It completed a miserable Christmas period. Immediately after the Leeds FA Cup draw, owner, manager and players spoke out and told us that the league games starting at Blackpool were far more important. How each of them will now be feeling after City have collected just 3 points of the last 12 on offer and, crucially, just a single home point from visits by promotion rivals Reading and Bristol City, I can only guess. I feel sick but it has confirmed what many of us have felt, we're good but not good enough and, more significantly, we haven't got what it takes at present.

In a regular theme, City have nobody to blame but themselves. They were blitzed by 5 minutes of 2nd half defensive suicide during which Bristol scored all their goals. Yet again, City failed to hold onto a lead or kill a game. That Bristol were still in the game anyway when their goals arrived is the other concern. Cardiff missed an incredible 12 (twelve!) clear cut first half chances, the game should have been over as a contest. That's why we're not good enough and haven't got what it takes at present.

As expected, City fielded an unchanged side. The only doubt was Gavin Gordon but a serious looking neck injury in the closing stages of the Reading game was nothing more severe than a muscle spasm.

And just like the opening minutes versus Reading, City were put under severe pressure. The alarm bells rang loudly as Bristol obviously did their homework and identified Dean Gordon as the defensive weakness and deliberately set about him. It proved to be City's major downfall.

Bristol put a talented, pacy wideman, Scott Murray, on him and Gordon was slaughtered. In the opening 5 minutes, Gordon was 'skinned' twice and lost his man, Murray also beat him in the air sending a header across goal. Then Gordon was nowhere near a far post cross to his area of defence, Lee Matthews headed across goal which two players narrowly failed to meet as it ran across the 6 yard box.

There were huge question marks about Dean Gordon's commitment, he has been quoted as saying he doesn't want to play in Division Two, today he didn't want to play at all. He stands 4 or 5 yards off players, goes missing, doesn't put a foot in and he gets beaten with astonishing ease, it all gets compounded by him stopping once he his beaten making him look inept. Not bad for £8,000 a week!! With Gordon so poor and Scott Murray rampant, it was a wonder why City didn't double up on him but that involves tactics, I guess!!

It was amazing to think that Gordon has defended against the likes of Giggs, Beckham and assorted Premiership players in recent years. He is undoubtedly a class player, going forward especially, with a superb left foot and deadly with free kicks but his defending is woeful and inept.

City rode the storm - just - but then proceeded to boss the game for the remainder of the half carving chance after chance after chance. The key to it all was Willie Boland who, even by his standards, was fantastic. He was playing the through balls, he sent over a couple of great crosses, he was winning the midfield battle almost on his own and he was chasing back to win the ball and bring it forward again. No praise is high enough for his performance level, first half especially.

City had the chances to have won the game comfortably by half-time and will surely reflect on a mix of some bad luck but, mostly, bad finishing. Earnie started the ball rolling by chasing a Boland through ball, lobbing Mick Stowell, as he raced out to meet him only to see his effort cleared off the line.

Bristol were on the rack, they defended deep and with 5 or 6 constantly back, hoping to hit City on the break and they just couldn't handle an inspirational Jason Bowen creating openings.

Earnie should have scored when Boland found him clear in the right side of the penalty area with a pinpoint ball but he blazed his effort into the side netting. Captain Kav was so unlucky as a half-hearted clearance found him on the edge of the area, he controlled the ball then shot a deliberately placed effort from 15 yards which came off the inside of a post, rolled across the line and just cleared before Earnie moved in.

Earnie missed another great chance after he showed brilliant skill to beat two men on the edge of the area but as he strode into it, he lunged to shoot and his effort sailed into the Canton Stand. He should have done better with a header on 12 yards which went harmlessly wide from a Gabbidon cross, Gavin Gordon was behind him but never called.

Jason Bowen was at his brilliant best and tormenting Bristol on both sides of the pitch. He also had an effort cleared off the line and put a snapshot on the turn into the side netting. His skills were fantastic but the outstanding moment was little Earnie who met a 30 yard pass dropping on the touchline and with a deft single touch, coolly sent the ball over a defender behind him and sent Bowen racing away.

