Champ Game 38: CARDIFF CITY 0 SHEFF UNITED 3 match report

Cardiff City’s automatic promotion dreams lie in tatters after a controversial 0-3 home reverse at home to Sheffield United in a game destroyed by the sight of 2 Cardiff players being red carded - both dubious enough for City to lodge instant appeals - in the first half hour.

The first red card to Gyepes saw City fall behind to a penalty and flickering hopes of a miracle were over when that lead was doubled in the opening moments of the 2^nd half. Cardiff were admirable as they battled hard and matched The Blades without ever looking like pulling it back but didn’t deserve the kick in the proverbials by Ginger Pillock Quinn grabbing a late third, celebrating as if he had won the World Cup and goading The Grandstand.

Going to Ninian Park, I could not have felt better or more optimistic. A gorgeous day with clear skies, brilliant sun and mildness for March, a suitable pre-match bevy in a Canton beer garden and genuine optimism after Reading and Birmingham failed to win yesterday, surely it was going to be third time lucky for City after they failed to take advantage of their slips recently when losing at Southampton and Norwich. I felt they would realise this was our time. Maybe they did but the dream became an absolute nightmare

Dave Jones decided to shuffle the pack and change a winning side. I can’t pretend to agree with that or his choices. McPhail dropped for Rae – absolutely. Was Capaldi injured or bombed as Kennedy returned at left back and with McCormack scoring and looking so lively in City’s last two games, did he really have to move wide for the injured Parry and see Chopra brought back? The bench featured no goalkeeper, only one defender and saw the return of Quincy.

CARDIFF CITY: Taylor; McNaughton-Johnson-Gyepes-Kennedy; Burke-Rae-Ledley-McCormack; Chopra-Bothroyd. Subs: Comminges, Eddie Johnson, McCormack, Quincy, Scimeca.

Most sides Cardiff face recently are the form side of the Championship but while Doncaster and Watford were slayed on their runs, this was always a different challenge against a fellow play-off/promotion chasing side as the best home side in the Championship – 22 points out of 24 at Ninian – squared up against the best away side with United unbeaten away in over 5 months.

SHEFFIELD UNITED: Kenny; Halford-Naysmith-Morgan-Kilgallon; Cotterill- Montgomery-O'Toole-Quinn, Naughton-Henderson

However what promised to be a heavyweight contest after started so promisingly, with City in full control, turned into a lightweight challenge, a damage limitation challenge and a no contest with City a goal and 2 men down inside 35 minutes. United were professional and saw it out despite City giving 110% but the game and spectacle were ruined by a combination and harsh and unbelievable decisions.

Cardiff were bright but almost badly caught out inside the first 5 minutes as Ely boy David Cotterill sent over a cross come shot that evaded everyone and deceived Taylor who was a relieved keeper to see it hit his far post and bounce to safety.

Cardiff were playing with purpose and focus though if not exactly creating chances or testing Paddy Kenny but earning frequent applause and being willed on by all bar 1,00 of the 17,972 crowd.

You did feel that the openings would come and the quality was there but after Taylor had to tip over a Halford chip, City were down and almost out by a major decision that went against them on 24 minutes as City’s central defence were caught out the wrong side of Darius Henderson who bore down on the Grange End goal meeting a long Halford pass. As he entered the box, he seemed to stumble under his own momentum and Gyepes made a desperate lunge making contact with the ball as Henderson went to ground.

Ref Taylor decided it was a penalty and straight red card for Gyepes being the last man but it was to the complete fury of Gyepes, the Cardiff players and those fans at that end of the ground. Gyepes appealed to the ref and then the linesman, his reactions suggesting he felt he had been badly wronged but it was to no avail and off he went, visibly looking upset and in disbelief.

The penalty was taken by Welsh international COTTERILL who placed it home low with aplomb and then celebrated crazily. It may be churlish, it probably is churlish, but he almost single-handedly made me not wanting to bother buying Wales World Cup tickets next week with his actions.

City were in disarray and, to some dismay amongst the support, Dave Jones made tow quick fire substitutions which seemed to be panic and left City short-handed with over an hour the game left. The obvious change was to remove a wide player but he took off Chopra for Comminges but reshuffled again a couple of minutes later to take off Burke – who probably should have been the first and only change at that point – for McPhail.

