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Fri 8th Dec 2000 - Cheltenham preview |
| December Headlines
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The FA Cup is romantic enough as it is. Add to the mix Sam Hammam and his Wimbledon
crazy gang of Gould Cork and Goodyear and their success in 1988, the memory of a City's FA
Cup win in 1927 and the much clearer images of Earnie scoring a hat trick in the 5 - 1
mauling of Bristol Rovers three weeks ago and you have a mouth watering prospect at Ninian
Park tomorrow. Cheltenham come into town in good form themselves and their manager Steve
Cotterill is a former Wimbledon player under Bobby Gould. So as in many FACup ties the
links between clubs and players are endless. City will be looking to keep the unbeaten record at Ninian Park this season, the last nine matches in a row have been victories. City will be forced into at least one change from the side that triumphed at Torquay last weekend. Josh Low is suspended and his place is likely to go to Andy Thompson who returned to action in the defeat at Brighton in midweek but with Scott McCulloch and Matt Brazier in the squad as well there are a couple of combinations that can happen across the back five. The likely line up is Walton, Thompson, Gabbidon, Young, Weston, McCulloch, Bonner, Evans, Bowen, Leo and Earnie. Subs from Brayson, Buttery, Greene, Nogan, Collins, Brazier, Boland. Cheltenham have former Swansea striker Julian Alsop in their line up. The towering attacker scored twice in a 4 - 3 win for Cheltenham last weekend so will be feeling confident going into tomorrows game. The Robins other striker Neil Grayson faces a late fitness test after suffering a hamstring injury. Cardiff have around 6,000 pre match ticket sales, the game is pay at the gate as well for Cardiff fans so a much bigger gate is expected. Cheltenham its reported are struggling to sell their 1,000 tickets and last reports suggest under half have actually been sold. Cardiff have to be favourites and I back them to win as well. Whoeverdoes triumph then has the excitement of the third round draw and the hope that a Man Utd or an Arsenal get drawn to play you in round 3. Preview from BBC Wales The third division Bluebirds thumped Bristol Rovers of the second 5-1 in a blistering performance at Ninian Park. Their second round reward is a home tie against Cheltenham Town, with the big boys tantalisingly just a victory away. Head coach Alan Cork is already an FA Cup winner with Wimbledon and with the final likely to be played in Cardiff, is looking to edge his side ever closer to an admittedly unlikely May appointment. "I want to win every game - I want to win on Saturday and I want to beat them in the league next week as well," said Cork. Cardiff's recent run of form suggests Cork will get his wish. Their defeat by Brighton in the LDV Vans trophy on Tuesday was their first defeat in 12 games and Cork approached the tie "as a reserve game" in any case. "Everyone wants to beat Cardiff at the moment, so we have to keep going and keep doing it," Cork maintained. The former Wimbledon striker has met up with a few former colleagues in recent weeks. Bristol Rovers boss Ian Holloway is a former team-mate and Cork was assistant manager to Micky Adams at Brighton. Cheltenham's manager Ian Cotterill played with Cork for Wimbledon during Wimbledon's purple patch in the late 1980s. "Cotts was a raw talent, a goal scorer. "And now he's gone back to his home town Cheltenham and has got them in to the league," Cork said admiringly. Cotterril returned Cork's compliment, but admitted he was surprised his former team-mate had gone into management. "He was a little bit slap-dash was Corky," Cotterrill said. "But I am pleased for him, he is a good guy, although I want to put one over on him on Saturday. "A lot of the players here know about my relationship with the Cardiff City staff," he said. |
Copyright Michael Morris 2000.
