Sat 22nd Sep 2001.

Cardiff City
Alexander
Weston
Gabbidon
Prior
Simpkins
Legg
Kavanagh
Boland
Brayson (Bowen 61)
Fortune West
Thorne

Subs not used
Bonner
Kendall
Hughes
Hamilton

Huddersfield
Margetson
Jenkins
Evans
Gray
Clarke
Irons
Mattis
Thorrington
Holland
Booth
Schofield

Subs not used
Moses
Digby
Heary
Baldry
Hay

www.bbc.co.uk
Peter Thorne - Quality.

Report from NigelBlues.
Make no mistake, if Alan Cork ever had the plot, he's lost it. He's lost his belief, lost his values and lost all he ever tried to preach to us. And it was there for all to see as a competent, organised Huddersfield outfit outplayed, out thought, out fought and eventually dismantled City.

Sam Hammam said before kick off that City have struggled in recent games because the opposition treat Cardiff as the Manchester United of the Second Division. He must have mean Torquay United as individually and collectively, we are a shambles.

No way are Huddersfield a better side man-for-man but as a unit, they were miles ahead of us. The reason for the gap was obvious. It all comes down to tactics, organisation and management and, in the past couple of weeks, Cardiff's have been abysmal.

This has been coming, we got away with it in midweek playing Northampton who were ordinary but still able to play it around better than City, today against a better team, we were found out and stripped bare for all to see.

The problems run thoughout the side, the playing style is woeful. Think back to pre-season and think how exciting City were beating Crystal Place and Coventry. We passed, we kept the ball down, there was width, we made plenty of pace, there was movement everywhere and we had quality players who they utilised and given the freedom to play.

People will point fingers at Alan Cork but I hope they are also pointed at Ian Atkins as we have been converted into a team of slow, aimless hoofers in a matter of weeks but with the same group of players. It's a total waste of the talent and players that we have.

Atkins seems to be imposing his style on proceedings, he was visibly in control today and it will never work here. We have only played this way since his arrival. He only plays one way, Route One, and has only worked with limited players. It needs a drastically different apporach to get the best from the resources we now have. Let's hope they realise before it's too late.

The only people who are delighted with our new playing "style" are HyperValue and Wayne Nash, the groundsman. City spent so much time hoofing the ball in the air that the newly painted HyperValue on the Bob Bank roof was the part of the ground that Grandstanders saw most of, the alarming lack of width means Gnasher will only need have to tend to the centre strip of the pitch.

The problems are so obvious to most City fans that it is beyond belief that our management team earning substantial money can't see it or change it.

Defensively, only Gabbidon stands out. Prior has been hugely disappointing in the past 3 matches. And it really is time to ask what Rhys Weston and Michael Simpkins have to do to be dropped. Neither can pass or distribute, both just whacked ball after ball upfield and neither get past halfway to support midfield or attack which is causing immense problems and damage. Rhys Weston got forward once all match that I recall then crossed into the Canton Stand.

Players like the transfer listed Andy Thompson and Matt Brazier must be wondering why they are not even worthy of consideration. The other option would be moving Gabbidon to one side and bringing David Hughes in alongside Prior.

In midfield, Graham Kavanagh yet again fell so deep that he may as well change his desription to central defender. As a £1M man, we have every right to see Kavanagh directing operations, playing the ball forward, setting up attacks. We saw none of that, it was all sideways and backwards. Amazingly he was man of the match by the sponsors which caused 12,000 howls of derision. The so-called Roy Keane of the lower divisions doesn't even look keen.

Legg and Brayson contributed little, it's neither of their faults that they are playing out of position. Credit to Brayson in trying to take on players but on the whole, they were aiming diagonal balls from far out which is hopeless for Leo and Thorne. They need players like Low and Jeanne who can get to the by line and send balls in for them to attack, both are now not even good enough to be on the bench.

