The result cemented City into third spot but they now lie a solitary point off top as Newcastle and West Brom both lost. On the other hand, all the sides in third to tenth got victories with just 4 points separating first to tenth.
+++TEAM NEWS+++
CARDIFF CITY - After recovering from the removal of a neck growth, the once unpopular but suddenly loved again Steve McPhail returned to central midfield with Gavin Rae dropping to the bench and Kevin McNaughton disappearing out of the 18 suggesting he still isn't quite ready.
City's side - Marshall; Matthews-Hudson-Gerrard-Kennedy; Burke-McPhail-Ledley-Whittingham; Bothroyd-Chopra. Subs: Enckleman-Gyepes-Taiwo-Rae-McCormack-Feeney-Quinn.
COVENTRY CITY appear to be mid-table specialists and there's no reason to suspect it will be any different this season. Some useful players but not enough depth or qualityholds them back under ex-Jack Chris Coleman who was reminded of his origins in song a couple of times tonight. They started the night 4 points behind City and ended it 14 positions behind in the table. They had big midfield blows going into the game withGunarsson, arguably the player who makes them tick, and his partner Sammy Clingan both absent with a suspected broken leg and confirmed broken toe respectively.
The Sky Blues side featuring last season's disastrous goalkeeping loanee 'Dimi the Drop' Konstantopulous on their bench were Westwood; Wright-Cranie-Turner-Van Aanholt; Osborne-McIndoe-Cork-Best; Eastwood-Morrison.
+++ THE MATCH +++
Although not the first night game at the new stadium, it was the first time we turned up in the dark for kick-off. Quite surreal too as the skyline from distance was glowing compared to Ninian Park where you could see the floodlights and its spotlights from miles away. The day was stormy and it was still wet but mainly light drizzle by evening. The crowd was announced as 19,038 although this would have included a fair number of season ticket holders who didn't attend.. It's funny how City overstate crowds when it wasn't so long ago atNinian Park, some fans wondered if they understated big attendances.
Cardiff made what seems to be their customary slow start by conceding a corner inside the first 20 seconds but after early shots were traded, City took the lead in emphatic fashion on 5 minutes. Whittingham's corner on the right just evaded Bothroyd but Kennedy sent it back on the opposite side for GERRARD to head home powerfully into the top corner in style leaving Westwood helpless. Gerrard celebrated his first Bluebirds goal with a running ayatollah followed by a knee slide towards the Ninian Stand. 5.7 for artistic merit, 6.0 for execution.
City were playing some sparkling football going forward but again looked vulnerable at the back, especially to pace, and were indebted to a stunning reflex low save by Marshall turningMorrison 's low angled drive around a post after Freddie Eastwood got behind City and set up his partner. (Eastwood used to be a decent striker and Welsh international but now seems very average).
Other chances came City's way, McPhail hammered over the bar, Chopra narrowly missed through balls while Adam Matthews, in a superb individual display, brilliantly weaved his way into the box, got to the by-line and his skimming ball was just deflected away from two City men.
However, Cardiff then sat back a bit and allowed Coventry to have a lot of the ball and high up the field too. For 10 or more minutes, City were a touch ragged but always in control while Coventry were blunt and did not muster an effort of any note in their only decent spell of the game.
By the interval, City had stepped it up a touch with Burke firing at Westwood and then wide, Chopra two or three times almost getting away and being taken down by a defender as he did get away which produced a yellow card only. A big disappointment, yet again, was our free-kicks were were worse than useless. Bothroyd lazily put one well wide, Whitts well over and a couple after the break were no better either. They really need to work at them.
Half-time: CITY 1 COVENTRY 0
Cov restarted attacking towards their hardy band of 200 or so fans - is that all? - and nearly had a breakthrough as Morrison turned Hudson and left him for dead but City's skipper recovered to make an inch perfect last gasp challenge as the forward was ready to fire.
That let off seemed to inspire City as they tore into the visitors with right back Van Aanholt had a torrid time as sublime Chris Burke runs and skills beat him time and again. When it wasn't Burke, Matthews was skinning him. In sheer panic as Burke was at him another time, he stood in the way for a yellow card and was withdrawn not long afterwards looking stunned and bewildered. However City failed to profit from those attacks but they certainly buoyed the crowd and created a stirring atmosphere.
Just before the hour, the contest was effectively finished as Coventry hit the self destruct button with Cranie's underhit back pass sending Chopra away, Westwood did brilliantly to stop his effort but Chops sqaured the loose ball for Bothroyd who was brought down as a clearence rebounded onto him. A couple of minutes delay and a yellow card passed but PETER WHITTINGHAM was unphased and stroked home the resulting spot kick, Westwood sent the wrong way. Incredibly, it was Whitts 9th of the season and his 6th in 5 games. He's catching up Chopra fast!
The final half hour seemed to be a case of how many City would add but, surprisingly, that never happened as Chops put wide twice and also hit the bar with a sublime lob. The best opening, perhaps, fell to the visitors as a ball sent Eastwood away with Gerrard looking completely out of position standing off him and giving him full sight of goal but his low effort was straight at Marshall.
There were other moments of skill and movement, Burke teasing his new marker and a Matthews ball down the line oozed class but the main entertainment for Cardiff fans was "supporting"Hussey a replacement Coventry defender. He has just joined the club on loan and it appeared that the other Cov players didnn't know him and he jumped up and down waving his arms in the air screaming for the ball but was ignored as the ball was sent to the opposite side a couple of times. City fans loved it and startedmimicing him then cheered his every touch and there was a magic, if surreal moment, as he attacked City's defence with Cardiff fans roaring him on. Sadly, he ignored pleas to do the ayatollah and, better still, to do theHussey which involved frantic arm waving.
Competent, professional, fairly routine victory but thoroughly entertaining to watch.
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