JOE LEDLEY celebrates his winner in front of the City faithful
(pic by Mike Morris of http://www.cardiffcity.com/)
CARDIFF CITY ended a year of trauma to end 2007 powering into the top half of the table - and an incredible 10 points above the relegation zone - with a show of strength and character to fight back from a half-time deficit to win 2-1 at Preston's Deepdale for the first time in 21 years and 10 visits.
The Bluebirds made one change - Hasselbaink for MacLean - and started well in the same vein when they were cruelly denied victory at Watford in midweek but were rocked to go behind on 5 minutes to a superb Simon Whalley shot. From the restart, Preston should have doubled their lead and proceeded to fail to take three or four more golden opportunities in that opening period.
City had more of the ball and looked more accomplished but showed nothing in the final third and were out of sorts at the back. They would have been relieved to get to the interval only one goal behind.
The 2nd period however was a different story. Cardiff dominated from first whistle to last and levelled matters on 53 minutes, the new cult hero Roger Johnson with a thumping header and from then on, there only seemed to be one winner with radio airwaves resounding to noise of the superb travelling City following of upto 1,500 according to Radio Wales (surely it wasn't that many?). That winner arrived on 67 as Joe Ledley showed his pace, strength, class and skill as he surged forward, could not be shaken off his run by St Leger and drove home in front of the delerious City fans.
It could and should have been more, Preston should have had a man sent off but the important fact was that City held on for a fully deserved victory which leaves the home side in the bottom three and City amazingly in 12th and just 5 points from the play-offs. When you think of those 90th minute equalisers against us (at least 3 in the league) and last minute penalty misses, we could have been there despite our poor form and results.
Next up is a New Year's Day shoot out with high flying Plymouth - a test that will really show if we are capable of climbing higher or not.
Until then, HAPPY NEW YEAR!
The Bluebirds made one change - Hasselbaink for MacLean - and started well in the same vein when they were cruelly denied victory at Watford in midweek but were rocked to go behind on 5 minutes to a superb Simon Whalley shot. From the restart, Preston should have doubled their lead and proceeded to fail to take three or four more golden opportunities in that opening period.
City had more of the ball and looked more accomplished but showed nothing in the final third and were out of sorts at the back. They would have been relieved to get to the interval only one goal behind.
The 2nd period however was a different story. Cardiff dominated from first whistle to last and levelled matters on 53 minutes, the new cult hero Roger Johnson with a thumping header and from then on, there only seemed to be one winner with radio airwaves resounding to noise of the superb travelling City following of upto 1,500 according to Radio Wales (surely it wasn't that many?). That winner arrived on 67 as Joe Ledley showed his pace, strength, class and skill as he surged forward, could not be shaken off his run by St Leger and drove home in front of the delerious City fans.
It could and should have been more, Preston should have had a man sent off but the important fact was that City held on for a fully deserved victory which leaves the home side in the bottom three and City amazingly in 12th and just 5 points from the play-offs. When you think of those 90th minute equalisers against us (at least 3 in the league) and last minute penalty misses, we could have been there despite our poor form and results.
Next up is a New Year's Day shoot out with high flying Plymouth - a test that will really show if we are capable of climbing higher or not.
Until then, HAPPY NEW YEAR!
No comments:
Post a Comment