Wed 19th Dec 2001.

Stoke City
Cutler
Clarke
Handyside
Shtanyuk
Gunnarsson
Thomas
Gudjonsson
O Connor
Vanduerzen (Goodfellow 76)
Cooke
Iwelumo (Dadason 76)

Subs not used
Rowson
Henry
Ingham

Subs not used
Maxwell
Legg

Report from NigelBlues.
Cardiff City gained a fair and fully deserved draw at Stoke's Britannia Stadium in a high quality game. Most Cardiff fans realised Stoke were the best team that we have played this season but, better still, there's not the slightest doubt that The Bluebirds fully matched them. In the past three months, Stoke have lost 1 out of 15 and Cardiff have lost 1 out of 14. These are now the strongest teams in this division and it won't surprise fans of either side if they occupied the top two positions next April.

City travelled to Stoke full of confidence with tactical, motivational and whatever other problems there seemed to be put behind them in recent weeks. Cardiff are now a powerful settled team with every player knowing his duties. The result was yet another flowing, controlled and organised performance, we really are very strong in all areas. Graham Kavanagh travelled to Stoke to be subjected to a barrage of boos and some abuse, understandable, but responded with a disciplined game bringing the ball forward (or sideways), no wasted passes and starting most of Cardiff's moves.

Cardiff City fans returned to Stoke for the first time since the notorious April 2000 clash to be received like the Bin Laden Tora Bora Barmy Army Xmas Party on Tour with helicopters buzzing over, Staffs police everywhere, full body searches and being held back for 25 minutes after the match. Police were so worried about our threat that they even forced a hot dog/burger van outside the away end to shut down. There were no problems, one token charge afterwards (mainly for the benefit of the police helicopter spotlight to be shown on police, camera, action at a later date). Not that it was likely when tickets were sold only to season ticket holders and members.

Britannia Stadium is impressive but as I'm sure Sam will say, it's nothing compared to the new ground he'll build for City. Plonked on a hill overlooking the city centre, it stands out from distance. It's all seater, City fans were ripped off by paying £17 to be in the higher parts of a 4,500 seat away end with superb views behind one goal while Stoke paid £12 to be at the opposite end. They were large high stands on both sides, while the crowd was a healthy but disappointing 14,331 including 1,000 City, the stadium overall must have been about half full.

The atmosphere was white hot at the start with Kav being the main focus. Stoke booed him, shouted Judas, Cardiff responded by getting Kav to ayatollah which was hilarious and singing "we got Kav-a-nagh ... and we got Thorney too!"

Cardiff's game plan must have been to subdue the home crowd and not concede an early goal. In a game that swung all night, City started the brighter by far, had the chances, and showed their quality is better than others in this division.

The opening 15-20 minutes were all Cardiff looking very slick with Boland and Bonner holding midfield, Prior and Young in control at the back, Dean Gordon and Gabbidon looking the outstanding quality they are going forward and Earnie looking very sharp.

They had their chances for an early lead too. Dean Gordon whipped in a superb left foot cross which Stoke just put behind with Earnie waiting to pounce. Earnie was closer as he broke in the area going wide left and hooked a left foot shot which Stoke's 'keeper Neil Cutler (ex-City hero Gavin Ward was recently injured) got down well to stop. Kavanagh also brought a save from the keeper which an edge of area effort but the best chance came from great work by Gavin Gordon to win a ball by the corner flag and make a run which won a free-kick on the edge of the area level with the goal line after no advantage resulted.

As Stoke's fans behind the goal concentrated on abusing Kav close up and Stoke's defence concentrated on City's big men in the box, Kav rolled the ball to Jason Bowen standing free but he sliced his effort into the Stoke fans when he should have hit the target. Most City players shined but Bowen, always lively, dangerous and available, didn't have one of his better games.

The Stoke fans had gone quiet apart from one rousing chorus of Delilah (for fans who love to goad the Welsh, nice to know they have to rip off a Welsh singer's song as their anthem) as City were in the ascendancy. It was inevitable that the home side would bounce back at some stage and the next period of the game belonged to them. They put pressure on and made Cardiff look uncomfortable with slick play themselves.

In the eyes of City fans, Neil Alexander is Scotland's No 1 and if a player ever proved it, tonight was the occasion. I don't think we have ever had a better technical keeper, his positioning is always spot on, his handling immaculate, his control of the penalty area impeccable, when he learns to kick better, we'll have Britain's No 1! He pulled off three outstanding first half saves, two of them from his own players!!

He started a string of outstanding saves by blocking a far post header destined to go inside the top corner of goal then made a brilliant reflex save to arch backwards and tip the ball over after Scott Young sliced a clearance on 10 yards and the ball skidded off the rain affected greasy surface. Later in the half, he had to do the same again as Spencer Prior misheaded another cross which bounced up awkwardly off the surface. A couple of efforts whistled wide but every time Stoke tried the aerial route, Alexander dominated and took everything with the defence mopping up in front of him.