A few boos went out as he ran on but I honestly felt it was supporters reacting to City management losing the plot a touch at that point rather than anything directed at McPhail.

However City problems were far from over as moments later, McCormack jumped for the ball on the touchline, a nothing challenge in which I felt his arms were always down but Ninian was aghast to see ref Taylor march up and show an instant red card leaving City down to 9 men and facing two key players out for three matches.

Cardiff fans were a mix of fury, dismay, numbed and pouring abuse and scorn on the ref who seemed out of his depth yet a long at his record confirmed he was a long time official, 12 years officiating at this level. On his evidence, you would never have believed it but he was clearly a ref in love with his cards – he’s now dished out an incredible 332 yellow cards and 30 red cards in less than 3 seasons and his last 108 games, just ridiculous.

City tried to get to the interval without further damage but naturally having to surrender all width allowing The Blades room and space but still came closest to a breakthrough as a shot was blocked for a corner which Johnson met and McCormack almost turned on goal. Supporters started trying to name the worst refs they’d seen at Ninian – Lester Shapter, Clive Thomas, Barry Knight and more – but Taylor was now right up there with them. What would a final season be without a crap ref to give us a memory as well eh?

Half-time: CITY 0 UNITED 1

The second half was just a blur to me. Any silly notion that 2 men short, Cardiff could still manufacture a result … somehow … were shattered immediately as United doubled their advantage within the opening minute. A corner won from kick-off, Cotterill took it and JAIME WARD, the smallest men on the pitch, somehow got between Taylor and City’s defenders to plant a close range header in the top corner. It looked a ball that should have been met by the keeper.

A few City fans gave up what was now a game destroyed and a hopeless cause. Those who stayed pondered if we found out where ref Taylor of Herts lived, could we find his house on Google Street Maps?!?

In impossible circumstances, City’s second half effort was to be applauded. They were magnificent, still fighting, still playing and never looking in danger of conceding again. The City crowd responded too giving them magnificent backing. At the back, Kevin McNaughton as an emergency centre half was at his imperious best and clearly man of the match. Roger Johnson worked his nads off defending and supporting City’s vain attempts at attacking with runs to the front as well.

Corners were won but City, a couple of openings came their way too but the best ones fell to Gavin Rae who is to shooting what Todd Carty is to Dancing on Ice. A couple of players weren’t at it, McPhail – who you’d expect to at least hold the ball and find other players – gave it away time after time, energy and morale sapping in that situation. Bothroyd is many things and most of them fantastic but being a battler in dire circumstances is not one of them. Eddie replaced him for the final 15, I’m sure it would have been far earlier had City had more options. At least Eddie entertained, as always, with some runs and seemingly dayglo red boots which dazzled – especially on a couple of occasions where he danced with fast feet but went nowhere!

Ref Taylor continued to aggravate. City players who went off injured were purposely being held off the pitch leaving the side temporarily down to 8, the randomness and inconsistency at which he showed his cards caused disbelief but his most ridiculous moment came as Kevin McNaughton was scythed, cynically it appeared by Ward, which needed treatment. Not only did the ref fail to award the culprit the most obvious yellow card of the day, he actually decided to restart the game with a drop ball … while of course keeping SuperKev off the pitch!! I’m sure the Sheffield fans joined in with the chorus of, “you’re not fit to referee”.

Cardiff had a final boot in the nuts, so undeserved, in the final couple of minutes as they broke out of defence, a ball was pushed wide to QUINN and in space with McNaughton trying to get there, he shot well and hit the far corner. A good goal but the antics of Quinn, celebrating as though he’d scored the World Cup winner and then running to the Grandstand to stir an incensed City crowd was senseless. What a muppet.

The result left City in 6^th still with 2 games in hand, a points advantage and goal difference advantage (albeit tarnished) over the chasing pack. Automatic promotion looks unlikely. 3 defeats in 6 are so harmful and they now maybe need to win 7 out of their final 8.

The club now enter a fortnight’s break for internationals (good luck and stay injury free to Joe, Rae, McCormack, Gyepes and co) and will need that time to recover from this one, get players fit for the final onslaught and sort out those red card appeals. Has anyone ever had 2 red cards overturned before? There’s a chance it may happen here. They will also need that time to recover from a deflating experience where everything conspired against them and a referee thought we’d all gone to a game to watch him.