Why, why, why, why WHY??
Championship at Ninian Park
CARDIFF CITY (1) 2 Ledley 29, Koumas 83
PRESTON NORTH END (0) 2 Mears 62, Sedgwick 90
Attendance: 9,574
PNE support: Less than 100, probably nearer 75
Weather: Wet'n'Wild
Atmosphere: Great backing by those present
On a bittersweet night, Cardiff City, for the third time this season, conceded a 90th minute equaliser to lose two points in a 2-2 draw with Preston North End and a wet and windy Ninian Park.
The sweet moments were City's goals both from outstanding Jason Koumas free-kicks, the first hitting the bar but turned home on the rebound by Joe Ledley, the second with 7 minutes remaining could not be bettered by Zidane, Beckham and co. The bitter moments, allowing Preston to fightback twice - largely because City had a poor second half defending deep being overrun and with a midfield that went AWOL - controversial refereeing where some very big decisions all went against City.
However, despite the topsy turvy nature of the game and the agony of more points dropped late on, I doubt any City fan could say Preston didn't deserve a point, it was the manner of how it was achieved that sticks in the throat.
For City, the task this week was simple ... on paper. They have a great opportunity to build on their excellent 9th spot this home game followed by another (Crewe on Saturday) and they would have been keen to show that two excellent away showings (producing wins at Stoke and Brighton) could be replicated at Ninian Park.
There are no surprises in team news these days. Dave Jones picking the same starting eleven of Alexander, Weston-Purse-Loovens-Barker, Cooper-Ledley-Whitley-Koumas, Ricketts-Jerome for the 7th time in 8 games.
The only time DJ wasn't able to pick this side - Luton at home last game due to Jeff Whitley's suspension - is the only time City have lost in their last 11 matches. With some supporters secretly or openly wondering about a determined play-off challenge, they should be mindful of this. Injuries and suspensions have to come sometime,. the squad is threadbare, it will be hard to maintain. But that's not for now.
As for Preston, they stormed into the Championship play-off final last season, losing out to West Ham at Millennium Stadium and haven't so far managed to reproduce that form this term. A couple of other 'stars' were lost over the summer to Leeds United - Eddie Lewis and Richard Cresswell - and start of term injuries have not helped.
Their biggest problem though has been home form. They have yet to win at Deepdale in 7 Championship attempts, 5 games being draws. On the road, they are a different animal with 3 away wins at Watford, Millwall and Ipswich. It leaves them currently 8 places behind City but only 3 points away emphasising the tightness of the Championship this term where anyone can beat anyone - except Sheffield United it would appear.
The buzz caused by City's excellent weekend win didn't convert into the sort of crowd everyone had hope for. Just 9,574 populated Ninian Park, fewer than 100 making the journey from Lancashire. It was not a good night for watching, swirling winds and continual rain affected the game as well as those who made the effort to see it.
This is when I would normally tell you about the first half and how it was but there's a small problem, I wasn't there to see it. As the game started, I was at an early evening business lunch sitting with, of all people, ex-council leader and now Cardiff Chamber of Commerce Head Russell Goodway and ex-Wales rugby coach Alan Davies. It was more enjoyable than I thought and lasted longer than it should have so instead of missing just the first 20 minutes, I got to Ninian Park just as the half-time whistle blew.
Getting in was fun. With all gates and doors locked, I had to bang on them to get attention from inside. They looked puzzled, they're used only to letting City fans out by half-time, not letting them in. (Thanks Matt for that gag).
Those who were there say it was a bit of a 'nothing' half. Preston never got at City, we were better but not overly so. Alexander had nothing to do, Carlo Nash forced into saves from Jerome and Cooper but City led at the interval with an excellent goal from Joe Ledley.
It came on 29 minutes as Davis went though Jerome 30 yards out. Koumas hit a fierce effort that deflected en route and smacked off the bar, the rebound returned with interest by LEDLEY and that flew in partly assisted by another deflection. Fans say if Koumas' shot hadn't deflected, the quality and pace of it was such that it would have flown in.
Half-time and can I come in now please? CITY 1 PNE 0
The half-time entertainment proved only how difficult conditions were as none of the City fans were able to welly the ball at goal on the slippery turf, keeping control and balance was difficult. That was a taster of what was to come.
The second half saw Preston take the game to City and, boy, did we struggle. It's a familiar story to those watching City at home this season. With a lead in their pockets, City's mind set seems to change. They lose their fluency, they lose their shape and they start to defend deep - sometimes too deep and often with everyone back. The other turning point was City were being exposed as midfield has gone missing.
Everytime Preston advanced, it seemed to be straight through the middle of the park. It was also very noticeable that they were committed to attack and seemed to have extra men every time they hit us. That should have set City up for sweeping counter-attacks but they never managed it making it tense and grim watching.
Balls were hit forward making City's defenders and midfielders turn, the conditions meant they occasionally looked like Bambi on ice trying to retrieve the ball, turn and get moves going upfield, they looked so uncertain at times. One player who didn't was Glenn Loovens who brought a calmness and control to proceedings but it was a sign of things to come when ref Howard Webb (our lucky talisman when we won the play-offs) booked him for a tackle as he won the ball. Then proceeded to penalise City a few times winning the ball in tackles and apparently making no allowance for the conditions.
