March
Newsfile

Newsfile Archive

If City are serious about staying in Div 2 then this afternoons game is a must win affair. With the confirmation last Saturday that Chesterfield are relegated a City win could see the demise of Blackpool if the tangerines fail to beat Bristol Rovers. A City win and Scunthorpe failing to win would just about relegate the Iron. They would need two wins from the last two games providing City did not pick up any more points. Oxford travel to Bristol City, defeat for Oxford coupled with a City win would leave the Bluebirds needing only 3 points from 3 games, such is our goal difference we ony need to tie with Oxford or Scunthorpe to stay up. Defeat or draw and all is not lost but the nerves start to jangle big time and we must get points in the bag as our run in of Stoke and Gillingham away and Bristol Rovers at home all in 6 days is not going to be easy. I stand by my prediction that City will stay up and we will say goodbye to Oxford, Scunthorpe and Blackpool. Chesterfield have already started their autoroute software to find the way to Kidderminster.

Russel Perrett is expected to be fit for this afternoon and will chanllenge Scott Young or Jeff Eckhardt for his place back. Word at Boundary Park on Saturday was that Billy preferred Brayson to Nogan so I'm not sure about striker selection. Willie Boland has done enough to keep his place and I would think Brayson has as well. Top man in form Jason Bowen is featured below.

Preview from www.shakers.freeuk.com
Bury boss Andy Preece is set to ring the changes with an eye on next season and introduce even more of the clubs promising squad of youngsters for the final four games of the season.  With half a dozen senior players out of contract and set to leave the club in the summer, Preece confirmed that teenagers Lee Connell, Nicky Hill, Lee Buggie, Steve Halford and Chris Armstrong (younger brother of Burnley captain Gordon) will all be in his squad to travel to Ninian Park for a tricky fixture against Cardiff City.   Preece is however also mindful that it would be foolish to pitch all of them in to an intimidating atmosphere at once and will be careful to balance his side with experience.  However the Bury manager is making clear his intentions for next season, and with such a promising set of youngsters at his disposal, a revival of the good times may not be too far away.

Stats couresy of Carling Opta.

Opta Index head-to-head

Jason Bowen v Chris Billy

Cardiff City’s win at Oldham was a monumental triumph for the Welsh side, and it means that the picture at the foot of Division Two is slightly clearer. If Cardiff can win their vital game in hand, then the gap over Oxford will be three points. In addition the Bluebirds have a goal difference that is superior to Denis Smith’s team, and know that if they keep winning, survival will be achieved.

Easter Monday’s visitors are Bury, a team that helped Cardiff two days ago by beating Blackpool 3-2. The Shakers have been out of form in recent weeks, and this win was a welcome one for player-boss Andy Preece. 1999/2000 has been a period of transition after relegation and Cardiff should be strong enough to win.

Leading the charge in the City engine room has been classy Jason Bowen, who scored his 11^th league goal of the season in the win at Oldham. The former Reading playmaker has been one of the best Bluebirds this year, and if the team do survive, then his contribution should be noted.

He has managed to score from almost half of his shots on target, a good ratio, while his pass completion rate of 71 per cent is well above average in Division Two, and considerably better than Chris Billy, a man who he will face on Monday afternoon.

Billy followed former Bury manager Neil Warnock to Gigg Lane and is a commendably effective midfielder, who can also play at right back. He has scored three times this season, but not since the Shakers’ 2-2 draw with Wigan in November. His tackling is fierce and effective and like Bowen, he has proved to be a keen player on the wing, swinging over a number of teasing crosses.

Desire and form will suggest that Cardiff will run out winners in this game, and while this may be the case, the Bluebirds do need to be aware that Bury have made a habit of winning supposedly hard games during this campaign, and could very well do so again.