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Cardiff City 2-2 Town
Cardiff City 2-2 Town
Saturday, 15th Oct 2011 17:25

A controversial Peter Whittingham penalty prevented the Blues from claiming their sixth successive victory over Cardiff and their fourth in a row on Bluebirds soil. Rudi Gestede put the home side in front but ex-Swansea striker Jason Scotland equalised before half-time. After the break, former Cardiff frontman Michael Chopra put the Blues in front before the home side were given the contentious penalty for handball by Carlos Edwards with 18 minutes remaining.

Town named an unchanged starting line-up for the fifth game in a row for the first time since 1998 with Blues boss Paul Jewell also choosing the same subs as lined-up on the bench against Brighton, Reece Wabara and former Cardiff loanee Jay Emmanuel-Thomas passing their fitness tests.

With the Welsh sun shining brightly, although on perhaps not the warmest of afternoons, former Swansea striker Jason Scotland hit the game’s first shot in the third minute, but without unduly testing one-time Canary David Marshall.

Soon after, Cardiff midfielder Peter Whittingham, a Town target in the summer, failed to find another ex-Norwich player, striker Robert Earnshaw, in space on the left.

With Town all in black, Carlos Edwards, who played in Wales with Wrexham early in his career, was found breaking forward on the right by Jimmy Bullard but hit his shot well wide.

Both sides were creating half-chances with Cardiff finding space when the Town full-backs went forward and in the ninth minute Earnshaw hit a shot which David Stockdale parried and claimed at the second attempt.

On 12 Wales international Danny Collins headed a dangerous Whittingham cross out for a corner ahead of Earnshaw.

A minute later, Bowyer found Scotland in space just outside the Bluebirds’ box, the Trinidadian teeing up Keith Andrews, whose strike was blocked. The ball rebounded to Edwards, but the right-back again failed to find the target.

The Blues were inches from going in front in the 16th minute when Edwards sent in a low cross from the right which Scotland at one post and skipper Leadbitter at the other narrowly failed to reach. Moments afterwards, Andrews was booked for a foul on Andrew Taylor as the home side looked the break.

Cardiff went in front in the 19th minute from the second of two Aron Gunnarsson throws from the right. Rudy Gestede got ahead of Ibrahima Sonko to flick a header across Stockdale and into the net, making him by far the most popular Frenchman in Cardiff in the wake of this morning’s rugby.

Just before the half hour, Stockdale saved from very close range from Earnshaw with his foot, although the linesman had raised his flag.

Town went straight up the other end and got back on terms. Ex-Swansea hero Jason Scotland was given space 25 yards out and absolutely hammered a low shot to Marshall’s left and into the corner of the net before celebrating in front of his former club’s rivals’ fans.

The Blues had improved in the spell after the Cardiff goal, playing the more composed football and having a lot of the ball in the Bluebirds’ half. The goal though was very much down to Scotland, who had been booed by the Cardiff fans, while Michael Chopra received warm applause - which drowned out a smattering of boos - on his return to the Welsh capital.


Town continued to look the better side after restoring parity, Chopra hitting a low right-foot shot across Marshall and wide in the 41st minute, and the Blues enjoying long spells of possession around the Cardiff box.

As the half reached injury time with Town still well in control, Marshall parried Edwards’s cross-shot beyond Chopra and Leadbitter. Seconds before the whistle, Gunnarsson was shown a yellow card by referee Dean Whitestone for dissent.

Paul Jewell will have been happy enough with his side at the break. The Blues hadn’t really been at their best up to the Cardiff goal and had showed what has become uncharacteristic hesitancy at the back at times with the goal one which Sonko in particular won’t have been pleased to have allowed.

But after going behind Town took more of a hold on the match, having most of the ball and getting back on terms via Scotland’s excellent goal. A second goal in the spell up to the break wouldn’t have flattered Jewell’s men.

The Blues came close to a second goal two minutes into the new half when Andrews cut the ball back to the edge of the area to Leadbitter, whose powerful strike was tipped over by Marshall. From the corner, the ball was cleared to Aaron Cresswell but the ex-Tranmere man scraped his shot wide.

