Monday 5th April 1999

Monday
5th April 1999

Cardiff City
Hallworth
O'Sullivan (Middleton 82)
Legg
Mitchell
Eckhardt
Carpenter
Fowler
Ford (Hill 87)
Bowen
Nugent
Bonner (Williams

46)

Cardiff City	1
Nugent (pen) 74
Hull City	1
Alcide 25

Attendance- 8,252 Referee- S J Baines (Chesterfield)

Hull City
Oakes
Swales

(Greaves 65)
Whitney
Edwards
Whittle
Brabin
Joyce

D'Auria (McGinty 90)
Darby (Brown 78)
Alcide
Williams

Report by NigelBlues.
Attendance: 8,252
Hull: 250 approx. (so much for their hype!)
Weather: Overcast and warm
Pitch: Excellent
Atmosphere: From City Graveyard 1st half, louder than B52's at Fairford 2nd
half
From Hull: Before the game, Hull fans boasted that they were the
loudest in the Division and sang non-stop, they obviously decided to have a
day off!

Strange one to call yet again. City started off carrying the form at
Cambridge but once the early goal didn't arrive, like so many recent home
games they lost momentum, gave away a careless goal and had to fight back
with a ferocious 2nd half display to get a point. (This is our 4th draw in 5
home league matches).

We got a draw thanks to a penalty that never was but it was justice
nevertheless as the ref didn't award 2 penalities that were - we were due
luck and a penalty and you have to take these chances, we did thankfully.

It's now quite clear that our talented team, best quality side in the
division bar none in my view, will not win the Championship and the only
reason why is that we failed to get a goal poacher when we have been crying
out for one all season. It's incredible to think that we have boosted the
squad in every area, except in attack.

With a natural scorer, we would have beaten Cambridge and Hull this weekend
and countless other games we have drawn or lost this season. We'd probably
be promoted already and certainly champions next month.

City have the fight, spirit and class not to lose but not enough firepower to
win often enough. We're still going up anyway which is the key objective but
what a shame to see our 3 months clear at the top of the league count for
nothing. Want proof? Only Orient have scored less than Cardiff in the top 7
and, at the critical stage of the season, City have only scored 12 goals in
our last 12 matches! As a result, we have had only 3 wins but 7 draws in
these games! Says everything, doesn't it?

I shudder to think how the season would have ended if Kevin Nugent hadn't
scored 21 goals, more than we should reasonably expect from a player who
should surely be player of the year, and produced outstanding form and play
in recent weeks. He was magnificent again, playing all 90 minutes with a cut
head, a legacy of his battle at Cambridge, and has had countless stitches
this season to get City promoted. He came through 90 minutes of the most
bruising, physical action outside of a boxing war to ensure a point for City.
Outstanding.

One more moan before the report, what a cock up with the arrangements! City
had obviously been hoodwinked that Hull were bringing an enormous number of
fans so gave them the Grange End and made the game all ticket 5 days in
advance - ridiculous at a holiday period. In the event, Hull brought just
250 fans so would only have filled only a third of the usual Grandstand block
anyway!

City, in their wisdom, panicked and decided to sell tickets on the day but
from a caravan in the car park. The turnstiles were empty with free and easy
access whilst the queue at the caravan was a couple of hundred yards long.
It was obvious that many casual fans buoyed by the weekend result either and
who would turn up for such a such game at a Bank Hoiliday period either
didn't bother coming or left Ninian. It surely cost us at least 2,000 fans
and 20,000 income. Well done yet again City, we applaud you for your
stunning administration. When will they ever get it right?

City went at Hull from the off and had the crowd roaring them on. Chances
came regluarly with O'Sullivan, Fowler, Carpenter all missing target before
Jason Bowen went closest with a header forcing a flying save from Hull's
lanky keeper. Bowen never has a shot but he does win more headers than you
would expect for a short player - an asset to the team but he'll never be a
striker Frankie. Then City lost momentum and allowed Hull into the game and
on 25 minutes, went behind.

It all started innocuously as a ball cross field found Alcide 40 yards out.
Jeff Eckhardt was favourite for the ball but stood off and allowed Alcide to
have it. Even more criminally, he then gave him time and space to come
forward and he stood off to allow him to come inside on his left foot on the left
side of the pitch - Jeff, he's a left footer mate, what were you thinking? Not believing his luck, Alcide let fly from 25 yards into the top corner giving Hallworth
no chance. A superb finish, full credit for that, but diabolical defending.
We all love Jeff, his commitment and his goals but he really does cost us a
few too.

