Report from NigelBlues
City fans occupied one of the behind the goal terraces which strangely had
2
American flags flying on club falagpoles. To let everyone know we had
arrived, one of them was quickly removed from the flagpole and replaced by a
Welsh flag! City fans also occupied a block of the stand.
How the game was not all over after 5 minutes, only City can explain. Firstly
John Williams tore down the touchline, beat two despairing tackles and cut in
to feed Kevin Nugent 6 yards from goal. Nugent, absolutely magnificent again
tonight, hit the keeper.
Two minutes later, Nugent received the ball on 30 yards and advanced forward
before sliding a beautiful pass to John Williams clear on 12 yards. Nobody
knows what Williams tried to do but his apology of a shot had no power and
screwed well wide to the relief of Yeovil fans and players.
City then gradually lost control and allowed Yeovil into the game. Some of
the distribution and tackling of the back players, with a stiff breeze behind
them, left a lot to be desired. Midfield were not looking impressive either
with Jason Fowler particularly poor again. Yeovil got confident and had a
couple of shots. Their best effort was superb play by their no 11 (Ben Smith)
who cut across 3 players before trying to chip Jon Hallworth from 20 yards.
Hallworth looked beaten but the ball just floated over the bar.
City support were in superb voice all night with, "Ooh aah, it's Ambrosia"
getting plenty of airings. They easily outsung Yeovil who rarely chanted at
all, unlike their visit to Ninian.
The first half was becoming a struggle but City managed to raise their game
shortly before half-time and after more missed opportunities, a goal arrived
on 42 minutes.
A Richard Carpenter floated corner to the back post was met on the full by
Kevin Nugent. His header flew across goal and met by Jeff Eckhardt who placed
the ball home from 3 yards. Scenes of ecstasy followed. A minute later, City
nearly did it again with the same move but this time, Nugent's header was
cleared off the line.
Yeovil battled hard but the lead was City's after 45 minutes.
Half-time Yeovil 0 City 1The second half was one of domination,
possession and power by City with
Yeovil struggling to make headway. Chances came thick and fast but it was
hugely disappointing to see so many good opportunities wasted. Williams,
Nugent and O'Sullivan all wasted one on one chances with the Yeovil keeper,
Middleton shot wide when it seemed easier to score, headed chances were wasted
and City should have added at least a couple more goals to their tally.
To their credit, Yeovil never gave up and had to be admired and respected. It
was easy to see why they have not lost for 20 matches until tonight.
Their equaliser came on 87 minutes when a ball hanging on the edge of the City
area was not cleared and their substitute smashed a low, left foot shot past
Hallworth. Yeovil fans went bezerk and revelled in chanting "you're not
singing anymore". It was obviously lost on them that this was the 1st time
that 95% of them had sung all night!
City nearly blew it as Yeovil went for the kill and had 2 great chances to win
the game in normal time but Hallworth pulled off saves. Cardiff were wilting
and the 90 minute whistle was a relief!
Within a minute of extra-time, City were ahead again and chanted back "you're
not singing anymore" 4 times as loud. Along with 90% of City fans, I saw the
ball run into the net but didn't know what had happened.
Just beforehand, Andy Legg tried to put Craig Middleton through but the keeper
collected. Most fans looked away or chatted whilst waiting for the boot
upfield. Apparently, their keeper rolled the ball to a defender who passed
back but he lost control or was dispossessed by Kevin Nugent who simply placed
the ball into an empty net from 15 yards.
Yeovil nearly equalised from kick off but Hallworth produced a wonderful
flying tip over from a great header in the 92nd minute. Yeovil never got a
sniff again as City were extremely professional apart from their finishing.
Chances kept arriving but were wasted. Yeovil battled to the bitter end but
it wasn't to be and the better team won on the night. So we're in Round 4 of
the F.A. Cup too - what a season!!
Report from the Guardian
Yeovil (0) 1 Cardiff (1) 2
(aet; 1-1 after 90 mins)
A REMERKABLE GOAL by Kevin Nugent within the first minute of
extra time put Cardiff through to the fourth round of the FA Cup
after a topsy-turvy tie at Huish Park last night.
Substitute Matt Hayfield had given Yeovil hope with an equaliser
five minutes from the end of normal time but all the hard work in the
West Country mud was undone when Tony Pennock, the Yeovil
goalkeeper, gifted Nugent the goal.
