Aaaarrrghhhh, the 90th minute hoodoo strikes again

Burnley 3 Cardiff City 3

Match Reportby NigelBlues

CARDIFF CITY collected their first away point of the season but threw away victory in an entertaining, topsy turvy 3-3 encounter at Burnley's Turf Moor.

It was an encounter that ran through the emotions. There was good play, great play, bad play, pitiful play, well taken goals, chances you couldn't believe were missed, any shot on target seemed to fly in and both sides at times seemed intent on a mini competition of whose defence was worst, first half especially.

Twice in that dramatic opening period, City showed the character and fight to hit back after falling behind, the first time after just 45 seconds. Having composed themselves at the interval, a much quieter but more controlled second period saw City finally get ahead in the final quarter and look destined for victory but for the second successive Championship match, the Bluebirds lacked the guile to close the game and succumbed to the agony of a last minute equaliser and then, incredibly, had to hang on for the point.

This was a long day after an even longer night before for me. I was lucky enough to party and stay at Celtic Manor. A free bar meant guaranteed abuse and very little sleep (as if I would decline that!) so Mike Morris picked me up after a couple of hours kip for City's first trip of the season oop north.

It's a 225 mile trip, long enough as it is, but made worse as sun and a bright start in South Wales turned to light grey on the M50 and then dark grey to black skies and lashing rain on the M5. So bad was the weather that motorway lanes around Birmingham were closed with flooding and traffic was nearly stood still.

We took diversions along the M6 and then a new toll road to get to the other side of the Midlands only to be stuck in more jams due to accidents. Our plans to arrive in good time for lunch were shelved but we made Burnley with 40 minutes to spare, parked at the adjoining cricket ground, had a swift pre-match bevvy (very much 'hair of the dog' in my case) and got to the ground for kick-off.

Burnley could not have lived up to the stereotypical image of a northern outpost if it tried. Grey skies, the town of endless terraced houses in a valley. Not really any chimney stacks and factories dominating the sky line anymore but few signs of major modernisation either. The football ground very much a focal part of the community. They even had a copper on a platform box in the middle of the road directing traffic outside the stadium. It was tempting to hit the box as we drove past him. Didn't see too many whippets at the match though. The home fans haven't been too welcoming over the years to Cardiff fans but there was no problems this time, everything in the bars and on the streets was very cordial, good to see.

There was a surprisingly healthy turn out of around 500 City fans making all the noise from start to finish in the crowd of 10,431. We were housed in a large stand behind one of the goals. Turf Moor has developed two new stands in recent times, the Bob Lord stand occupying one side of the pitch has barely changed over the years.

As for the teams, City went 4-4-2 but surprisingly started with new loan signing Michael Ricketts in place of Alan Lee who had performed reasonably well in the last outing against Wolves. It would seem that DJ is not a great fan of Lee having overlooked him for Paul Parry as a makeshift forward, then leaving Jerome isolated and, now, preferring a loan man. The team were Alexander, Weston-Loovens-Purse-Barker, Ledley-Koumas-Whitley-Cooper, Jerome-Ricketts. Ricketts so tall that he looked like he should be on a basketball court instead of a football pitch. On the bench were Margetson, Ardley, Cox, Lee and Parry.

The Clarets were Welsh keeper Danny Coyne in goals, Duff-McGreal and ex-Chelsea boys Frank Sinclair and Jon Harley in defence, midfield were James O'Connor-Hyde-Elliott-Branch and forwards were Ade Akinbiyi with Gifton Noel-Williams.

Famously, City have not kept a clean sheet in the Championship this season and only one (at Colchester) in 12 friendlies, league and cup games so far. Any chance of change was gone in just 45 seconds.

In the worst possible start, a defensive cock up at the back incredibly put the home side ahead before anyone had sat down. Akinbiyi's low cross wasn't cleared, the ball rolled to Joe Ledley deep inside the penalty area but instead of wellying away, he passed along the floor only to send the ball straight to WADE ELLIOTT. The ex-Bournemouth player hardly believed his luck as he simply and accurately guided a low shot past Alexander. His first goal for his new club induce 500 agonising shouts from the City end behind the goal varying between "f***", "f***ing hell", "what the f*** was that!?!?" and the less subtle, "f***, f***, f*** it!". Someone must have said, "oh no" or "I don't believe it" but I never heard it.

City's response to that calamity was admirable as they overwhelmed and battered the home side in response as they levelled after 8 minutes but created but missed enough chances to have won the game inside quarter of an hour.

The first chance and miss increased our angst as Koumas flicked a ball over the top opf the Burnley defence which Ricketts challenged for with Coyne just inside the area, the ball deflected wide to Jerome facing an unguarded net but he blazed high and wide into row ZZ top with the goal gaping, an awful miss that he would have scored that 9 times out of 10.