Thorne and Leo both worked hard. Thorne is undoubtedly a class act being let down badly by no service and what is going on elsewhere, Leo is limited but noticeably works harder at closing down the ball and trying to make things happen. It's ironic Leo has started doing that when others seem to have lost the intensity and passion in their games.

To be honest, we could have had Michael Owen and Rivaldo in attack today and it would have been little different. Although there is no doubt that we are missing Earnie. His pace alone worries teams but he also makes runs, goes wide to make himself available and gives players behind him more options than the hit and hope high ball which we've adopted.

For what it's worth, once we'd read that the visitors were Northampton in the programme and the tannoy announcer said the same too when the teams ran out (are they alll in a time warp at Ninian?), what little there was to admire about City lasted for the first 10 minutes. They opened brightly and strongly and scored a classic opener. Paul Brayson took on a defender and knocked a ball into the middle. The rest was Peter Thorne at his best as he lost his marker and sent an outstanding lobbed header from 12 yards past Huddersfield's Welsh keeper, Martyn Margetson. It was an outstanding moment and Ninian went mental in celebration.

Chants of "who needs Andy Booth when we got Peter Thorne" boomed towards Booth, who was nearly signed from Huddersfield last month. Huddersfield's Jack, Steve Jenkins, was getting the usual reception and torment from City fans too.

The omens looked good, Huddersfield were visibly shaken but once again, City created their own downfall by sitting back and losing their momentum. Kavanagh
dropped deeper, bringing others back with him and allowing Huddersfield to take the initiative. Given the time and space to pass the ball, they were soon in the ascendancy.

Then the omens looked bad. Huddersfield playing an all black kit, the Grim Reaper had arrived, City lost their souls, no wonder we had no decent cross.

The warning sign for City came when one passing move across goal cut City apart, Neil Alexander made a great save from a left footed shot across him in a one on one situation. Kavanagh had one tremendous 25 yard volley blocked by a Huddersfield head but it was brief respite.

Five minutes later, in the 20th minute, Huddersfield had levelled with a great goal. Three or four interchanged passes brought the ball to the edge of Cardiff's area, the least touch teed the ball for Mattis to let fly with a low left footed drive that flashed inside Alexander's near post.

The rest of the half was the Cardiff City that has frustrated fans in the past couple of games. It was all huff and puff, no imagination or flair, no cohesion, no fleuency, no ability to put anything more than two passes together and no efforts at goal. The most exciting moments were when Leo and Gabbdion maanaged to catch opponents in the faces with high kicks! But, of course, you can now expect Monday's Echo to declare we had at least 30 efforts at goal following the 22 shots they somehow counted at Cambridge and the incredible 29 they claimed we managed against Northampton in midweek.

Half-time City 1 Huddersfield 1

City started the second half as they finished the first period, unimpressively. Huddersfield kept things neat and simple, short passing and movement that was overwhelming City. Huddersfield were running the show with some ease and we were unable to hit back. Fans were prepared any good tackle that won possession.

The biggest cheer was City winning a rare free kick on the edge of the area. Kav hit it well and Margetson was so lucky diving the worng way to see the ball bounce off his foot. Kav went from hero to villain in moments as, just later, he carelessly lost the ball in midfield that unwitting paved the way towards Huddersfield's winner.

Schofield, who made Kav look second best most of the afternoon, was away and only just stopped by a Rhys Weston tackle which saw a free kick conceded. A shot from it was deflected for a corner.

One of the few players who has not let City down was Neil Alexander in goals but the malaise had now hit home. He had been kicking poorly, although not as badly as the Huddersfield keeper, and had looked edgy. It all came tumbling down as he dropped a near post corner, the ball ran loose and was turned home by Schofield.

You suspected there was no way back for Cardiff and so it proved to be. There was mass discontent amongst the fans, not booing the team but exasperated by the playing style and what they were seeing.

Cork reacted by bringing on Bowen but for Brayson, one of the few players who threatened to change the game. But the tactics seemed all worng again as Bowen was used playing behind the front two and with Brayson gone, it meant even less width.