Scotland wasn’t far away from his second in the 50th minute, twisting and turning just outside the area before hitting a strike just over.

A minute later, the Blues were in front and, perhaps inevitably, Michael Chopra was the scorer. Andrews crossed deep to Edwards who looped a sidefooted volley back across the six-yard box to Chopra, who nodded in.

For a moment the linesman caused confusion with some unclear flagging but to the consternation of the home players and crowd only to indicate that the ball had crossed the line as defenders tried to clear.

Town might have had a third soon after, Cresswell whipping in a dangerous cross but just ahead of the sliding Bowyer.

The home side were close to an equaliser in the 61st minute when Don Cowie struck a powerful shot from the edge of the area which was flying well wide until skipper Mark Hudson’s header diverted just past the post.

Five minutes later, Ben Turner headed a corner from the left straight at Stockdale after the home side had appealed for a penalty for handball against Edwards from a previous flagkick.

Scotland might have sealed the win on 68 when Andrews played the ball across the area to him as Town broke. After cutting inside a defender, the Trinidadian’s shot was stopped by Marshall’s toe, Bullard volleying well over in the aftermath.

The game completely changed in the 72nd minute when Cardiff were awarded a penalty in controversial circumstances. Cresswell let the ball go out of play only for Earnshaw to play it back in against Edwards’s arm. After some deliberation, referee Whitestone pointed to the spot before going over to consult at great length with his linesman and then confirming his decision. Peter Whittingham beat Stockdale from the spot.

The Town players felt the ball had clearly gone out of play, while the award seemed additionally harsh as there seemed no possibility that Edwards had handled the ball deliberately even if it had struck his hand.

Cardiff appealed for another penalty moments later after Kevin McNaughton went to ground under the attentions of Collins but this time had less luck with the officials. Town strikers Scotland and Chopra were replaced by Nathan Ellington and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas.

Whittingham sent a freekick wide on 78 with the home side by now on top, the penalty having very much swung things very much the home side’s way.

Gestede headed to Stockdale on 80, then the Frenchman had a great chance to put his side back in front when through on goal but Stockdale saved with his foot, Sonko having perhaps got a toe in as he shot. The Senegalese international cleared the danger. Reece Wabara replaced Lee Bowyer for the final seven minutes.

Stockdale saved a Cowie header soon after, with the home side the team most threatening to win the game.

Andrews sent a well-worked freekick just over on 86, then at the other end Stockdale pushed a Whittingham shot from distance wide. McNaughton got his name in the book for a late tackle on former team-mate Emmanuel-Thomas.

Town weren’t far from a winner as the game entered injury time, Cresswell sending in a deep cross from the left and Edwards’s shot deflecting out for a corner. Bullard’s flagkick was headed over by Sonko.

The home side continued to press — and call for penalties — in the final moments before referee Whitestone blew the whistle.

Manager Paul Jewell and a number of Town players remonstrated with the referee at the whistle, the penalty having looked harsh in the extreme and having changed the game.

Prior to the spotkick, the Blues looked on their way to a fourth away win in Cardiff in a row, Scotland having had the chance to confirm the win moments before the penalty. But once Whittingham had equalised the home team looked the more likely winners.

In the period between the two Cardiff goals Town had played as well as in recent weeks and would have deserved another three points on the balance of that period of play.

While the Blues will be angry that they had the worst of a curious refereeing performance which also saw Cardiff boss Malky Mackay speak to Mr Whitestone at the whistle, a draw at Cardiff probably won’t look like too bad a return come the end of the season and stretches Town’s unbeaten run to five games.

Town: Stockdale, Edwards, Cresswell, Sonko, Collins, Bullard, Leadbitter, Bowyer (Wabara 82), Andrews, Scotland (Ellington 73), Chopra (Emmanuel-Thomas 76). Subs: Lee-Barrett, Delaney.

Cardiff: Marshall, McNaughton, Taylor, Hudson, Turner, Gunnarsson, Whittingham, Conway (Kiss 52), Cowie, Gestede, Earnshaw (Mason 74). Unused: Heaton, Quinn, Ralls. Referee: Dean Whitestone (Northampton). Att: 21,809.


Photo: Action Images



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