Two minutes after that from City's first corner of the game, Glen Loovens headed over from 8 yards when he met the ball unchallenged in the centre of goal but on 8 minutes, CAMERON JEROME atoned for his bad miss with a wonderfully taken equaliser. Placed in by Ricketts after quick play through the middle, Jerome burned off a defender for pace and shot emphatically across Coyne and inside his far post.

"Jerome, there's only one Jerome" sang the City fans breaking off from most chants of the first 20 minutes forgetting Wales' recent results in favour of singing "let's all laugh at England", "Sven Goran Erikson la la la la la", "Northern Ireland" and more.

On the pitch, Burnley couldn't handle City's intensity. Their defence looking a complete mess every time Koumas and City went at him and we were relentless in a show of one way domination.

After Ricketts was booked, he missed an outstanding opportunity to put City ahead as Jason Koumas advanced, brilliantly flicked a ball wide of the last defender putting Ricketts one on one albeit slightly wide of goal but he fired over. Then after a Burnley raid was quickly quelled, Koumas electrified the afternoon with a 50 yard dash to goal on a three on two break. With Jerome and Ricketts tying up defenders, Koumas went it alone, went outside a defender, shot across Coyne but just as a goal looked inevitable, McGreal scrambled back to clear off the line, his effort almost going in for an own goal.

With City dominating so much, Burnley finally starting hitting back. When they did, suddenly it was the turn of City's defence to not look so clever. I think we are using the best duo in central defence with Purse and Loovens but they need to get more commanding than they are, Akinbiyi and Noel-Williams were out-muscling them a little too easy.

As a unit, the defence have to sort out communication as arguments started between them, none more so than when a routine lofted ball to City's 6 yard box which that should have been such an easy take for Alexander. I can't understand how his mind told him to stay glued to his line, defenders stood still and Akinbiyi was left with a free shot in front of goal which, fortunately, he fired over. Weston was turned inside out inside his own area, the clipped ball unconvincingly scrambled away.

After all their good work, City found themselves behind again on 23 minutes but, at that point, they had got themselves into a mess for 5 minutes and you couldn't say it wasn't coming. The goal not a good defensive one again as Harley skipped down the side, Weston was not there to cut out a cross which skimmed off Purse's head and found ELLIOTT unmarked across the area. His finishing was outstanding though as he guided the ball back across and over Alexander high into the net for his and Burnley's 2nd goal.

Burnley were now overrunning us and threatening to go further ahead with a series of corners and raids and very little coming back from City but they eventually rode the storm, not before Akinbiyi and McGreal were guilty of close range misses, our defenders just not near them.
Cardiff composed themselves and heading to the interval were now having the lion's share of possession and territory but without doing much with it. Chants from the City end had now turned to supportive ones for the side with Dave Jones Barmy Army and Super Jason Koumas getting good airings as well as chants paying homage to Strongbow and also vodka for those who had enjoyed quite a bit of it.

We hoped City would level by half-time and that's exactly what they did. Joe Ledley ghosted past defenders on the left but was brought down. The resulting free-kick headed behind as Purse challenged. Koumas' corner was brilliantly executed, outswinging but finding LOOVENS on 6 yards in acres of space as Burnley's defence went AWOL, his free downward header was guided well past Coyne for his first City goal.

A quite incredible first half. All predictions were of a dour, tight game, how wrong could we have been. The players tunnel and dressing rooms were underneath our stand, Jones and his players were warmly applauded off before we disappeared for half-time pies and Thwaites. Those who stayed in the ground however were "entertained" by the balding hippy that is Mr Safestyle - surely the worst ad on tv but so annoying, it's memorable. As he walked to the City end, he was greeted with chants of "you bah one, you get one free". He loved it.

Half-time: BURNLEY 2 CITY 2

After both sides were no doubt praised for their good attacking play and rollocked for their defensive chaos in the opening half, it was no real surprise that the second period was an entirely different affair. More cagey, measured football replaced what had gone on before as both teams worked hard to establish control. Chances were at a premium but City always looked the livelier and more threatening particularly through Koumas playing unbelievably well getting forward and Jerome who is so hard to handle.

The first chances of the half didn't come until almost the hour mark but fell to City and, being critical, we really should have gone ahead. Joe Ledley did well as he came inside, made room and drove from the edge of the area, the ball deflected high and wide for a corner but I don't think his shot was on target anyway, Burnley arguing it was a goal kick. Kevin Cooper's corner also found Ledley, this time completely unmarked by the near post. Had he headed straight ahead or angled it, it surely would have flown in. The target really shot have been hit but Joe's contact was too strong and off the wrong part of his forehead, the ball flew a few feet wide of the near post.