Pennock was in possession when he rolled the ball forward in
preparation to punt it forward. But his underarm role went too far
and Nugent, sensing the oppotunity, raced in and finished with
ease from 18 yards.
Yeovil were attempting to reach the fourth round for the first time in
half a century but when Jeff Eckhardt claimed a late first-half goal it
appeared to have broken the hearts and resolve of this plucky side.
Eckhardt will have enjoyed the moment; he was the captain of
Fulham when, five years ago, they became the latest League side
to suffer against Yeovil, in a first-round tie. But, in the 85th minute,
Hayfield, formerly of Bristol Rovers and a late replacement for
Dave Piper, broke forward to send the ball under the body of Jon
Hallworth and send the tie into extra time.
Though only 26 places separate these teams, there was no
disguising the glamour and excitement this replay brought to
Somerset. Cardiff, FA Cup winners in 1927, have led the Third
Division for six weeks and began confidently.
But in Yeovil they faced the greatest of FA Cup giant-killers. On
this, their 13th visit to the third round, the Football Conference club
were attempting to add another notable scalp to their remarkable
history.
And, fittingly, the club went into the tie just 17 days short of the 50th
anniversary of their finest hour, the 2-1 fourth round win over
Sunderland. Understandably, therefore, they had an added
incentive, particularly with Alec Stock, a member of the team that
beat Sunderland, in the crowd.
Cardiff - who trailed in the original game to a goal from their former
striker, Carl Dale, before equalising with six minutes remaining -
began enthusiastically but were troubled by Warren Patmore,
Yeovil's leading scorer, early on. He twice threatened to give Yeovil
an early boost after getting the better of the visitors' defence and
should have done better.
Yeovil in turn succumbed to the pace of John Williams, who offered
Nugent an early chance before his attempt was blocked by the
body Pennock.
In the 31st minute Yeovil's Ben Smith found himself free but, rather
than try a speculative blast, he attempted to chip Hallworth, sending
his delicate attempt narrowly over.
However, just as Yeovil were beginning to feel they had done the
hard work, Cardiff stole a valuable goal. From Richard Carpenter's
corner, Nugent's header was blocked but Eckhardt was available
to turn the loose ball over the line and take the sting out of the
non-Leaguers.
Though Yeovil had the advantage of a stiff wind at their backs for
the second half, they were handicapped by losing the injured
Patmore at half-time. His replacement, Owen Pickard, wasted little
time in making his mark, receiving a yellow card for dissent.
As the game progressed and the rain fell, so the pitch began to cut
up badly. Cardiff, their superior fitness beginning to tell, almost
added another goal when Nugent sent a looping header over
Pennock, only for the ball to be cleared off the line.
Though the spirit was willing, the body seemed to be weak and
Yeovil began to stutter in the mud. However, when Piper's shot was
deflected into Dale's path he should have done better. Soon after
Hayfield's equaliser, Steve Stott was denied a winner when
Hallworth made a dramatic save and then, in added time, Murray
Fishlock shot wide.
Pennock's error then allowed Nugent, whose late equaliser in the
original tie forced this replay, to claim Cardiff's second.
Report by Sporting Life
NUGENT TAKES BLUEBIRDS THROUGH
A bizarre goal by Kevin Nugent in the first minute of extra time put Third Division
leaders Cardiff into the fourth round of the FA Cup and ended Yeovil's dreams of a 19th
Football League scalp.
Goalkeeper Tony Pennock, who had distinguished himself with some great saves,
threw the ball down expecting it to spin back to him. Instead it kept rolling away and
Nugent collected it before firing low into the corner.
Yeovil fought desperately to repair the damage, with former Bristol Rovers player
Matt Hayfield causing plenty of trouble.
But the loss at half-time of top scorer Warren Patmore with a muscle injury had robbed the
Somerset part-timers of a potential saviour.
The Football Conference club had equalised four minutes from the end of a pulsating match
through substitute Hayfield, who burst through the middle and fired past goalkeeper Jon
Hallworth's left hand.
Yeovil then almost snatched a winner in stoppage time when Hallworth made an
incredible save after Tony Pounder, another substitute, had forced his way through.
Cardiff had created and missed plenty of chances in the early stages, the best two falling
to Nugent and John Williams.
But just when it looked as though Yeovil had weathered the storm, the Welshmen
grabbed the lead two minutes before half-time.
Richard Carpenter swung over a left-wing corner, Nugent headed it back across goal and
Jeff Eckhardt prodded it home.
