Christmas may be once a year but lightning does indeed strike twice as City followed the 2-0 home win over Preston a fortnight ago which included a poor goalless 1st half and thrilling 2nd period with goals by Roger Johnson and a Michael Chopra penalty with 3 more points over Sheffield Wednesday in identical fashion, with identical scorers in identical order and, yep, that included another penalty.
Perhaps the only difference was that, even in a frustrating and eventual tedious first half, City were dominant and a goal was always coming. The second half, it was doubly so as The Owls offered only dogged resistance. I cannot remember the last visitors with left Ninian Park with the dubious honour of no erstwhile shot at goal - that's on or off target - and not even a corner kick either.
They would have been completely anonymous were it not for their superb 750 support in South Wales on pre-Christmas Weekend giving strong vocal backing including the Chrimbo Kairdiff Kid Rocker rocker, Ely's own Shakin'Stevens, "Snow is fallin' all "Snow is fallin', all around, children playing having fun, it's the season of love and understanding, Merry Christmas, Brian Laws" until they realised their side were bringing them no Christmas cheer or presents and watching them was akin to the alternative 'thrill' of taking in the Queen's Christmas Speech but their King, the topless lardy bucket that is Tango Man was taken away by stewards for his one man vocal assault and challenges to the Grange End. Bah humbug!
Instead, Joyeux Noel went to City. 'Santa Is Bluebird' declared many blue hats in a game watched by 10 fully dressed City Santas in the Bob Bank and Grange End amongst the 17,600 throng on a dull, overcast afternoon that saw City go unbeaten in 6 and scoring 2 each time.
Once Michael Chopra was declared fit, City were always going to name an unchanged side which meant both club captain and skipper Darren Purse and Steve McPhail remained on the sub's bench and in a side playing competent, confident, free flowing, pacy football, they may have to be prepared to sit there for a while longer yet. At least they can wear their Granny Xmas present jumpers to keep them warm next time.
CITY: Enckleman; McNaughton-Johnson-Gypes-Kennedy; Routledge-Rae-Ledley-Parry; Bothroyd-Chopra. Subs were Heaton-Comminges-McPhail-Purse-Scimeca.
Sheffield Wednesday are gripped by takeover talk which overlooks them being an unspectacular mid-table side with contrasting excellent home form and a poor away record. In 10th spot and only 4 points behind City at kick-off, they may have dreamed of breaking into the play-off pack but it soon became clear this was a damage limitation exercise to nullify City with a forlorn hope that luck may fall their way.
When the sides last met in March, at Hillsborough, Dave Jones was only able to name 4 substitutes due to injuries and suspensions. The tables were turned today as The Owls under Brian Laws found themselves in an identical predicament with 11 players out, a teenager given his debut and a 15 man matchday squad.
SWFC: Grant, Spurr-Beevers-Wood-Buxton; McAllister-O'Connor-Boden-Slusarski; Modest-Tudgay.
. The first half is worth skipping. City dominance from first whistle to last with only a couple of balls across the face of goal to give Peter Enckleman any work while Cardiff, far from fluent, pressed all half. Opportunities were little more than half chances and City were not able to take advantage of a corner count that neared double figures although the ref seemed quite lenient towards Wednesday's skipper, the (un?)fortunately named Dick Wood(!) holding and grabbing Roger Johnson as though he was the last must-have toy in the shop.
Two chances fell to Jay Bothroyd in the opening 15 but he hooked just over on the turn after bring set up by a Johnson header while his own header should have been better after superb linkage between Michael Chopra whose back-heel sent Parry racing away to cross. Parry, Chopra and Bothroyd all had half-chances after strong, patient build up play, a Bothroyd edge of box free-kick was blocked after Gavin Rae was clipped as he broke into the box but City's game lacked the sparkle, energy and zest recently apparent. The longer the half progressed, the more stifling it became sp while The Owls would have been delighted with the 0-0 half-time scoreline, Dave Jones would have been pleased too as he could sort them out to some back stronger.