At that point, it seemed as if Cork had given up on City too. He sat back and Atkins was directing operations, his arms waving players forward or, more likely, waving for the ball to be belted forward.

City tried to push on but I lost count of the number of times that City put balls straight to Margetson, Legg's long throws went straight to Margetson and even corners found their way straight to him. Margetson looked cool and effective but it was too easy for him, the service was poor. Why was he never put under pressure?

There were a couple of exciting moments but it was all to no avail, Bowen at last got wide and got around players on one dazzling run but Margetson took the ball again at the far post. The one sub City needed was Leon Jeanne, he was perfect and exactly what was required, but he wasn't there today.

The game, from a City point of view, fizzled out with barely more than a whimper. A record equalling 27 game unbeaten home league record (almost 40 games when cup games and friendlies are counted) stretching back to Bury in April 2000 had gone.

Huddersfield are undoubtedly a good side but came to Ninian in little form and had conceded 4 at home the previous week. Good team come back like this after setbacks and they porved themselves. Now it's Cardiff's turn to try and do the same. This week with today's game, QPR away and Brighton at Ninian Park was a major test of our credentials, we fell badly at the first hurdle.

Without wholesale changes to the personnel on duty and a shift from the Route One style which is destroying things, a much anticipated season could yet prove be be tortuous. The team management, Cork and Atkins, must sit down and get things right and quickly or the matter could be taken out of their hands. Fans won't stomach this for much longer and I'm sure Sam Hammam won't either.

Report from Wales On Sunday
CORK'S Bluebirds saw their hopes of breaking a 54-year-old record for unbeaten matches at their Ninian Park fortress disap-pear on an afternoon when they were given a harsh lesson in the realities of Division Two football.

Goals from Dwayne Mattis and Danny Schofield cancelled out Peter Thorne's stunning seventh minute opener to bring to an end to City's tally of 27 home games without defeat - a run which had stretched back to the season before last.

Making it 28 would have equalled the run by the Cardiff City class of 1946-47. But, as Cork pointed out afterwards: "We would have liked to keep it going, but those records have to come to an end some time."

That it did in such disappointing fashion is what will have concerned many of the 12,000 who crammed into Ninian Park yesterday.

Cork and his opposite number, Lou Macari, were putting a positive Bluebirds slant on the game afterwards. Cork maintained his team deserved a draw; Macari insisted City played well and not many clubs will emulate his Huddersfield side by winning at Ninian Park this season.

I don't know if the two managers were just being diplomatic, but I'm sorry, I saw an entirely different 90 minutes.

Huddersfield were compact, organised, fluid, passed the ball and were full of pace and precision.

Cardiff were hit and hope. Route One football up to Leo Fortune-West and Thorne from almost first minute to last, a style which the big Huddersfield defenders and goal-keeper Martyn Margetson stood up to and coped with comfortably.

Yes, City peppered the Huddersfield penalty box in the closing half-hour. But it remained onedimensional stuff.

They never did. Huddersfield merely soaked up the pressure, played their way out of trouble composedly and, if they had tried to commit a few more men forward on the break, may well have scored more goals themselves.

Offering hope to City, Macari insisted: "Cardiff may just have one dimension, but the one they have got is pretty good. If you can withstand 90 minutes of that sort of bombardment, you've done well.

"Not many teams will come here and get a draw, let alone the three points. We were aware of Cardiff's unbeaten record here and I think that sums up how difficult they are going to be to beat here."

The unbeaten Ninian Park run had started at the end of the 1999-2000 season when City beat Bristol Rovers. They stretched it through the entire Division Three promotion campaign and the first three home matches of this season.

But, as City learned to their cost yesterday, there is a huge gulf in class between Division Three and the better opposition they will face in Division Two.

There are two more big tests within the next six days, QPR away on Tuesday night and leaders Brighton at Ninian next Saturday.

City, surely, will need to be varying their tactics more if they are to win those games and begin really justifying the huge spend, spend, spend policy implemented by their owner in the last few months.