Then came a blow as City lost Scott Young with a leg injury. City were down to 10 men for 6 or 7 minutes but still looked comfortable. When Rhys Weston appeared on 31 minutes, many fans forgot we were missing a player and wondered who was coming off for him! On the evidence of his display, Rhys Weston has benefited from a spell on the sidelines as he performed admirably at right wing back with Gabbidon now paired with Prior.

In the final 15 minutes of the half, Weston came closest to scoring, twice. Firstly when he hit an edge of area snapshot that twisted and dipped to hit the top of the goal netting with Cutler looking uncomfortable. Then a superb, sweeping 6 man move down the left and then switched saw Boland find him coming into the area, Weston shot instantly but was just wide, hitting the side netting this time. Mark Bonner also had a low drive which was snapped up by Cutler.

A talking point in the closing stages of the half was the strange performance of Gavin Gordon. He looked strong, full of running and was winning most balls in the air for the first 20 minutes but then seemed to lose his way. He stopped working and laboured with his hands on his hips watching the game pass him by, leaving Earnie almost work the front line of his own. He had a vest under his shirt, maybe to keep him warm once his running stopped. His body language looked unhappy as he burst into life when the ball came near him but didn't work to close down and chase Stoke players as he can.

45 minutes of quality football, as good as you can expect to see in this division which had City fans happy drinking their £2.40 bottles of Fosters from the bar under the stand (bet Stoke were paying £2 for theirs!!!). Why did Gavin Gordon go down the tunnel 3 or 4 minutes after everyone else? What did he go back to the City dugout to get?

Half-Time: Stoke 0 City 0

Chances were fewer in the second half for both sides. You had to admire the technical ability of both teams but they did seem to be cancelling each other out with the game seeming destined for a 0-0.

Cardiff remained strong, keeping their shape and composure throughout. Stoke, at times, were playing like the away side as they strived to contain Cardiff and looked most dangerous hitting City on the break. On the occasions they did, they were stopped by two man mountain performances in particular - Prior and Alexander.

One of the principle reasons why City have turned their season around is that the big name players are performing. Kavanagh flattered to deceive for a long time at City but is now settled and in a position that plays to his strengths, Prior took some time to find his way too. His display tonight was class and authority, he won it all in the air, he won it all on the deck and his tackling was brilliant. There were times Stoke players looked as if they had got away when Prior came in with a superb challenge and come away with the ball too.

Alexander is not for sale but you can understand why the Premier scouts watch him most weeks as he produced a flying jet propelled save to push a 20 yard volley wide and then produce another immaculate save to turn a close range header from the resulting corner over the bar.

The ebb and flow continued with Paul Brayson replacing Bowen on the hour making an instant impression by almost sneaking a shot inside the corner of goal, Cutler saved well, and then from another brilliant City build up and move, Brayson cut in the area, his cross deflected but Earnie appeared from nowhere to turn the ball at goal from 12 yards which bounced off the angle of post and crossbar which Cutler motionless and well beaten. That's the 3rd time Earnie hit the bar or post in 2 games.

One of the few unsavoury incidents occurred as the game was temporarily held up by Stoke fans throwing what appeared to be bottles (if they were from the bar, they would have been plastic) at a linesman who had flagged an attack offside, not for the first time. It worked both ways as Earnie, playing off the shoulder of the last man, was also given offside a few times, occasionally looking dubious decisions.

The referee tonight, Tony Leake, was superb. For such a high profile game, nobody booked, few were spoken to and the game was allowed to flow - credit to both sets of players for that too. The fact you never noticed the ref apart from the brief stoppage can only mean we had a good one.

Just as both sides seemed content with a point each came a tragedy that City and the players involved didn't deserve in the 77th minute.

Moments after a Stoke double substitution, one of the players brought on hit it hard and low cross across the area. As it reached the 6 yard box, DANNY GABBIDON was first but seemed to lose all his bearings as, facing goal, he touched the ball towards it when it needed a Row Z whack. It was agony and a sickener as he placed the perfect ball into the corner of the net from 6 yards leaving Alexander wrong-footed and helpless.

It was unjust, Gabbi and Neil hadn't put a foot wrong all night but Stoke players and fans were ballistic with joy, Cardiff's players looked down for a moment and Cardiff fans were treated to the spectacle of 300 police appearing from nowhere to stand at our end of the pitch. (At least, they didn't bring the horses too which stopped Andy Legg taking corner kicks last time).

City gambled but had nothing to lose, Leo came on for Mark Bonner and went for Stoke. They almost equalised within a minute of the goal as a Willie Boland shot skimming towards the bottom corner of goal which deflected inches wide for an unproductive corner. But it was City pressure and 6 minutes later, joy of joys, we were back which shows we have a side with bottle and character.