Koumas, City's sole creator and attacking dimension in midfield, was in outstanding form. Time after time, he created space, skipped past Burnley players as if they weren't there, the home side having to resort to hacking him down to stop him. Two were booked for it, it could have been more as at least two more were spoken to by referee Walton. One mesmerising run saw Jason beat two players down the touchline, dance inside, get into the area and hit a brilliant low cross off the outside of his boot which LOOVENS just failed to reach at the far post. It was magical football, he was clearly several classes ahead of anyone on the field and having gained full fitness, he genuinely is so exciting to watch.

One big mistake of Dave Jones was his failure to replace Michael Ricketts who hadn't started as the most mobile of players but was now struggling to make any impact. He has been consigned to sub outings with Leeds and maybe isn't at full fitness himself. As balls were played to him, he tended to stand still waiting for it, Burnley players found it too easy to get in front and nip it away leaving Jerome to run attack on his own.

It was crying out for Alan Lee's introduction for more pace, aggression and movement up front, it was left to too late. Partly because Ricketts redeemed himself a little by a couple of his very few touches in the second half winning a back post flicked header which nobody could capitalise on then meeting a free kick but sending his header well over from close range when, perhaps, he had an excellent chance to hit target.

However all that was forgotten on 71 minutes when City forged ahead for the first time in the match with their third goal. It was all about Cameron Jerome again as he met a through ball, burst away, got into the area and forced Frank Sinclair into a desperate lunging tackle as he prepared to shoot, Jerome knew what he was doing and went straight down, the penalty inevitable.

Up stepped DARREN PURSE and after a lengthy delay, his spot kick was emphatic, drilled low and hard inside the corner. Coyne wouldn't have got to it had he gone the right way but he did an Alexander. 3-2 City, Purse and the players all celebrating behind the goal with us, the City end in raptures and three points seemed to be in sight but Burnley offering very little all half.

Five minutes after the goal, Sinclair was carded for another lunge on Jerome as he threatened to bust away. Which begs the question, why wasn't he booked when the penalty was awarded?
Burnley were trying to raise the pressure but City were withstanding. Jones still held off any changes and, I believe, left it a little too late.

Parry replaced Cooper who, once more, had occasional but nowhere near enough good moments with 6 minutes remaining, two minutes afterwards Alan Lee finally replaced the completely knackered Michael Ricketts who walked off with City chanting for him to ayatollah, the whole Cardiff bench showing him what to do and he responded. With the changes, City switched to 4-5-1 but Burnley were now being invited onto them and Cardiff just don't appear to have the defensive know how to survive in those conditions and also failed to kill and close the game by knocking balls into space and corners, doping anything to run down the clock.

Corners came, let offs arrived as Noel-Williams fired well over at the far post and City were being pushed and moved around, their control and grip on the match completely gone. We prayed they would hang on but with one minute remaining, Burnley were deep into City's half, moved the ball side to side before crosses came over and the inevitable happened as O'CONNOR was in space as a ball was flicked on and guided a looped header over Alexander who was helpless.

With three minutes added time, City were now in a mess and hanging on. They just about did that, surviving a few anxious moments with crosses and corners, unable to get the ball away, waste time or create anything themselves. The ref looked at his whistle, put the whistle in his mouth but seemed to wait until a final Burnley attack had taken place. The ball pumped into City's box saw McGreal nod over and only then did Walton blow up.

For the second successive game, City lost a winning position and two points in the last minute, unable to close a game out and that's so deeply disappointing. Three goals away, generally the better team but only a point to show for it. They fell a place and are now only one point and one spot outside the relegation zone although, for what it's worth, with a game in hand on just about everyone around them. Had they held on against Wolves and today, they'd be comfortably in mid-table, those are lost points to regret.

There are reasons for hope, City showed character, flair although almost solely through Koumas and three goals away is always a good sign but with a defence continuing to leak goals and not looking clever at all, only Burnley themselves and Millwall stranded in bottom have conceded more, it could have a long season and continue struggle if that can't be sorted out. Leicester at home on Tuesday presents a good chance of a win and we need one fast, take it boys.

Thanks to Mike for being my chauffeur today. I'm not sure I was the best of company coming home as the night before took its toll but I'm glad I made the effort. Whoever said following City week to week was easy? It's meant in more ways than one.

The Cost of Being A City Fan

Match Ticket (with booking fee) £19
Programme: £2.50
Petrol share: £15
Food and Drink £25

Total cost for game: £61.50

Total cost for season to date: £471
* Total includes £23 for the last match - Wolves home - which I couldn't make but it still cost on my season ticket and a programme too.