September
Newsfile

Newsfile Archive

Before the start of the game City were 4 points behind leaders Portsmouth who had played 5, won 4, lost 1 and were top with 12 points. City are now second with 11 points from 3 wins and 2 draws.

There are other games in the division this week so City may get displaced after tomorrows games.

Jason Bowen opened the scoring for City on 50 minutes but Andrew Fotiadis looked to have secured a point for the visitors with an 89th minute equaliser.

Stright from the restart City attacked and Kurt Nogan scored. There was drama as the linesman flagged but after a debate with the referee the goal stood.

Ian Butterworth is managing an efficient reserve team and the boys earned their reward win a win today. They were hard working and could have won the game 4 - 0.

Man of the match by some way was Jason Bowen.

Full match report from Neil David.


Attendance:
197 really !!

City Line-Up:      4-4-2
Walton (Kendall 45)
Jones
Young (c)
Hughes
Giles

Jeanne
Bowen (Wallis 80)
Bonner
Brazier

Nogan
Gordon

subs: (not used)
Byron Anthony
Nicky Fish
Steve Willliams

Cardiff City produced a solid display to run out deserved winners in this
Avon Combination league game against Luton Town. With both sides unbeaten in the league this year (city lying 9th, Luton 4th) and Alan Cork (with a
returning George Wood) sat in the director's box,  this was another great
opportunity for fringe players to show they are worthy of a chance in the
misfiring first team.

Ian Butterworth went for an attack minded team comprised primarily of the
senior first team squad members and those players returning from injury. He
produced a couple of surprises one that reserve Captain Nugent (who has
scored in all his last 4 reserve games) was missing whilst the other being
the appearance of Mark Walton. Walton was given his first 45 minutes of
competitive football this year and handled himself well. He commanded his
area (take note Mr Alexander!) and was rarely troubled,  having at most one
or two shots to deal with. But, in all the things he did he oozed
confidence.He looked like the goal keeper he was at the start of last season

City played pretty much the same way they have played all the reserve games
at NP. Same formation as the first team (4-4-2) but, the players in midfield
seem to be far more comfortable than their more expensive peers. Now maybe
it's because the games are played at about 3/4 the pace and passion of a
first team affair but it can be very entertaining particularly when players
are on form. Again Mark Bonner showed why he should considered very
carefully for the first team, he was everywhere. His game was shaded only by
MOTM Bowen,  the pair of them had pretty much the run of the park all
afternoon.

What the reserves does have in common with the firsts is the lack of killer
finisher. Both Nogan and Gordon missed two absolute sitters in the six yard
area and for all their industry (particularly Nogan, yes Nogan) neither
seemed to want to take responsibility and have a pop at goal.

Again Jeanne was a nightmare for left back Dogbe, he has fantastic
acceleration  and showed all sorts of tricks which left a few of the Luton
defenders looking like they had been given a footballing control lesson. But
and it's a big but virtually everytime the final ball was found wanting. If
he can get that part of his game right , he would be permanently in the
first team. The few great crosses that did occur yielded nothing but
spectacular misses inturn from Nogan, Gordon and disappointing free headers
from Young and Hughes .

There were few attacks of note in the first half , the one outstanding came
from an extended period of city dominance.  A brilliant ball from Bonner
just outside the area,  over Bowen shoulder took him to just outside the 6
yard area with all his usual skill he knocked a beautifully weighed ball to
Gordon who coming in at speed rifled the shot way into the  stand. To be
honest that typified GG's afternoon he could have played all day and not
scored he is definitely short on confidence lets hope he can work his way
through it

The final 15 mins went into a scrappy affair with both sides cancelling each
other out and making silly mistakes. It happened to coincide with Bowen
moving to the left hand side and although Brazier gave a good performance,
our Jase was certainly missed when he switched.

Half Time Cardiff 0 Luton 0

Unlike other reserve games the directors box was fairly full today , only a
few of which I recognised. Apart from Cork, Wood and a bunch of city employees,  the only other people I knew were Rhys Weston (who you would have thought had had enough of NP recently!), Brayson and James Collins. At the back was Roger Gibbins still looking like he did when he played for us along there seemed to be quite with a few people doted around taking notes, maybe scouts maybe journo's.

City took to the field with Kendall replacing Walton and again started the
brighter of the two teams. They took the lead in the 50th min with a really well taken goal. The ball was worked out of defence on the right hand side, played to Bonner who swept it directly back out to Jeanne. His mazy run saw him go inside and play a weak looking cross into the area. Bowen had timed his run perfectly. At pace he hit the ball on the half volley which went low to the right giving the Luton keeper (Emberson) absolutely no chance. It was a smashing goal and nothing less than city deserved. Even though our attacking was wayward City had completely controlled this game and should have been at least 3 up by this point in the game.

The game settled back into the same familiar pattern as the first half with
Luton maybe pushing a little harder to get something back which the defence
handled more than comfortably. The one odd moment was from a Kendall free
kick that barely  got off above knee height but managed to get to the half
way line the ball ended up with Dean Brennan who immediately returned it
towards Kendal's goal. Now Kendal was outside the penalty box for the free
kick and had to move pretty smartly to avoid an embarrassing self inflicted
cockup!

From that moment on was when Bowen was at his best , again he played this
drifting role sometimes central sometimes on the left but,  wherever he was
he was excellent.I believe Bowen on form can be a class above anything else
city has got and he was definitely full of confidence today. His crosses
were all great(shame about the quality of finish of those at the end of
them) His runs from midfield were almost perfectly executed all the time and
if it wasn't for a lack of a striker taking responsibility in the 18 yard
area we probably could have got 3 or 4 goals.

As the game drifted toward the end, city continued the short neat passing
game (2 long balls all afternoon!) Luton almost grabbed a point. A half
hearted challenge in the centre of defence saw the city defence open up
completely with the ball land luckily at the feet of Luton forward Fotiadis
which he took controlled comfortably and as he ran into the 18 yard area he
hit an early ball past an advancing Kendall and a covering Gethin Jones not
quite quick enough to get to the ball as it crossed the line.

It was well taken and way more than Luton deserved but the drama hadn't
finished there. With virtually the last attack city went ahead again. The
ball was won in defence worked forward via the midfield and finally ended up
with Nogan in the D. For the first time in the afternoon he looked like the
striker we all suspect he might be. He took the ball,  turned and hit a low
curling drive past the centre back and around the keeper again a terrific
goal but as City were making their way back to the centre circle the
linesman in the city half was flagging furiously. The match was stopped
whilst the ref and him talk for what seemed like an age , eventually the ref
thanked him and signalled the goal as standing much to the relief of the
small but perfectly formed crowd!

And that was pretty much that,  City maintained their unbeaten run and
really should have scored a shed more. I would hope on this performance Bowen is given a place in the starting line-up against Bristol but, then you never can tell what Alan Cork might have up his sleeve

Full Time   Cardiff 2 Luton 1