Leo Fortune-West set out to cause as much disruption as possible and on a run just outside the area he was brought down. City lined up a free kick 5 yards outside the area and 6 or 7 yards wide of goal, perfect for either Kavanagh or Dean Gordon who both stood over it. The rest showed why Dean Gordon must be signed, is worth £8k a week, and even gets our respect for playing in black leather gloves as he hit a dream curling shot which sailed over the wall and right inside the top corner which gave Cutler not the slightest chance. No goalkeeper in the country would have got to it ... well maybe Neil Alexander! A moment of magic and genius which separates teams like Cardiff from the also-rans and may well make the difference on the run in.

It was City fans turn to celebrate and party we did it in large stylee, I hugged 10 perfect strangers and forgot my knee was strapped up, the result of my latest football efforts!! Best "I don't believe it moment" goes to Rob "Jesus" Hughes of The 1927 Club who spent a couple of minutes celebrating and saying"I can't believe they let Leo take that free-kick but what a goal Leo scored!". The news was broken to him gently that it was Dean Gordon and he's the only player in the team, and this division, who can take a free-kick like that. Quality, quality, quality.

For a couple of minutes, Stoke were on the rack again as City threatened to take all 3 points before the closing minutes, including three minutes added time, saw the ball go end to end in keeping with the game but no real chances either way, didn't stop everyone in the ground feeling tense and missing heartbeats as the moves happened though.

It was a classic Division Two game between two excellent teams who are now full of respect for each other. Both will reflect on moments that could have won it, the draw was the fairest result, it would have been a travesty had City lost.

Players and fans appluaded each other, Leo being Leo want off moaning and upset about something and was having words with Alan Cork, he's never the happiest but can't fault his recent passion and commitment. Just left time for City fans to sing "you'll never come to Ninian" to Stoke fans including their hardcore pocket of "10 boys, you've only got 10 boys" before we went outside to be held up for 25 minutes before they let us away.

There was disappointment with the Blackpool draw but delight with this one although it's draws that have halted City from being far higher than they are - this was the 7th draw in the last 15 league games - they must be converted into wins in the remainder of the season.

The result keeps City in 6th place with 37 points at the exact halfway stage of their season but with promise and hope like we haven't had for almost 20 years. The team and football are stronger and better in the past month and there's every reason to suspect we will bag a greater haul of points in the 2nd half of the season. Nothing is guaranteed but we look racing certs for the play-offs and there is now an expectancy of a genuine promotion challenge. With two Xmas games at home against the two sides immediately above us (Reading and Bristol City), this is our moment.

Merry Xmas - as far as City are concerned, it's rarely been better.

Report from www.sports.com
Leaders Stoke City were held at home by Cardiff City in a superb game of football which could well have featured two sides destined for division one in May.

A cracking game looked to be heading for stalemate, when 13 minutes from time the home side went in front thanks to an own goal from Daniel Gabbidon.

But with six minutes left on the clock the visitors deservedly drew level when Stoke keeper Neil Cutler was beaten by a well-struck free-kick from Dean Gordon.

The visitors showed their intentions early on, playing their football in the Stoke half of the pitch, but up to the ninth minute their only shot of note was a hooked effort from Robert Earnshaw which Cutler dealt with comfortably.

Cardiff then won a free-kick just outside the Stoke penalty area, close to the by-line, which ex-Stoke midfielder Graham Kavanagh waited to take.

The referee moved the Stoke wall back and the instant he blew his whistle Kavanagh rolled the ball back to Jason Bowen, who wasted the opportunity when he blasted over the bar.

Bluebirds keeper Neil Alexander clawed out a close-range header from Chris Iwelumo as the home side began to hit back.

Disaster almost struck for the visitors midway through the first half when Scott Young almost sliced into his own net, but to his relief Alexander pulled off a superb reflex save.

Rhys Weston replaced Young after 31 minutes and five minutes before the break he tried his luck from 25 yards and he wasn't far off as his dipping shot dropped onto the roof of the net.

By now the pattern of play had changed in favour of the home side but when half time arrived the crowd were still waiting for the opening goal.

Stoke's Icelandic midfielder Brynjar Gunnarsson sent a snap-shot whistling past the post early on in the second half as the Potters came out all guns blazing.

Shortly afterwards Alexander had to dive full length to his right to keep out a 20-yard shot from Gunnarsson which took a deflection.

From the resulting corner Alexander again reacted quickly to fingertip another effort from the same player over the crossbar.

Play soon switched to the other end and the visitors almost went ahead when Earnshaw rattled the Stoke crossbar with a delicate near-post chip.

Stoke made a double substitution after 76 minutes when Marc Goodfellow and Rikhardur Dadason replaced Iwelumo and Jurgen Vanduerzen.

One minute later Stoke were in front when the unfortunate Gabbidon turned a cross-shot from Goodfellow into his own net.

But the Potters could only hold their lead for seven minutes before Gordon stuck a superb 25-yard free-kick into the top corner.

External match reports
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Nationwide League site
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