Half-time: CITY 0 SHEFF WEDS 0
Cardiff came back renewed as soon pushed with Parry and Routledge being fed while Rae and Ledley joined in with attacks and the breakthrough came quickly. 49 minutes and it seemed somewhat fitting that Gripper Wood had his come uppance. Firstly, taking down Chopra on the touchline as he skipped away and then as the free-kick was cleared, City sent in a second phase ball, Routledge's diagonal ball headed down by Bothroyd and ROGER JOHNSON's edge of area shot took a wicked deflection off Wood leaving Grant wrong-footed as the ball squeezed in the opposite corner of goal from where Johnson's effort was aimed.
It was there breakthrough City needed and there was no looking back. That slow, ponderous side lacking pace and creativity early season who would have been all too glad to play sterile football and aim to hold out for victory while hoping to secure another goal are now a side who, once they earn their right to play football, grab it by the lapels and shake it for all it's worth as City unleashed their attacking venom on the hapless opponents.
With Bothroyd, Chops, Parry, Routledge in the mood and assisted by Joe Ledley getting beyond the final attacker time after time, that is an attacking unit that the Armed Forces would struggle to repel. How it only ended 2-0, few will know but Wednesday keeper Grant certainly had a hand in it, saving stinging efforts from Routledge and Bothroyd, both after classy moves, while others were blocked.
It was game over on 65 starting with a comedy moment as the ball went out of play and the linesman didn't seem to have a clue what to do, not for the first time either. It was almost X-Factor decision suspense waiting for his award as it took him a few seconds to decide it was Cardiff's, a popular result with the appreciative crowd. From it, Joe Ledley found Wayne Routledge who played a delightful return flick, Joe ghosted past two men, burst into the box and was caught for an obvious penalty, incredibly City's 12th of the campaign and apparently, now only 3 short of the record for any club in one season. We were due one, City hadn't won a penalty for a fortnight!
9 of the previous 11 were converted and Chops increased that to 10 out of 12, perfectly sending Grant one way and placing the other for the 4th goal of his loan but 3 of them are from the spot as he looks much sharper but still isn't quite the Michael Chopra of old although recent injuries and illness just haven't helped.
Cardiff now started that season-long quest for the elusive third goal but again fell short yet will be scratching their heads as to why not. Paul Parry must have thought it was Easter not Xmas as he was crucifying hid right back marker, two crosses evaded everyone and Routledge did likewise from the other side. Then Parry teased his marker and waited for Joe to go racing on, found him and his squared ball was brilliantly executed on the turn by Bothroyd, Grant's great reflexes pushed it onto a post and Chopra turned home the rebound. Offside ruled the hapless lino but tv later showed it wasn't. Laws complained about his decision-making later, ain't it strange how they conveniently always forget the decisions that went in their favour?
Joe Ledley yet again burst past City's forwards on another lung-busting charge, Parry pushed the ball through and Grant was the equal of another blistering shot. When he was finally beaten, Wayne Routledge knocking the ball ahead and leaving three Wednesdayites in his wake, I swear I saw F1 ignition as he did, his blistering effort shook the side netting.
It was scintillating stuff even if it wasn't the perfect performance. Kevin McNaughton has to depart with 10 minutes to go and may have problems after the ever niggly Tudgay left studs showing as SuperKev passed upfield. Gabor Gypes will have to quickly get over a poor personal display which featured more slices and air shots than a parks golfer. However the positives far outweighed the lesser aspects, Jay Bothroyd is looking as good a forward line leader as you can get, Joe was magnificent. He managed more forward runs in one afternoon that McPhail managed in half a season, what must the Irishman be thinking as he looks at the transformation without him? The clean sheet was an easy one but City were well drilled and only had a few difficult moments near the end when our centre-halves and late sub Comminges thought they were footballers and neglected keeping it simple. City's attacking football of late is exciting and a joy to watch, long may it continue.
City stayed in 5th as 3 of the 4 above them also won while Birmingham were fairly demolished at home by the increasing force that is Reading who just happen to be City's next test at Madejski on Boxing Day. However the field is starting to thin and where it was to 15th or 16th place who could talk up play-off chances, realistically it is currently 9th upwards but time for that to change again in the busy Christmas programme where anything can, and often does, happen. Reading and Cardiff now share the honours as the least defeated sides in the Championship but in their current mood, City have nobody to fear but themselves and are very capable of entering the automatic promotion fray too. Merry Christmas.
No comments:
Post a Comment