There was almost a comedy goal as the pressure was hurting Bristol, Stowell attempt to kick upfield hit one of his players in the back but luckily bounced to safety. A comedy moment too as Murray tried to kick a ball in play and ended up falling and rolling in a running track puddle off the pitch.

Despite all these chances, we still had a problem in attack and his name was Gavin Gordon - the surname will haunt us - in front of goal, he is drier than the gin bearing his name.

Nothing should surprise me with an Alan Cork quote anymore but I was amazed when he named Gordon as his personal City man of the match against Reading. He has talent but all I have seen is his recent performances is a big, strong player with good touches and control 30 to 40 yards from goal but no presence whatsoever in and around the penalty area.

He showed his potential when he scored 5 in the LDV trophy but where it matters, in the league, he has scored 1 goal in 10 starts (at Wrexham) and it's hard to think of many efforts he has had at goal in what is an attacking side. Cork wouldn't have him in the squad earlier this season yet he now picks him ahead of Leo who has 5 goals in 20 games, many of those substitute appearances.

We all know Leo is crude, laughable at times, but nobody can deny he is a menace in the area. Gavin must develop that side of his game quickly for his and City's benefit. Is anybody else wondering how many points we would have collected at Xmas had we signed Simon Haworth (10 goals this season) for what is a bargain £250k? We have badly missed Peter Thorne.

The danger with such a one sided match is that the opposition can break and they nearly did once or twice, usually when Murray broke at Dean Gordon. The most dangerous moment was when Gordon carelessly gave the ball away on halfway and Bristol charged through the middle only to be denied by a last gasp challenge.

The half ended with more City chances as Stowell saved efforts from Gabbidon and, wait for it, Gavin Gordon. It had been a great first half showing with a couple of reservations but City had nothing to show for it, we are just not clinical enough.

Half-Time: CITY 0 Bristol City 0

After all the chances fluffed in the first half, it could only be Cardiff City who scored with their very first effort of the second half, just one minute after the restart.

It was that man Boland again who sprayed a ball down the line to find Earnie in space, his cross evaded Stowell and was emphatically nodded home by GRAHAM KAVANAGH.

We should have known it would all go wrong as bad omens appeared everywhere. Dean Gordon was still on the pitch for starters. City seem incapable of holding onto a lead and killing a game. But if you're superstitious, it was City's 13th home league game of the season, we scored with our 13th clear opportunity, Bristol City are a bogey side who, before this match, had won 8 and drawn the other 2 of their league visits to Ninian Park in nearly 35 years and, although still bright and sunny, an early full moon popped up behind the Bob Bank roof.

Scott Murray seemed to be losing it as he chased a ball down the line which the lineswoman, Wendy Toms, flagged for going out. He spat his dummy out and stood there abusing her, Premier ref Paul Durkin, issued his first yellow card but then Murray destroyed Dean Gordon, and through that, City too.

The lead lasted just 9 minutes and 5 minutes of chaos, mayhem and madness after that, it was game over and goodnight. Dean Gordon was the chief culprit but City were also let down by others.

Tony Thorpe hit the ball to the left, Murray was in clear space that Gordon had obligingly left for him. Gordon charged back to the edge of the area and challenged Murray by simply swinging a foot and hoping for the best, it was amateur. MURRAY passed him with ease and, clear on goal, smashed his effort past Alexander. He didn't endear himself to anybody and helped the mood turn uglier by doing the ayatollah to the Bob Bank.

That was shocking but two minutes later, Murray was found again, Dean Gordon was a shambles with his challenge again, Murray passed him as if he wasn't there, Gordon played like he wasn't there. MURRAY shot on the edge of the area and from an angle, he should never have scored but he incredibly did as Neil Alexander was as woeful with his attempt to stop what should have been a routine save.

The mood now turned really ugly as Murray again ayatollahed to the Bob Bank, this time warned by Durkin, and idiots in the Grange section of the Lower Grandstand decided to invade the Upper Grandstand to attack a couple of Bristol City fans they had spotted. There's no excuse, City must find them, Sam must set an example and ban them.