The rest of the half was dire - possibly the worst spell of football endured
at Ninian all season as nothing happened. Bonner, at last given an
opportunity, sadly didn't take it and his passing was awful. The shape,
movement and confidence were visibly disappearing as, credit to Hull, they
looked superb in midfield and the back and City had absolutely no answer to
it. In reality, Hull are in a flase position and I think they will do a
Cardiff next season - their home support is 2nd best in the Division, 1,000
fewer than us but they're 21st in the league! Theat support deserves higher
grade football, just like City fans do.

There appeared to be no way back for City, it looked that ominous. All City
fans could sing was, "there's only one Jason Perry". Psycho, who's been
missing for Hull with injury but is now fit again, was in the Grandstand as
he wasn't selected.

H/T City 0 Hull 1

City started the 2nd half with by substituting Bonner for Williams and moving
to a 3-5-2 type formation although it was, in reality. a 3 man midfield with
O'Sullivan and Legg playing floating roles on both flanks. A gamble but it
had to be done.

It nearly failed from the restart as Alcide (he had a superb match) tore
through the middle with a clear shot on goal but Hallworth saved with his
legs. This was 5 seconds after kick-off! Less than a minute later, another
shot flew in but wide.

At last, City picked up their game and carried out a full frontal assault on
the Hull goal. The Tigers were caged in their own half and City were the
ring-masters (I know it's a terrible pun but it's true!). The chances came
and shots rained on goal, mainly from outside the area though and usually
going wide or high. Crosses from Bowen and Legg fired in but usually finding
a Hull body in the way or Nugent's headed flick-ons with nobody taking
advantage, Bowen is not that type of player, is he?

There were moments we thought it just wasn't going to happen as a superb John
Williams cross found Bowen on the far post but he headed against the
underside of the bar from 2 yards and not long afterwards, Jeff Eckhardt
turned a shot over an open goal in a chaotic penalty area from 5 yards. My
hands went trhough my head so many times as chance after chance went begging, I left the game looking like Einstein!

Then the were the penalty calls. Jason Bowen played a ball across goal and
Hull's no. 2 clearly controlled the ball with his arm before kicking away.
It was the most blatant penalty I have seen all season in any game. The
referee was an ex-pro player, Steve Baines, but let it go! Baines had a
terrible match not really doing either side many favours. He was so keen to
let the match and be user-friendly to the players that he let some over the
top challenges and tackles go. The game was getting out of cntrol due to his
poor handling. Who says ex-players being refs are a good thing for the game?
You would change your mind if you witnessed this display.

On 74 minutes, the equaliser came with City's 2nd penalty of the season but
whilst he ignored the baltant handball, this least obvious award I have seen
in ages. I genuinely think he was making up for the bad decision earlier in
the half. A ball was played at Alcide from 3 yards away. He was just inside
the area and in no danger It hit him on the top of the arm, no doubting
that, but was ball to arm rather than the other way around.

There was major psychology as Hull players clearly baited Nugent and their
keeper took an eternity to go back to his goalline. It was obvious
gamesmanship and deserved a booking but Baines let it go again as he had to
eventually demand him to get back. Nugent, thankfully, was coolness
personified and won the war of the minds as he blasted the ball high to the
keeper's right. It was bottle of the highest order as the crowd were tense
and so many City fans had turned their heads away and waited for the crowd
reaction instead. It may be remembered as City's most important kick of the
season in a month's time.

Shortly after Hull's player manager, Joyce, was sent off for hacking down
Andy Legg twice in as many minutes - what a great example he set to his team
- and City laid siege for the final few minutes. Hull though, showed their
own bottle, by sticking a body in the way of everything and refused to
buckle.

Baines however denied us another penalty in the last minute. The ball fell
to John Williams in the umpteenth goalmouth scramble of the half as a Hull
player fell to the floor in front of him. The Hull defender pushed the ball
away with his hand, Baines saw it but Williams played on and shot. His
effort was just scrambled off the line and the ref ran away - he allowed
possession but not the penalty that should have followed. Unbelieveable.

However the game was rescued but it was still 2 points lost, not one gained.
We'll still get promotion as the pride, courage and effort being displayed
cannot be faulted and the 2nd half was superb entertainment but City really
are doing it the hard way and giving us palpitations in the meantime.