Things had begun so brightly yesterday when Thorne, one of those big money captures, sent the Bluebirds soaring into the lead with a brilliant opening goal.

Willie Boland won a tussle for the ball in midfield, put Paul Brayson away on the right and his deep cross was met by Thorne who thundered a header past Margetson from 14 yards.

That should really have been the signal for City to take a stranglehold on the match and play with real confidence and conviction.

But it was Huddersfield who did that instead and they deservedly drew level in the 19th minute when Jon Thorrington and Schofield combined neatly to put the ball into the path of Mattis. He made no mistake in driving a fierce left foot shot past Neil Alexander.

Huddersfield continued to create the better openings, Alexander doing well to block Schofield's shot with his legs, while Gabbidon had to clear acrobatically when a Schofield cross thundered goalwards.

City were unfortunate five minutes into the second half when a fierce Kavanagh free kick took a deflection, but an off balance Margetson reacted brilliantly to stop the effort with his toes at the last minute.

That proved to be a significant moment because in the 56th minute Huddersfield took the lead themselves. Thorrington swung over a corner from the right, Alexander lost the ball under pressure and as it fell to Schofield, he hooked a volley into the corner of the unguarded net.

City were crying out for a change and Cork provided it by sending on Jason Bowen for Brayson with 30 minutes to go. At least Bowen took players on and caused panic by getting behind the Huddersfield defence on a couple of occasions.

It was from one such run that Bowen set up a half-opening for Thorne, running past two players before delivering a cross which Steve Jenkins headed away as City's £1.7m striker converged on it.

But that was almost typical of the game as a whole. City hit the ball in and hoped - Huddersfield cleared any danger away.

Cork maintained afterwards: "It was not a bad performance. We gave ourselves problems by giving away a couple of goals.

"It was just one of those days when the ball didn't drop to us. We're not getting the rub of the green. We weren't beaten - we beat ourselves."

The mood among City fans is somewhat different to what it was just eight days ago. Then the talk was, `We'll beat struggling Cambridge, beat Northampton and then Huddersfield and we'll be top of the table with a game in hand."

An indication of the justifiable optimism among Bluebirds' supporters after the way money has been spent on their team.

The reality of the situation, one win and two defeats on, is that City are 15th in the table.

The coming games with QPR and Brighton suddenly take on even more importance.

Report from The Football Echo
CARDIFF City's record-breaking unbeaten home run, stretching back to the season before last, ended at Ninian Park today.

They went down to their first Nationwide League home defeat in 28 matches, losing to a superior Huddersfield Town team.

The Yorkshire outfit, though, had not won for three matches before coming to Cardiff - and had lost against Blackpool and Wigan Athletic.

They were worthy winners at Ninian Park today.

It was another disappointing display from the Bluebirds, who had plenty of second half possession but failed to use it well.

City have a large squad and manager Alan Cork will surely now consider changes to his team after Huddersfield stormed Fortress Ninian and went home with the points.

The best news of the day came with the attendance of 12,280, City's fourth successive crowd of 10,000-plus.

Graham Kavanagh, outgunned by Danny Schofield through the middle, was named man of the match by the sponsors - and that was greeted with astonishment by spectators .

Kavanagh had worked, led, chased and tackled, but he would admit it wasn't a good day either personally or for the team.

A fiercely-contested first half between two of the leading sides in Division Two contained two outstanding goals.

The Bluebirds went ahead after seven minutes when Willie Boland slipped a pass out to the right for Paul Brayson and he ran at a defender.

The cross flew to the far post and new signing Peter Thorne, dropping off his marker superbly, sent a looping header over Welsh goalkeeper Martyn Margetson.

The ball dropped inside a post and City fans celebrated wildly.

Huddersfield, though, came up with a gem of their own when Jon Thorrington passed inside for Danny Schofield and his little dinked pass inside fell beautifully for Dwayne Mattis.