Back on the pitch, and it was all over as City capitulated. Dean Gordon was wide but with his confidence totally shattered, he passed across the edge of the area towards Scott Young when his only options were to advance or pass to players more readily available ahead of him. Young, not expecting it, made a mess and missed the ball totally, Murray was in again and squared to MATTHEWS who comprehensively fired into the roof of the net from 12 yards to send the every City fan into disbelieving stunned silence and every Bristol fan into stunned joy.

City had totally dominated but scored just once chance out of 13, Bristol City had 3 chances and took the lot. Says it all.

The players were obviously shell-shocked and gone, there was no way back. Bristol nearly scored a 4th goal in 7 minutes as Kavanagh was dispossessed, Gordon was nowhere, and Thorpe broke clear on goal his low shot going across the face of goal.

Cork had to make changes even though it was too late. Dean Gordon was taken off to one of the biggest ironic cheers I have ever heard, it was louder than the roar for Kavanagh's goal. Leggy replaced him while Leo was brought on for Bonner as City tried three in attack.

Overjoyed Bristol fans taunted City with "ooh ahh, it's a mass-acre", Cardiff countered with "outside, it's a mass-acre", back came Bristol with "inside, it's a mass-acre".

It could have been worse as Alexander charged out to deny Thorpe breaking through and also made a flying save from the same player. It could have been better as Leo hooked a ball just over the bar, Earnie and Kavanagh put efforts wide and Earnie missed by inches after he cleverly turned his marker.

The game was lost in the most farcical of circumstances. Cardiff showed at Ashton Gate and again today that they are the better of the two sides but we have just 1 point to show for the two clashes. Bristol are very well organised with flair and talent, City have better flair and talent but constantly fail to play for 90 minutes, keep their shape and defend without basic flaws and errors.

And I'll keep asking the question - why do we keep falling away in the second half of games? Another point dropped in the 2nd half, compared to the half-time position bring the tally to a massive 16 points dropped in the 2nd half of games and only 2 points gained. We'd be walking this division if games lasted 45 minutes!

A miserable afternoon was compounded by the crowd announcement of 16,149 making it smaller than Reading when it looked much larger, there were 1,000 more away fans to start with and the Bob Bank/Grange End seemed more populated than midweek. And outside, there was trouble as the police let the Bristol fans out at final whistle which caused car park problems. City have to sort this once and for all but is it really to much trouble for the police to keep the away fans back for a few minutes, in a holding area if need be, after these high profile games as happened to us at Stoke recently?

Both sides were presented with early scoring opportunities in an opening of creative and fluent football.

Bristol's leading goalscorer Tony Thorpe missed a golden opportunity to put his side in front in the third minute when he narrowly failed to make contact with an attempted diving header following a neat headed cross from Lee Matthews.

Cardiff were unfortunate four minutes later not to take the lead when leading scorer Robert Earnshaw was put clear by Jason Bowen, but watched in agony as his left-foot shot from 10 yards was cleared off the line by Matthew Hill with keeper Mick Stowell well beaten. The quicksilver Bluebird striker was guilty, though, of wasting two scoring opportunities within five minutes, firstly hitting the side netting from eight yards and then firing high over the visitors bar from close range with keeper Stowell stranded on the line.

Cardiff, though, in between these opportunities, saw a magnificent 15-yard shot form captain Graham Kavanagh strike the post and rebound safely into play.

Jason Bowen, a real inspiration with his skills in midfield, also had an effort cleared off the line by the alert Mickey Bell midway through the half after Stowell had been deceived by the midfielder's intelligent lobbed shot.

The Bristol keeper Stowell was kept busy and in the last five minutes of the first half brought off two fine saves firstly to deny Daniel Gabbidon who shot low and hard, and then striker Gavin Gordon.

Cardiff took the lead in the 47th minute as the industrious captain Kavanagh headed in from close range after a pinpoint cross from the narrowest of angles from the busy Earnshaw.

The Robins replied eight minutes later when a long ball from Matthews found the unmarked Scott Murray on the right flank. The tricky wing-back dribbled into the Cardiff area, rounded the advancing keeper Neil Alexander, and coolly placed his shot into the far corner of the net.

Two minutes later Murray put the visitors ahead as he bamboozled defender Dean Gordon and gave Alexander no chance with a low drive that nestled in the back of the net.