'Solid' Ipswich Thrash 'Gutless' Cardiff City

Cardiff City went down three nil to a well organised but limited Ipswich Town side on Saturday again the game could have turned out very differently. The Bluebirds were well on top, and forced a succession of corners early on, we had a glorious chance to take the lead when Campo pushed Roger Johnson in the box - however for the second time in a week Ross McCormack`s effort was saved. This time it was Richard Wright at full stretch to push around the corner.


Cardiff`s and McCormack`s confidence were visibly shaken, we began to look nervous and only Chris Burke looked likely to create, causing problems on the right flank. Counago missed a chance to score when he failed to connect after a swift counter-attack by ITFC, however s few minutes later he could hardly miss as the impressive Jon Stead out-muscled Gabor Gyepes before pulling back for Counago.


If we were nervous before, it got worse for Cardiff City. We relied on long balls and seemed unable to dictate play. Paul Parry was having a nightmare on the left and lost possession countless times. It was on one such occasion that Peters, the excellent Ipswich right-back, robbed Parry and stormed up-field - we missed chances to clear and eventually the ball was rolled back to Norris to shoot low through the crowd and double the Ipswich lead.


McNaughton and McCormack had blasted efforts way over the bar and while substitute Chopra nearly got on the end of a few moves - we never really tested Campo who looked cumbersome and out of position at centre-back following Alex Bruce`s departure.


The game petered out into very little. Occasionally Ledley, Burke or the lively Giovani would surge forward but with little end product. Richard Wright saved two efforts very well - one a Bothroyd snapshot. In the end, it was Ipswich who got the last ever league goal at Ninian Park - and what a shocker. A free-kick 25 yards 0out was pushed onto the post by Heaton, the ball rolling slowly back into play. The ONLY player to have chased up was Stead, rewarded with a tap-in but where were the defence? Simply schoolboy as the Bluebirds watched Campo`s free-kick.


Had the penalty gone in, we would have won comfortably I believe. Our problems are mental and we`re lacking the luck or toughness to beat them off. McCormack, Parry, McPhail, Kennedy, Gyepes and Gavin Rae were all well below par and we nervously await the final game - again needing a point to qualify.

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