The Blues’ game against Cardiff City at the Cardiff City Stadium remains 0-0 at half-time.

Town made three changes from the team which beat Bristol City 3-2 on Tuesday with Harry Clarke, Wes Burns and Jeremy Sarmiento coming into the side.

Clarke, making his 50th league appearance for his local club, replaced Axel Tuanzebe at right-back, Cardiff fan Burns, who was released by the Bluebirds as a schoolboy, came in for Omari Hutchinson on the right and Sarmiento for Marcus Harness on the left with all three players dropping out of the XI on the bench, alongside Nathan Broadhead, who returned from his thigh injury.

Cardiff made two changes, Emmanouil Siopis for Joe Ralls and Yakou Meite for Diedhiou.

It was Town’s former Bluebirds striker Kieffer Moore who headed the first attempt on goal in the second minute but his stooping effort from Clarke’s cross was too close to Ethan Horvath in the home goal.

Three minutes later, Cardiff forced the game’s first significant save, David Turnbull cutting onto his right foot before hitting a shot from just outside the area which moved across Vaclav Hladky in the air and the keeper, also making his 50th league appearance for the club, did well to palm it wide.

From the corner, the Welsh side went even closer. Cameron Burgess’s flicked headed clearance only reached Josh Bowler beyond the far post from where the former Hull City winger struck a low effort which Hladky palmed into the crowded six-yard box. Perry Ng was first to it and seemed certain to score but it bobbled off his shin and Moore cleared from in front the line. A subsequent Bowler effort was also blocked.

The Bluebirds continued to threaten with their fans getting behind them and on eight, Josh Wilson-Esbrand cut in from the left but Luke Woolfenden was able to close him down and block.

Two minutes later, Burns burst down the right and crossed for Moore, whose deft heel-flick at the near post hit the stanchion, much to the delight of his old supporters, who had booed his every touch, presumably due to the Wales international’s decision to sign for the Blues on loan in January rather than returning to Cardiff.

After a brief spell of Town possession, the Bluebirds threatened again, cleverly working Bowler space on the right of the box but the wideman’s shot was too close to Hladky, who initially fumbled the ball into the air before claiming at the second attempt.

On the quarter hour, Sam Morsy was fortunate to escape a booking after sliding in on Siopis as the Greek midfielder approached the area and failing to win the ball, however, referee Oliver Langford judged that he had, much to the annoyance of the home support.

Cardiff continued to have the better of it and in the 22nd minute Karlen Grant whipped over a curling cross from the left only just beyond Turnbull at the far post.

As the game reached the half hour, Town were getting more control over the game, seeing most of the ball and getting into good areas. Conor Chaplin nodded back across goal to Moore, who headed into a dangerous area but too close to a defender - colliding with Sarmiento as he did so, the Equadorian international requiring treatment - then Burns was sent away on the right but his cross flew behind the goal.

The Blues continued to run the game and on 43 Burns was played on on the right and cut back to Chaplin. Town’s 12-goal top scorer swivelled and then hit a shot which was blocked. Woolfenden’s subsequent strike was screwed high and wide.

In injury time, Horvath was forced to head clear from just outside his area and found Moore, who moved it on to Massimo Luongo, making his 50th start for the club across his two spells, who in turn played it to Sarmiento, who tried to break into the area but it was stabbed back to the keeper by a defender.

Just before the whistle, Grant brought the ball forward into the left of the box but fired over, much to his evident frustration.

The Bluebirds had looked the more threatening side for most of the first half hour and Ng really should have put them in front with the goal gaping in front of him from Hladky’s save from Bowler’s shot.

But the Blues began to take a greater hold on the game in the final quarter of an hour, but without creating a serious chance or forcing Horvath into a save.

Meanwhile, Grant’s late effort at the end illustrated that Cardiff were still able to present a threat at the other end.

Cardiff City: Horvath, Ng, Goutas, Phillips, Wilson-Esbrand, Siopis, Wintle (c), Turnbull, Bowler, Grant, Meite. Subs: Turner, Romeo, Collins, O’Dowda, Ralls, R Colwill, Tanner, Ashford, Diedhiou.

Town: Hladky, Clarke, Woolfenden, Burgess, Davis, Morsy (c), Luongo, Burns, Chaplin, Sarmiento, Moore. Subs: Walton, Tuanzebe, Travis, Taylor, Harness, Hutchinson, Broadhead, Al-Hamadi, Jackson. Referee: Oliver Langford (West Midlands).

Photo: Matchday Images

SickParrot added 13:36 - Mar 9 We have played okay but in the final third our first touch and final ball has mostly been poor. We must also avoid giving silly free kicks away near our box.
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blueboy1981 added 14:31 - Mar 9 Our Defence HAS to be sorted ! - it’s SHAMBOLIC !!
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