Report from NigelBlues.
Attendance: 4,863
Chesterfield fans: couldn't see them, very few
Atmosphere: Getting better all the time
Weather: My knees are still thawing out, clear skies, biting breeze
Pitch: Superb
It was good, very good at times, often enjoyable but not brilliant. BUT we won and that's
all that matters right now and I'm happy. In the process, it meant that we have now won as
many league and cup games in the last 4 days at Ninian Park as we had achieved in the
previous nine and a half months!!
In the process, you had to laugh at those who were Frankie supporters saying supporters
were too premature writing the man off who maybe are just a bit too premature to say
"I told you" too as the man himself would probably be the first to acknowledge.
The Bob Bank asking Frankie to "Do The Ayatollah" saw him feeling suitably
embarrassed to place his hands on his cap only as if he were stretching and when they
chanted "there's only one Frankie Burrows", you could just as easily have
chanted, "he's only won two in fourteen". In the cold light of day, it also has
to be realised that we've beaten the 92nd team in the league and the 23rd team in Division
2, nothing less than a win should be acceptable but if ever the fans, the team, the club
needed those results, it was now.
More changes as Tony Vaughan returned after being "cup-tied" to replace Mike
Ford and give his usual domineering challenges and superb tackles to win possession, often
followed with poor distribution. And in attack, the rejuvenated Christian Roberts was
finally given his chance due to Nugent's injury and took it well, surely proving once and
for all to Frankie that he must be on the bench as the bare minimum. There is no doubt
that his injection of youth and a local boy playing with passion and care for his hometown
club adds something to City and spirit amongst the fans.
For Chesterfield, a struggling team who look destined for Division 3, especially when they
claim that Tony Carrs, City reject, is one of their better players and "Pineapple
Head" striker Jason Lee is now a "Skinhead" defender. They were boosted
going into the game by 3 new faces but also had a couple of injuries. They are exactly
what they appeared though, big, physical but very limited and it helped City's passing
game.
The crowd were in excellent mood and went ballistic after an encouraging start was turned
into heaven on 10 minutes with a fantastic goal. City won the ball on the right and it was
played to Jason Bowen 30 yards out with his back to goal. Bowen showed superb poise to
turn his marker and advance. From fully 25 yards, he let fly with an arrow shot across the
face of goal and planted into the far corner past a despairing dive. A quality strike and
a goal which had given City the lead for the first time in a league match since Notts
County, 10 games and nearly 2 months ago!!
The confidence was already high but allowed City to increase it further and they looked
comfortable in all areas. But it was noticeable again that so few players were getting
into the area, many shots were from outside the box, play at pace getting forward often
slowed up before the cross was hit and with two small, mobile men in attack against three
6 foot plus central defenders, the lack of intelligence at hitting high balls into the
area was of some concern.
Chesterfield had little going for them. Their best moment was when the ball broke and
Perrett allowed the ball and player to go straight through him. Fortunately, quick
covering averted the danger before a shot was hit.
The game, after the bright start, had gone quiet but then woke dramatically in the 38th
minute. City had almost won a penalty on the half-hour when Matt Brazier brilliantly took
the ball around a man and was hauled down. Despite him and the ground appealing for a
penalty, an unproductive free-kick resulted. The right decision too as contact was
outside.
But then joy as a Winston Faerber ball right across the area saw Legg flying in. There
wasn't danger at this point as he was at the furthest outside angle of the penalty area
but he was needlessly hauled back by his shoulder. The ref waved play on but his lineman
had the prefect view. Penalty.
It must have been agreed beforehand but I was staggered to see Christian Roberts walk up
to take it. There's experienced players in the team and the likes of Legg, Bowen,
Carpenter have taken penalties for City before but nobody else seemed interested. Roberts
looked very confident and not even obvious time delaying tactics to disturb him by the
Chesterfield keeper and defenders seemed to take any effect. Roberts hit his penalty well
but it was at that mid-post height that keepers love so well and was beaten away in the
right corner. The atmosphere that had built up in the crowd dropped instantly but, in
fairness, to Roberts, he kept his head which was so good to see.
Half-time arrived with City showing more dynamic commercialism. The club were playing a
series of adverts, repeated at the end, that I'm certain nobody in the ground could hear,
it was inaudible waffle. Sort out your p.a. once and for all, will you City? I hope
whoever was paying for them didn't get to hear whatever was being promoted.
H/T City 1 Chesterfield 0
City came out in a style we know so well. They went for Chesterfield from the off with
Legg, Bowen, Faerber, and Roberts especially very prominent. City were controlling the
game and possession even if the chances weren't quite happening. The best opportunities
fell to Brazier and Hill from clearances or passes to them and both will reflect they
could have done much better than efforts blazed over the bar.