He struck a sweet left foot volley just inside the post with goalkeeper Neil Alexander helpless.

They were the two best moments of the opening half as the sides scrapped it out with neither able to take charge.

City worked hard, tackled ferociously, but they are still unable to pass the ball with any authority.

Northampton Town passed better than the Bluebirds in midweek and Huddersfield Town did the same in the first half today.

City give away possession far too often and they must find a way of getting more crosses from wide positions into the penalty area.

That was underlined when Thorne finished so well from Brayson's accurate cross.

City called up Boland and Leo Fortune-West for the visit of Huddersfield, who are manager Alan Cork's Division Two tip for the top.

But Huddersfield had a distinct edge in midfield and their confidence grew during the first half.

Mark Bonner and Des Hamilton, still suffering from a slight groin problem, were among the substitutes along with goalkeeper Lee Kendall.

Cork does not usually include a goalkeeper among his subs, but Alexander is still suffering from a sore knee.

Huddersfield included two Welshmen in keeper Margetson and defender Steve Jenkins.

The first-half display was better than City performed in midweek, when they won 2-0 against Northampton, but it was still below what the Bluebirds should expect.

There were few chances at either end, although skipper Kavanagh let fly with a powerful half volley after 15 minutes.

Alexander's long clearance was nodded down by Fortune-West and Kavanagh's fierce shot struck a defender on the head as it flew towards goal.

Alexander made a good block with his legs from Schofield, who shot after being forced wide, while Gabbidon hooked clear as Schofield’s dangerous ball into the area flew across the face of the goal.

Honours were even as the teams left the pitch at half-time, but City surely needed to improve after the interval.

They will don't look settled into any playing system.

Brayson was the pick of the City team in the first half.

Half-time: Cardiff City 1, Huddersfield Town 1

City went close five minutes into the second half when Huddersfield conceded a free-kick for a high kick. Kavanagh went for goal from 22 yards and it zipped past the wall with Margetson diving the wrong way.

He stuck out a foot as he went and managed to kick the ball clear.

There was little interaction between front two Thorne and Fortune-West.

They are players who do not naturally go together as a strike pair and, while there was plenty of individual work, they sit uneasily together.

City started the second half reasonably well, but Huddersfield broke quickly when Kavanagh was robbed of possession 30 yards out. Huddersfield broke and Schofield was brought down by Rhys Weston.

It seemed a harsh free-kick and City were relieved when Kenny Irons' shot was deflected away for a corner.

Their relief was shortlived, though, as Thorrington's corner was lost at the near post by Alexander as he came under pressure and Schofield hooked the loose ball home from 15 yards.

Huddersfield looked the better team and City were struggling with confidence draining and the spectators becoming more and more anxious.

Schofield was only just stopped from scoring a third Huddersfield goal when he broke into space.

Apart from the early goal there was little to commend City's display in the first hou and manager Cork acted to change things when he sent on Jason Bowen for Brayson.

Ironically, Brayson had looked the best City player and might have made a difference pressing forward into attack.

Kavanagh struggled to find his best form in the centre of midfield, while his former Stoke City teammate Thorne was starved of decent service.

How he would have loved a repeat of that early Brayson cross which led to the goal.

There was little sign of that coming.

Kavanagh went close when he burst onto a Fortune-West lay-off following a Weston cross and fired over on the half volley.

Bowen was operating just behind the front two with licence to roam as City gambled and tried to add more guile and creativity to a spluttering attack.

Still, though, there was no real pressure on Margetson, who was wearing turquoise kit which looked awful.

After starting so brightly, City had struggled to put their game together.

There was far too much hit and hope for City as time ran out. Thorne won a lot of ball in the air and Fortune-West did his bit, but there was nobody to take advantage.

Even basic skills became a problem at times as City tried desperately to get forward.

Schofield's foul on Boland gave City the chance to shoot from a free-kick and Kavanagh lined it up.

His effort hit the wall and Huddersfield were able to clear.

