Cardiff 0-1 Coventry (match report)

Apologies for the late match report, technical issues!

Coventry City came to Ninian Park and would have been relieved to see that Robbie Fowler and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink were walking round in suite, still not fit enough to play, so Cardiff went with the same side that beat QPR, with just Gunter in for the injured McNaughton.



Cardiff started really well. Good interplay between Sinclair and Parry put MacLean through but his mishit shot was blocked. The same player headed over after Johnson won a header and knocked the ball across goal. Paul Parry also had a header while the visitors rarely threatened although they did force a number of corners.


Steven MacLean was getting plenty of chances, again finding himself clear but with almost too much time as he stalled before cutting inside and seeing his shot blocked.


It seemed almost inevitable, after dominating so thoroughly but failing to score, that Coventry would score. It was their first proper chance, Adebola finding McKensie free on the left and his perfectly placed pass found Jay Tabb arriving at the far post with the simple task of slotting home.


Cardiff were clearly on top, and deserved to be ahead. Sinclair, Parry and Ledley all saw shots saved or deflected away but it was Coventry who led at the break.




The second half was a different affair, Cardiff began to look nervous. We should have been out of sight, but created far less after the break.

Sinclair was starved of service and we reverted to playing long balls - meat and drink to the big Coventry defence. Ledley was ineffectual and COventry found it too easy to harry us and makle sure we never got quality possession.



Very little happened in a poor quality second half until a frantic final few minutes. Darren Purse, on for a corner and to allow Johnson to remain upfront, headed across goal and clipped the post. Moments later, Purse rattled his own crossbar with a misplaced clearance that he was lucky to get away with.

Johnson saw a shot saved and the ball bounce kindly to Feeney, just 8 yards out but the Irishman screwed his shot well wide with the goal gaping in front of him - a poor miss. The same striker tried to make amends, cutting in from the left and stinging Konstantopolous' palms.


The final attack, when all seemed lost, saw Feeney bundled over in the box by Doyle. It looked inoculous and slightly fortunate to me, but it was deserved and the job fell to Purse to rescue a point for his side.


A long delay preceeded the penalty, during which time Purse looked away. He went for power, but got too far under the ball and slammed it onto the crossbar - unbelievable.




Cardiff have lost both home games this season, both 1-0 after dominating the game. We created so much, yet were wasteful and ran out of ideas and confidence. We should have been out of sight at half time, and everyone would have delighted - but as it stands now, there's only disappointment and frustration.

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