Cardiff weren't helped by a few too many players having an off night but, in some instances, it was the usual suspects. Kevin Cooper, who played well last weekend, cut an anonymous figure unable to get into the game and either wasting or losing the ball when he had it. Ahead of him, Michael Ricketts has currently lost his early form and promise over the past couple of games. To spectators, he looked a little half-hearted, even lazy, in his work-rate. One such occasion made the whole ground moan when Koumas worked hard to get the ball to him but he made no attempt to challenge for it and lost out on an attacking pass 80/20 in his favour.
In central midfield, Joe Ledley went missing. It has to be remembered that he is still a boy and, in many ways, doing a man's job also in a role not natural to him but the second half seemed to pass him by. At the back, Rhys and Barks were finding it difficult. Sometimes finding themselves exposed with 2 players coming onto them due to Preston's advances, not wanting to commit to tackles in the awkward conditions, players were getting into the area a little too often and a little too easily.
Alan Lee came on just before the hour, everyone assumed to replace Ricketts but it was Cameron Jerome who perhaps was injured from a heavy knock a couple of minutes earlier which may have produced a penalty with some referees.
Preston were now getting shots off, many going high or wide but Neil Alexander also made a couple of excellent stops, the ball sticking to his hands as it skimmed on the turf like a stone on the sea. On 62 minutes, they were level, it was no surprise and it was a goal which summed up City's shortcomings.
Cardiff had the ball but lost out in central midfield. As they did, it left Preston with 5 players breaking onto 3. City weren't pushing men forward but always seemed to be outnumbered when Preston attacked. Nowland carried the ball, City's defenders having to mark space rather than men and when he slipped it wide of Barker, MEARS low drilled right footed effort from 10 yards flew in, Alexander got down and got a hand to the effort but couldn't stop it.
Within 3 minutes, Paul Parry replaced Kevin Cooper and City got a little more balance to their game but it was chiefly hit and hope football going forward. However one such move sent Michael Ricketts clear, the player skidded over trying to adjust himself to shoot, not a good night for him.
Controversy came with 20 minutes to go as Jason Koumas dropped his shoulder, glided past three men but was cynically tugged back as he past Claud Davis. A yellow card without any question, Webb the ref ran up with all intent of doing exactly that until he realised Davis had already been booked. There's no other phrase for it, he bottled it. The crowd let him know it too as chants went up of "cheat, cheat, cheat" and various comments about Webb's parentage and preferred sex style ... self-practise according to the song.
City were hanging on but a dramatic finish was in store. 7 minutes remained when Jason Koumas went on another mazy run and, again, was brought down. This time 25 yards out and at a wide angle - a similar position to where Kav scored his famous goal against Leeds. Preston were worried, building a wall bigger than the China one and purposely standing 5 yards away, the ref eventually pushing them back but still no more than 8 yards away.
KOUMAS' execution was astonishing. He opted for power and precision, driving the ball with venom over the wall, you could almost see the vapour trail behind it as it went like a rocket into the far top corner, Nash's despairing dive nowhere near it, no keeper would have saved that one. It was brilliance, genius and an epic moment.
It should have won the game but it meant City now had to hold onto the lead again. Preston reacted by bringing on two subs, one of them Dave Nugent a goalscoring hero of theirs coming back from injury. They pushed, we fell back.
They won a corner, we had all 11 men deep inside our own area. When we got it out, it was always coming straight back, we were inviting trouble. Fortunately, a stray header put it behind for a goal kick, much cheers and relief.
A minute later, with 90 minutes up, Preston got another corner. Yet again, everyone back, yet again, we got it out and yet again, nobody came out despite the whole ground screaming at City to do so. The ball was knocked back in, a PNE arm brought the ball down and in a mad 6 yards scramble, CHRIS SEDGWICK, one of the subs squirted it past Alexander sitting on the floor.
Darren Purse ran to Webb screaming about the handball. Adding insult to injury, he got booked for it. As Preston players dived on each other, about a third of City's fans walked out in angst.
What they missed was three incredible escapes as Cardiff launched desperate last gasp attacks trying to win the game. The first as Koumas and co forced their way through inside the area, a ball knocked to the far post saw Ricketts' header headed off the line and somehow run along it before going behind. From the corner, Alan Lee got up brilliantly and seemed destined to score but put it narrowly behind and then Howard Webb did us yet again. One last Jason Koumas corner, the ball ballooned into the air, Carlo Nash came but missed his punch and Alan Lee's back-header squeezed into the net. City went mental in celebration then ref blew for an infringement on the keeper which nobody saw and City went mental in rage instead.
As the kick was taken, Webb blew his last whistle and ran to the middle of the pitch with his linesmen waiting to be escorted off. City players all ran to him to complain and you could empathise with them, every major decision went against us. However back in the dressing room, I'm sure they realised a point was all they deserved.
It was a depressing end but the night saw City rise another place to 8th. Had we held on for the win, we would have been 5th. Had they not lost 6 points in the 90th minute this season, they would be 4th with a game in hand. All things considered, it's just amazing we can say this about City this season. Crewe this Saturday has to be a better performance for the home fans and a must win. Do that and we may well be celebrating a play-off position this weekend. Wouldn't that be fantastic - onwards an upwards - C'Mon City!
Tho Cost of Being A City fan:
Ticket: £20
Prog: £ 3
Food/drink £ 3
Petrol: £ 3
Total £29
Total for season to date: £1,031
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