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Monday |
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| Cardiff
City Kelly Delaney (Cadette 87) Mitchell Jarman 
(Phillips 32)Ford (C) O'Sullivan Fowler Middleton Brazier Roberts (Earnshaw 80) Williams |
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Merthyr
Tydfil Thomas Graham Needs Lima Abraham (C) John (King 41 )Chiverton Griffith Evans Harris Williams Subs not used |
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| Report by
NigelBlues. The game was 5 minutes old, Eston Chiverton attacking towards the Canton Stand for Merthyr picked up a loose ball, got past Mitchell and hit a hard, good curling shot from 25 yds. It was moving away from Kelly but should have been comfortably saved or pushed away. Kelly got his hands to it but only suceeded in helping towards the corner of the goal. Good shot, good goal but ultimately, a Kelly mistake. The next 15-20 minutes were quite poor with little action until City started moving the ball effectively, stretching Merthyr and creating chances. Roberts and Jarman had efforts cleared off the line, Roberts, Williams (more effective as a final 20 minute sub running at tired teams than a 90 min player), O'Sullivan, Brazier and others were peppering goal but most went wide, over or were blocked. Then just before half-time, Cohen Griffith (always good to watch but who stood really well tonight and was not the slip/slide/fall over player most of us will remember) sent over a high centre which was met by a Merthyr player whose header went high in the air, looped over Kelly and rebounded off the opposite post. It was met by another Merthyr player who skied the ball over with the goal begging. Another disaster followed shortly after. Lee Jarman was booked for a tackle on the half-way line. Coincidentally, the ref was absolute tosh again tonight and used the maxim, if they're amateur Merthyr players, they can kick away and/or I'll ignore their indiscretions but if they're professional Cardiff, book'em. The resulting free-kick saw Jarman fall to the ground and play carried on. Nobody saw what happened but Jarman was clearly in agony from a leg injury and stretchered off after 3 minutes or so to be replaced by Lee Phillips. I have 2 problems with this: 1. Why wasn't Jarman with the Wales squad - hasn't Gould got them together yet? 2. He isn't playing at Hull and Lee Phillips could be. Phillips should have got a 90 minute run out at centre-half to bed himself in - this could have been avoided. HALF-TIME CITY 0 MERTHYR 1 We're now getting used to this. City stormed back again, scored 2 cracking goals and were ahead just after the hour. The 1st followed an excellent 5 man move. Mike Ford (played well tonight, should start Friday) brought the ball forward from the City penalty area and played to Jason Fowler. Fowler, who seems to glide, pass and look more comfortable than ever on the ball these days, moved across field and played in Wayne O'Sullivan on the edge of the area. O'Sullivan looked set to shoot but turned and played the ball wide to Delaney. He hit a fantastic cross which was met by John Williams and his glancing header flew across goal into the far corner. Another classic City goal. There would have been a better team goal shortly after when a superb 7 or 8 man move was thwarted by Merthyr's keeper making a good save to turn Wayne O'Sullivan's shot around the post. But City took the lead with a special finish, altogether, "MATT BRAZIER FROM THE HALF-WAY LINE!!(nearly)" This goal started from comedy. A ball went to the edge of the area. Merthyr's keeper lost his head coming out near the touchline to challenge his own player. The defender won and moved up the touchline but was dispossed by Matt Brazier about 45 yards out on the touchline in front of the Family Enclosure. Realising the keeper was running back, Brazier hit the ball on the outside of his left foot. It never went that high but it was deliberate and curled around the Merthyr keeper, it bounced on the edge of the area and rolled into the net. Poor keeping but the execution was total genius and well worth the admission money (especailly to those of us who saw it free!). The way that Brazier run down the touchline waving to everyone along the Grandstand and Family Enclosure, it's so obvious he loves it here. Do something to make him permanent City. That should have been the signal to go on and get 4 or 5 but City were rocked by a great equaliser on 70 minutes. From a throw-in, the ball found Cohen Griffith on the angle of the penalty area. In one movement, he turned, swivelled, shot and looped the ball over Kelly for 2-2. Great finish from a player I will always respect. (Nice bloke to share a beer with too but I won't name drop again!) However Merthyr scored from their only effort of the half which must be disappointing. City pushed forward and should have gone ahead when Fowler superbly put Christian Roberts clear on goal. However when he got to the edge of the area, instead of simply stroking the ball wide of the keeper, he tried to run around him and was thwarted at the 2nd attempt. Roberts head was in his hands for a while afterwards. He was soon replaced by Earnie who nearly scored with his first touch. However Cardiff were rocked by 2 more injuries at the death of the game. Firstly Jason Fowler broke down twice with an obvious reoccurence of his ankle injury. There is clearly a problem which needs to be sorted. Curiously, he was not taken off. Just afterwards, Delaney was booked for a foul but came off worse as he had to leave immediately and was holding his hamstring. Question - Who looks after the players when they go off? Jarman was stretchered off, Delaney hobbled fairly badly to the dressing room but Jimmy Goodfellow stayed in the dug out both times. Nathan Cadette came on but no more incidents of note occured. A game City should have won but this is really a ppor competition, it must only be these amateur teams that appreciate it. F/T City 2 Merthyr 2 Let's hope these injuries are not as serious as they appeared. Carpenter and Eckhardt were already affected by hamstring injuries, if these 3 join them, this game could be a disaster |
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