley flashing a shot wide from 20 yards running though on goal, his point-blank header was denied a great Crossley stop and then Thommo put wide from 6 yards. The last throw of the dice saw Thommo replaced by Campbell and Kamara for Parry, it mattered little.
A point away from home is never bad but, in my view, this was 2 points lost. It was encouraging to see City finding the form and football from early season in the second half but Wednesday were spirited, fighting but an average side overall. City had the chances to have won it and they know that is what they should have done.
Defensively, we did well enough although Wright struggled at times and it didn't help having McNaughton change sides but he did well. Midfield were better than recently but McPhail seemed to impressed Wednesdayites more than City fans, he just is not as effective as he was earlier in the season whilst up front, Thommo is yet to recapture the form he had before injury and it's a concern to see Chops continue to miss chances you would have bet your mortgage on him tucking away, today's miss was unbelievable and certainly cost us two extra points. He is crucial to Cardiff and simply must get back in the groove.
We stayed top of the league buy virtue of Preston also having a 0-0 at home to Crystal Palace but for how much longer is now the question? Birmingham had a good win at Burnley, their 5th away win in succession. All three are now on 37 points but we marginally hold the better goal difference. Next us for us is Stoke on Tuesday, no wonder we left singing "we are top of the league" in full voice. The suspicions are, increasingly, that it may not be for too much longer. They say form is temporary but class is permanent, City's loss of form is now a few weeks long, it really is time to stamp their class on the Championship again.
As for the trip home, subdued at first but raucous after a while and chaos long before we got home. No pub stops saw us home well before 10 with the local bobbies taking as long to get us out of Sheffield as they did getting us in. It all went very well ... except for the virgins, one of whom bet £5 Hillsborough's capacity was under 40,000. He was made to believe he was wrong by Lloydey whipping a fiver off him and giving it to our driver as a tip. Not sure how they'll resolve that when it was later discovered Hillsborough is indeed a fraction under 40,000 so he should have won ... much like City really.
Report from FootyMad
Alarm bells are ringing as Dave Jones' promotion favourites slipped up against a resurgent Wednesday side steadily climbing the table after a disastrous start to the season.
The Hillsborough side have been transformed since the sacking of Paul Sturrock, and were chasing their fifth successive home victory with new manager Brian Laws in the Wednesday hot-seat.
Wednesday, playing with all the confidence missing in their poor start to the season, caught out the Cardiff back four in the opening minutes, Deon Burton nipping in to fire a right-foot drive inches over the target from just inside the area.
They were handed an even better opportunity after midfielder Wayne Andrews, signed on loan from Coventry in place of the suspended Wade Small, was chopped down on the edge of the box, Kenny Lunt firing the free-kick through a gap in the wall but straight into the arms of Neil Alexander.
Cardiff, whose lead at the top has been chipped away after two defeats in their last three games, caught out Wednesday on the break. Paul Parry's looping cross from the right was flicked on by Michael Chopra to the waiting Riccardo Scimeca who ballooned his 15-yard volley high over the top of the bar.
Playmaker Stephen McPhail pulled a couple of free-kicks inches over the Wednesday woodwork before centre-back Madjid Bougherra caught Cardiff flat-footed as he broke quickly from defence.
The big defender sprinted half the length of the pitch before picking out Andrews on the right flank but, with time to spare, the former Crystal Palace winger squandered the opportunity drilling in a low shot from the edge of the area that was scooped up by Neil Alexander at the near post.
The Cardiff keeper foiled Andrews minutes later after he evaded a lunging tackle from Sheffield United full-back Alan Wright, starting a one-month loan spell with Cardiff.
Andrews quickly got down to smother the ball before Bougherra almost broke the deadlock heading a Lunt free-kick over the bar from eight yards under pressure from Alexander.
The Sheffield side should have snatched the lead in the 54th minute after a darting run by Frank Simek down the right wing. The little full-back cut inside to pump a low centre across the face of the goal with Marcus Tudgay, substitute Steve MacLean and Yoann Folly all failing to connect.
A rare mistake by Bougherra let in Michael Chopra minutes later when he slipped as he tried to clear eight yards from goal. The former Newcastle striker pounced quickly but was foiled by Lee Bullen, the 35-year-old defender sticking out a foot to block his shot with keeper Mark Crossley helpless.
Andrews pulled a right-foot strike inches over the target before Alexander saved the Welsh side again. MacLean robbed Parry on the left and darted towards the area, the ball was pulled across to the little winger who finished with a stinging shot, pushed round the post by the Cardiff keeper.
Wednesday escaped 14 minutes from time, Chopra picking out Parry whose low drive from 16 yards beat the diving Crossley as Lunt hooked the ball off the line.
Minutes later the Wednesday keeper pulled off a stunning reflex save to keep out Joe Ledley's close-range header as the match ended goalless.
External Reports
The Sunday Times
Wales On Sunday