Fri 12th Oct 2001.

Subs not used
Gordon
Hamilton
Bonner

Wigan Ath
Stillie
Green (McLoughlin 78)
McGibbon
De Zeeuw
McMillan (Mitchell 58)
Kennedy
Brannan
Dinning
Kilford
Haworth
Roberts (Dalglish)

Subs not used
McCulloch
Kerr

Report from NigelBlues.
Yet another hugely disappointing performance saw Cardiff City have to settle for a draw for the third successive game. It's now no wins in 5 games and the sad reality is that Cardiff City lie firmly in the bottom half of the table and are closer to the relegation spots than those in the play-offs.

You have to gave City credit for the draw for somehow fighting back from a poor. unacceptable first-half performance and being 2-0 behind early in the second half but the cold reality is we're not good enough and currently look incapable of putting together a 3 or 4 match winning run to propel the team towards play off contention.

City were unable to build on, or even replicate, many of the positives from Tuesday's game at Bristol City. Playing in front of an 11,000+ crowd for the 7th time in 8 games (when was the last time that happened? probably not for 30 years or more), Alan Cork retained the same line up as the side who performed so well at Ashton Gate 72 hours earlier but what's good enough away wasn't good enough at home and the problems/differences, yet again, were far too obvious for the average fan to spot.

Wigan came to Ninian, defended in numbers (usually having 7 players in their area whenever City attacked) and The Bluebirds had few ideas how to combat it. City's highlights were all individual moments, there were few team efforts.

Rhys Weston and Michael Simpkins, however much Cork wishes to defend/support them, are just not up to the job currently. They were able to concentrate on defending at Bristol but at home and some of their tackling, second half especially, was excellent but it is so vital that the defenders move forward and support attacks. Neither have the ability.

Rhys Weston supported attacks second half but is like a rabbit staring at headlights when the ball comes to him in the opposition half. One first half "shot" when he blasted the ball into the Canton Stand from 40 yards with three players in the area emphasised it. Simpkins just can't cross a ball, every effort is high and floating, far too easy to defend. He did manage one dangerous ball but his inability is such that he regularly lays the ball back when advanced rather than cross from good positions.

The big signings yet again failed to justify their huge fees and wages. Spencer Prior has looked average at best for several weeks. He has rarely showed Premiership qualities and sometimes seems to be picked purely because of name and reputation. If he was a free transfer, you wonder if City would be so loyal.

Graham Kavanagh was poor yet again, choosing to live in the comfort zone rather than be an attacking presence. I lost count of the number of times in the second half that he was 2nd or 3rd DEEPEST player for Cardiff City. His sideways or backwards passes in City's own half really hurt the opposition, don't they?

As much as we love him, maybe it's time to accept Neil Alexander is not the best goalkeeeper we've seen since Bill Irwin. His handling of crosses is excellent but his kicking causes palpitations most games and he is no shot stopper. It may sound harsh but most games, the stats will record the oppostion hardly had shots but in they go.

The other large problem was the forward line. Earnie and Thorne, the two outright attacking players, were too far apart. Earnie seemed to be more of a winger and was hardly seen in the opposition penalty area nullifying many of the reasons why he is so essential to the team.

City came very close to opening the scoring in the 10th minute when Peter Thorne met a Brayson cross and headed inches wide. It was their first effort at goal in the game, Wigan had already had 4 by that stage, most whistling narrowly wide. City failed to close them down and they were having pot shots at regular intervals.

Their opening goal on 16 minutes was sloppiness at its worst. Having needlessly conceded a corner, things were compounded by the defence going tangled together meeting a near post ball, it ran loose and McGibbon was unmarked to stab home from 12 yards, the shot wasn't convincing but good enough. Where were our players?

On 20 minutes, Paul Brayson nearly fashioned a special equaliser out of nothing when the ball reached him 20 yards out, he chested, turned and hit a fantastic volley across goal which smashed off the far post and just eluded Thorne on the rebound. It was superb skill from one of the very few City players to leave the pitch feeling satisfied with his performance, he was easily City's man of the match.

City's other main moment of the half was a Jason Bowen run (Bows again had an excellent game) which got past the last defender wide in the area but his drilled shot across goal was well saved by Stillie.

Derek Stillie, in the Wigan goal, was recalled in place of Stuart Kerr who City nearly signed from Celtic last season but decided he wanted to fight for his place and not move so far south. He's also got my Bluebirds badge from when he visited Ninian for talks last season. If I could have got near him, I would have demanded it back!

Wigan were fluid, broke at pace and ex-City starlet, Simon Haworth, lead the line well. The fact that they were only 1-0 ahead at half-time maybe didn't do them justice, City were awful. Wigan had equal territory and possession but knew what to do with, most attacks ended with a shot at goal.

The Ninian crowd were subdued, Weston and Kavanagh were subjected to shouts and boos which isn't right but probably isn't personal either. Both are triers and honest players but not giving what we need when fans know we have the likes of Andy Legg, Matt Brazier, Andy Thompson, Des Hamilton and Scott McCulloch who can all defend as well but get forward and cross better. Yet they never seem to be considered.