Jenkins and Schofield were booked for fouls as Huddersfield held on to their lead.

Bowen's appearance had sparked things up a little and he produced a dazzling run and cross with Huddersfield only just scrambling the ball away for a corner.

Weston showed what could be done when he burst down the right and got behind the defence.

How City needed more of that - neither Simpkins or Weston get forward enough - but the quality of passing just wasn't there.

Report from www.sports.com
Cardiff City manager Alan Cork has already gone on record as saying that he believes Huddersfield Town will be one of the two clubs to gain automatic promotion at the end of this season, and now he must be even more aware that his prediction will not be far off the mark.

Huddersfield came from behind to end Cardiff's run of 27 unbeaten home league matches stretching back to April last year, and the big-spending Ninian Park Club will now have to re-group and pick themselves up ahead of Tuesday's trip to Queens Park Rangers.

Cardiff new boy Peter Thorne, a £1.8 million signing from Stoke City 10 days ago, netted his first goal for his new club after only seven minutes, but The Bluebirds then fell apart as Huddersfield ran the show.

Cardiff should have done much better after Thorne's opener. The Huddersfield defence were caught napping when Paul Brayson crossed from the right and Thorne, unmarked in the penalty area, was given plenty of time to direct his header home.

But the celebrations soon ended as Huddersfield produced some flowing football and deservedly drew level after 20 minutes. John Thorrington played the ball in-field from close to the right touchline and Dwayne Mattis met it with a sweetly-struck shot that flashed into the left-hand corner of Neil Alexander's net.

It should have been a wake-up call for Cardiff, but they failed to respond and Huddersfield continued to provide the better openings. Danny Schofield got in a right-foot drive that was blocked by Daniel Gabbidon and another shot from Schofield from a Kenny Irons free-kick flashed just inches wide.

Graham Kavanagh came close to putting Cardiff back in front when they finally made progress upfield, but saw his shot bounce back off Martyn Margetson's feet before Brayson had a shot blocked by Kevin Gray.

But it was only a rare Cardiff forward move, and Huddersfield deservedly took the lead in the 56th minute. Thorrington floated a corner high to the near post, Alexander fumbled it badly and the ball dropped nicely for Schofield, who was easily able to tap home from close range.

Cork said: "I was disappointed with that goal because the move started when we had the ball in their third of the pitch. We lost possession, they went up the other end and scored."

Huddersfield manager Lou Macari praised his players for the way they fought back after conceding such an early lead: "Without a doubt, I'm pleased. There won't be many teams who come to Ninian Park this season and leave with a win, and this will hold us in good stead."

Report from www.soccernet.com
A basic goalkeeping error from Neil Alexander brought Cardiff their first home League defeat in 28 matches.

Cardiff started better and went close through Leo Fortune-West after two minutes. So it was no surprise when they took the lead five minutes later through £1.7million new boy Peter Thorne.

When Thorne faced Huddersfield earlier this month, he scored on his final appearance for Stoke. On this occasion he met Paul Brayson's cross with a powerful header to open his Cardiff account.

But on 20 minutes Lou Macari's men grabbed an equaliser when USA international John Thorrinton put in Dwayne Mattis, whose low drive from 18 yards squeezed past Alexander.

Huddersfield finished the half looking the stronger side. Only Danny Gabbidon's goal-line clearance stopped them going in ahead.

After the restart City had glorious chances from Graham Kavanagh and Brayson saved by Martyn Margetson. Huddersfield took the lead after 56 minutes when Alexander flapped at Thorrinton's corner leaving Danny Schofield free to score the winner. From then on, Cardiff were reduced to playing the long ball as Huddersfield ran the midfield.

That led to Cardiff boss Alan Cork introducing livewire Jason Bowen to add a bit of fire to his side.

Bowen made an immediate impact. The Welsh international skipped past two defenders before his cross was turned away. From the resulting corner, Thorne narrowly headed over.

But it was too late as Town, held on defiantly.