Cardiff now face either Notts County or Sheffield United, whose scheduled
third-round replay on Tuesday night was postponed.
Report from Soccernet.
Match Reports
Tuesday, January 12 1999
YEOVIL 1-2 CARDIFF CITY
Hayfield (86)
Eckhardt (43)
Nugent (91)
Goalkeeper Tony Pennock, who commutes from Swansea to play for Yeovil, produced some
heroic saves to keep those Somerset giant-killers alive in this FA cup replay. However, he
then blundered to present the Division Three leaders with a goal in the first minute of
extra time which proved to be the decisive winning strike.
Pennock threw the ball down expecting it to spin back to him. Instead it kept on rolling
and Kevin Nugent reacted quickly to get to the ball first and plant a low shot home into
the empty net.
There was a look of relief an Nugent's face, for although he and John Williams had given
Yeovil's defence a taxing night with their blistering pace, the pair's finishing was well
below par.
The Bluebirds should have been two up inside ten minutes. In the fourth minute Williams
skipped past two defenders and laid the ball into the path of Nugent, who
should have scored but Pennock darted back to save with his feet.
On nine minutes Williams himself wasted a gilt-edged opportunity. After doing all the hard
work, he prodded his final shot wide.
Yeovil survived this early onslaught and began to push forward themselves, when Ben Smith
had a decent chance on 32 minutes, but after working his way into the
box, chipped his final shot over the bar.
Right on half-time City grabbed the lead just when it seemed that the home side had done
enough to go in with a blank score-sheet at the break. Richard Carpenter floated a
left-wing corner to the far post, Nugent headed back across goal, and Jeff Eckhardt
applied the finishing touch.
Although Yeovil huffed and puffed they failed to produce shots of note until the closing
stages, and it was one of the first that brought the 86th-minute equaliser. Substitute
Matt Hayfield wormed his way through the middle to plant a low drive past Jon Hallworth.
Indeed, Town might then have snatched a dramatic victory in stoppage time. Another of
their substitutes, Tony Pounder, was left with a clear chance three yards from goal but
Hallworth made the save of the night to deny him. Yeovil head coach Colin Lippiatt said:
"We gave it a good go and I'm not blaming my goalkeeper for that winner. He's a bit
down at the moment but he's had a great season.".
Report from the Press Association
Yeovil Dreams Ended In Extra Time
=================================
A bizarre goal in the first minute of extra time put Third Division
leaders Cardiff into the fourth round of the FA Cup and ended Yeovil's
dreams of a 19th Football League scalp.
The Football Conference Club had equalised four minutes from the end
of pulsating match through a substitute Matt Hayfield, who burst
through the middle and fired well past Jon Hallworth's left hand.
Yeovil almost snatched a winner in stoppage time when Hallworth made
an incredible save when another of the Yeovil substitute's Tony
Pounder was right through.
Cardiff had created and missed a lot of chances in the early stages,
the best two falling to Kevin Nugent and John Williams. But when it
looked as though Yeovil had weathered the storm, City grabbed the lead
two minutes before the break.
Richard Carpenter swung over a left wing corner, Nugent headed it back
across goal and Jeff Heckhard prodded it home.
The opening minute of extra time was disastrous for the Somerset part
timers.
Yeovil 'keeper Tony Pennock, who had distinguished himself with some
great saves, threw the ball down expecting it to spin back to him. But
it kept rolling away and Nugent picked it up to fire low into the
corner.
Yeovil fought desperately to repair the damage, with Hayfield causing
trouble. But the loss at half time of their top scorer Warren Patmore
with a muscle injury robbed them of a potential saviour.
Report from Reuters
Cardiff end F.A. Cup run of giant-killers Yeovil
LONDON, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Minor league club Yeovil, one of
the great giant-killers of the English F.A. Cup, went out of the
competition on Tuesday after a dramatic 2-1 defeat by Cardiff
City in a third-round replay.
The Somerset side, who in their history have produced 18
victories over Football League opponents, hit an 86th minute
equaliser from Matt Hayfield to force the game into extra time
after Jeff Eckhardt had given Cardiff the lead in the 43rd
minute.
But a defensive error in the first minute of extra time let
Kevin Nugent in for Cardiff's winner.
The two teams had drawn 1-1 in the first clash earlier this
month at Cardiff.
In the fourth round, Cardiff travel to the winner of a
third-round replay between first division Sheffield United and
second division Notts County which was postponed because of poor
weather on Tuesday. |