Aaaaaaaargh frustration.

Half-time: City 0 Wigan 1

Thoughts that City would sort out their problems at half-time were quickly forgotten as they came back out with the same style. At times, they seemed short on passion, short of belief and short on commitment too. And they were rocked when Wigan doubled their lead 6 minutes after the restart.

A ball forward saw a Wigan forward beat Spencer Prior with far too much ease in the air and City were opened totally as Simon Haworth was clear on goal, advancing and drilling a low shot past Neil Alexander who was beaten by the pace of it as much as anything. I don't like Simon Haworth anymore.

The gloom and doom was now in full swing but 60 seconds later, it was 2--1 with an excellent goal. It's no coincidence that City's first whipped cross of the night, by Earnie, was brilliantly turned home by Thorne whose header left Stillie helpless.

It gave City and the crowd a boost, the noise and support around the ground, Grange End especially, was superb.

Wigan nearly killed the game off as McGibbon raced clear to goal but a brilliant last ditch tackle in the area by Rhys Weston denied him. It also finished off McGibbon who appeared to have broken his arm or wrist in the fall. Michael Simpkins also did brilliantly to clear off the line under pressure and he put in some big second half hits too. Their defending is good but there is far more required from them than that, especially when the opposition pack defence.

Alexander twice found Wigan players with bad kick outs and City were resorting to the Route One tactics in desperation and an acknowledgement that their game had broken down tonight. There were hardly any moves of three or more passes, a damning indictment.

City made changes, Prior (injured/good choice?) came off for Scott Young who looked a little unfit and is if he had out in a couple of pounds in his injury absence. Young nearly scored with his first touch, a header from a corner but was also slow reacting in the incident that lead to Simpkins clearing off the line.

Shortly afterwards, Leggy replaced Simpkins and immediately gave City more thrust and drive on the left. Chances came, Bowen shot wide, Brayson scuffed a shot when well placed after a good move and Stillie made a good save denying Jason Bowen with his legs.

Wigan made a change bringing off ex-Wrexham player Neil Roberts for Paul Dalglish (nowhere near as good as his dad and definitely not as good looking as his sister!).

Just as it seemed the game was petering out, the lifeline came on 82 minutes. City won a corner, Leggy curled and whipped it, Kav flicked on and Paul Brayson got in between three Wigan defenders to steer a header home from 8 yards for his third goal of the season.

The whole ground were baying City forward to get their luckiest win for ages, the point was possibly more than we deserved, but despite more corners, long throws, pumped balls and 4 minutes added time, we never really came close again.

It's a results business and Alan Cork has won just 4 of his last 17 Div 2/Div 3 City league matches in a run dating back to last March. It's very average at best and, right now, it's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

We've got no problems consolidating in this division but is that good enough? Unfortunately, you get the feelings that unless performances/results alter dramatically, the fans will make their own judgement and crowds will inevitably drop. The club must find the answers very very quickly. This season is already heading towards nothingness and we're only in mid-October.

Report from www.sports.com
Stuggling Cardiff City failed to capitalise on a multitude of chances and had to be content with a share of the points against a determined competitive Wigan Athletic who themselves remain in the bottom four.

Wigan began positively and with great enthusiasm against the Bluebirds, testing keeper Neil Alexander three times in the first ten minutes.

The Latics took a deserved lead in the 16th minute when the alert Pat McGibbon toook advantage of a goalmouth mix-up in the Cardiff defence to stab home a neat low shot past the despairing Alexander.

The Bluebirds were unfortunate not to equalise three minutes later as striker Paul Brayson volleyed a superb right-footed shot against the woodwork with keeper Derek Stillie well beaten.

Cardiff started the second half vigorously and a thunderbolt from Willie Boland on the edge of the area was deflected behind for a corner.

The Latics though increased their lead in the 55th minute when Ian Kilford robbed Spencer Prior, passed to former Bluebird striker Simon Haworth who ran at the Cardiff defence and beat Alexander with a well placed shot from 15 yards.

The Bluebirds replied within a minute as a deft cross from the diminutive Robert Earnshaw was superbly met by fellow striker Peter Thorne whose header easily beat keeper Stillie .

The Latics keeper again denied the raiding Bluebirds as a close-range effort from Bowen hit the diving Stillie on the leg, and narrowly missed the post.

Keeper Stillie was once again the Wigan hero in the 70th minute. Earnshaw and Brayson combined cleverly on the edge of the box but Brayson 's firm left-footed shot was smothered by the alert keeper.

Four minutes later Jason Bowen again showed individual brilliance, mezmerising the visitors' defence inside the area but his final shot went harmlessly wide of the goal from close range.

Cardiff urged on by 11,000 vociferous fans deservedly equalised eight minutes from time with a far post header from Brayson following a well directed left-footed cross from sub Andy Legg.