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Saturday 13th |
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| Cardiff
City Hallworth  O'Sullivan Legg Mitchell Eckhardt Carpenter Fowler Young Bowen Nugent Hill (Williams 70) Subs not used |
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Torquay Southall Nicholls Herrera Aggrey Thomas Leadbitter Healy McGorry Bedeau Harries Platts Subs not used |
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 Report
from Soccernet.Jittery Cardiff threw away more precious promotion points as furious Bluebirds fans called for Chairman Samesh Kumar's head at Ninian Park. Horrendous errors from the normally steadfast Jeff Eckhardt and Jon Hallworth stirred up the natives who were already furious about the midweek sale of star wing-back Mark Delaney to Aston Villa. Cardiff chief Frank Burrows, away on a mysterious scouting mission, gave instructions for number two Billy Ayre to stick with the same eleven that ended a five match barren run against Brighton in midweek - with ex-Swan Jason Bowen making his first home League start of the season. The fare was below par in bright sunshine, but Scott Young raised Cardiff hopes on eleven minutes as he thundered a header wide at the far post. And one minute later, Torquay 'keeper Neville Southall - playing in a staggering 764th League match - blunderered to almost catastrophic proportions. Wayne O'Sullivan had whipped the ball in from the right and Southall's fumble struck horrified Gulls defender Thomas who just got back to avert disaster with a hooked clearance. And there were more problems for Torquay on the half hour as a Jason Fowler free-kick caused mayhem. Southall blocked Kevin Nugent's blast and The Gulls' massed ranks blotted out Bowen's follow up. But The Bluebirds were left rueing Torquay's fortune on 34 minutes as Eckhardt's error silenced the Ninian Park faithful. The ex-Stockport man's mistake is destined for the next soccer howler video as he missed a long clearance allowing Bedeau to gleefully lift over the marooned Hallworth. But two minutes later, The Bluebirds were level as Danny Hill struck in stunning fashion. An O'Sullivan cross was only part-cleared and the ex-Spurs man sent a 20-yard right-foot half-volley searing past Southall. And it got better for Cardiff 13 minutes into the second half as Fowler netted a real peach. He left Herrera and Thomas trailing in his wake before firing in from an acute angle.  But five minutes after the hour, The Bluebirds quaked as The Gulls
profited from a Hallworth howler. Brian McGorry returned the 'keeper's miscue from the
right and Bedeau's looping header did the rest. |
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