October Newsfile

Newsfile Archive

Cardiff City youth beat Swansea City youth by 3 goals to 1 on Tuedsay to progress to the 1/4 finals of the Welsh Youth Cup. Goals from Martin Giles (2)and one from Warren Givans gave the Bluebirds victory after extra time.

The reserve team went down by a goal to nil against Plymouth at Ninian park Yesterday. Thanks to M.Davis for the following report.

Att - 1 man and his proverbial (20 odd anyway)
Formation - 4-3-3 - Yes you have read correctly !
Line up(l to r)- Kelly - Martin Giles, Phillips, Young, Middleton Fowler, Bonner, Boland Roberts, Hughes, Low
Subs - R. Earnshaw, A. Harris, C. Davis, D. Phillips, P. Jennings.

Having basked in the glory of watching the first team blazing into round 2 last night, thought I'd take a jaunt back to fortress ninian for a look at the stiffs. After all, it was only a month ago I was watching the same opposition getting a right stuffing in the game that saw Jerry (the clogger) grab a hatrick and Dai score 2 in a 6-0 drubbing.

I'm afraid that match had everything this didn't - Most notably some good football and a bucket full of goals.

A lively begining saw both sides squandering excellent opportunities within the first 3 minutes. From an Argyle cross their forward got in a shot from the corner of the 6yrd box and Kelly produced an excellent reflex save diving to his right to keep it out. Next thing Roberts was soaring down the LW, crossing onto the head of Boland and from point blank range he headed it straight at their keeper. Unfortunately, this didn't set the tone for the rest of the first half or indeed the match itself. Fowler went on a long mazey run past 4 defenders, but didn't progress to far forward in the process. Bolland put a RW cross over which Roberts met with his head which a defender cleared but only to Bonner whose shot from the edge of the box was deflected into the path of Hughes who proceeded to hit the goalies legs (diving wrong way) from a few yards out instead of burying it. A pretty 8 pass move eventually went forward and from the resulting corner Phillips headed over. Plymouth no.10 with that popular footballers name of Barrington Belgrave threatened a rare Argyle attack which came to nothing, Before Roberts missed the best chance of the half when his pace sent him through 1 on 1 with their keeper, but he didn't compose himself when shooting and his shot with the outside of his boot sailed past the post. In the last move of the half, Fowler hit a cross field cross to the RW and Roberts proceeded to cross it behind Hughes who was left completely unmarked in the middle.

HT - 0-0

The first bit of action of note in the 2nd half saw Fowler cutting in from the LW and bending a shot that went 2 foot wide of the far post. Then from a mix up in the Argyle area Roberts turned and clipped over a cross only for Low to hit the side netting with his header. Next, Fowler got to the by-line and pulled back a cross for Bonner to hit a shot which their goalie fumbled around the post. Plymouth were starting to have much more of the play now, Kelly making a smart dive to his right to stop a 15 yrd shot. Plymouth no.8 had a shot to the R which Kelly saved, and from the resulting GK, Hughes held off a defender whilst challenging for the ball as it came down into their box, got in a shot which their goalie only half saved and the loose ball went trickling towards the net before being hacked clear by a defender. Plymouth sub 12 for 11 on 70 mins. Boland went down RW crossed and Hughes turned and shot straight down goalies throat. Then came the defining moment of the match on 80 mins. Their no.10 made a strong run into our box and went down under a challenge from Phillips, ref pointed to spot, their no.6  Paul Wotton (possibly the geezer who set us on the way last season with that o.g.), Shot went bottom right and Kelly went left. Roberts had a shot deflected for a corner before their no.8 hit a glorious shot from over 30 yds which smacked the crossbar. Kelly had it covered all the way - Not !! Middleton had a goal bound effort blocked and our final noteworthy effort was a Roberts run from touchline to penalty box (ala Orient) but he to was unable to get a clear shot in.

Just like the first team they were unable to take their chances when on top. Players to emerge with credit ? Fowler, Bonner and on this showing Roberts has more going for him than Low who was hardly in the game.

2/3rds through my 3 games in 4 days sequence. 1 win, 1 loss - What price a draw Friday ?