Sunday, April 05, 2009

All square: City 2-2 Jacks

So, the crack of dawn (well for a Sunday) saw us at Ninian Park for the third match between City and the Jacks from Swansea this season.

Predictably a huge number of the City faithful outside the ground gave our visitors a traditional welcome as you can see from this photo of a banner being held by a couple of Bluebirds fans.

If you can't quite make it out, its a picture suggesting no caravans, a reference to our penchant for calling those that hail from Swansea "gypos" (amongst other things that are too unmentionable on this blog).

Anyhow, a packed Ninian Park saw a suitably testy derby game. With Gyepes suspended, Purse came into the back four, and McPhail, red carded in both previous Swansea games this year held on to his place.

The City defence looked suspect early on with Johnson playing on the left of centre, and indeed atrocious defending let Dyer in to open the scoring for the Jacks on 11 minutes.

Swansea to be fair were playing neat football, whilst City struggled to get any momentum going. Inevitably I suppose there was at least one idiot in the ground, regretfully a City "fan" who threw a coin which hit Ref Mike Dean in the head just above the eye. To his credit he carried on, when I suppose the match could have been in danger of being called off, and the reports say the person responsible has been arrested and banned for life. Let's hope so. Idiot.

On 54 minutes a great break by McNaughton was followed by a couple of neat passes, sand some great control and a level head by Bothroyd who squared for Chopra to tap in from 2 yards. Initially it looked offside, but on the TV replays it was a great decision by the officials.

The games looked to be heading for a draw until on 88 minutes, City letting the opposition play in their own half, and then backing off when they come into our half (when will they EVER learn?) allowed Allen to rifle a low shot past Taylor, and frankly iot looked as though that was that.

City to their credit though didn't give up, and when a ball was lumped into the Swans area, McCormack went down, and although it looked as though he went down a trifle easily, Mike Dean who was right on the spot, pointed for a penalty straight away. (I'm not complaining!)

McCormack then stepped up and slotted hom a penalty to resuce a point - his second pressure spot kick in 3 games in the dying seconds.

So the points shared, and probably a fair result. we haven't managed to beat the Jack in 3 attempts this year - 2 draws and that appalling loss to them in the Carling Cup. We're still in the play off spots, but the chances of automatic promotion must have faded with that draw, but we'll keep on going.

Next up, Derby at home on Wednesday.

Up the City!

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