Chesterfield came into the game more without really creating or putting any efforts on
Hallworth and for about 15 minutes, the game drifted totally, until, out of the blue,
another outstanding goal made it 2-0.
Legg had been whipping superb 40 or 50 yard crossfield or forward balls but this time,
Tony Vaughan won possession and strode forward. He was on the touchline nearest the Bob
Bank and hit a fantastic ball to the far side of goal where Christian Roberts was a
Chesterfield man were the only players in sight. In a moment of brilliance, Roberts showed
composure and technique beyond his years to somehow win his header cleanly and power an
effort across. Jason Bowen had lost his marker too and was steaming in to meet it. The
movement by both men was superb and it left Bowen with an opportunity that he couldn't
miss, the ball was buried into the corner off Bowen's head and deserved the roar it
received. A fantastic moment, a double for Bowen but so much owed to the way Roberts won
his header and the way he played it. Roberts loved the moment and it showed with the way
he signalled to the Grandstand and Bob Bank.
A minute later, Roberts himself so nearly made it 3-0. He trapped a forward ball, teased
his marker, then moved wide and made space before hitting an angled drive from 25 yards.
The Chesterfield keeper did well to get down and tip the ball a fraction wide of the far
post. Frankie was telling him he should have taken it wide and headed fro the wing instead
which seemed harsh.
Chances for City were coming fast and frequently and there could, perhaps should, have
been more as the mobility of City's forward line and the ball finally being played to feet
was overrunning the opposition. In the highlights, Jason Bowen perhaps should have got his
hat-trick when Faerber sent in a brilliant looping cross after tapping the ball up for
himself first. Bowen got under the ball and it went a couple of feet too high from close
range. Legg corners, and Carpenter's, were troubling Chesterfield all night, and Legg was
so close to scoring directly off one which curled with pace and had to be headed off the
line as it was dropping under the bar. Bowen smacked in a 30 yarder which was superb, even
if the ref had blown for offside. Roberts was wide with a snapshot from 20 yards. The
movement and build up play was excellent with Legg absolutely everywhere on the pitch it
seemed
It was good to watch and see City looking to have confidence and purpose although there
were also hefty chunks of the game where there was nothing
special to watch. Boland replaced Danny Hill but made little impression in the closing 20
minutes. The quality was poor at times too, perhaps best categorised by Winston Faerber
being penalised three times for foul throws and then Chesterfield starting to do it too.
You wonder exactly what they are taught on training grounds sometimes. The game was
disjointed second half with a succession of head injuries so 90 minutes arrived with 4
minutes of injury time which could have been more. Chesterfield pushed forward and gave
City a lucky escape by highlighting our defensive frailties again.
From a corner kick, Chesterfield won 2 clear headers in the area and with Hallworth stood
motionless, the ball bounced back off the inside of a post before being scrambled away.
City appeared to have rode their luck but Chesterfield came forward again, when Agogo (on
loan from Sheff Weds and lively) was a fraction wide with a blocked shot and Hallworth was
helpless and it scraped wide for a corner. It was however 3rd time lucky for Chesterfield,
and unlucky for us, as the resultant corner saw Willis bury his effort. For a team to be
denied at the death of keeping what would have been only the second clean sheet of the 23
game league and cup season was cruel but there is still work to be done.
There was a feeling that a better side than Chesterfield could have troubled us. After
all, this was only their 11th league goal of the season. We complain of goalscoring woes
but we've got 18!
The pick of the players for me were Andy Legg who probably ran twice as much as any other
player, Chris Roberts who never let his head drop and worked hard although I suspect
Nugent will slot straight back into the team next week, Carpenter who did the simple
things well and kept the sides's shape (unlike Cornforth, he also possesses a forward
pass), Faerber for his forward play only and who again put a good number of decent crosses
into the area with little success and Bowen for his superbly taken goals and general play.
Bowen won the sponsor's man of the match but I would have gone for either Carpenter or
Legg. Danny Hill had his most disappointing performance for some weeks but even the best
players can't produce all the time. The defence didn't look solid but were comfortable and
all concerned can take satisfaction even if they all had their dodgy moments.
Let's hope this is the week that has turned City's season. Despite the dubious quality of
opposition, you can't ask for much more than 2 home wins and 5 goals. Confidence is
definitely higher, the gloom has lifted and this team can hopefully now start to climb the
table and way from the largely self-inflicted mess they had got themselves into. A double
home win works wonders. Cardiff are back!!!!!(I hope)!!!!!!
Report from Sports.com
Slick City chalked up a second win in four days as a Jason Bowen double
put The Spireites to flight at Ninian Park.
The Welsh international struck either side of the interval as the resurgent Bluebirds
notched only a third league maximum of the season.
It was a breezy show by Frank Burrows' men who dominated throughout, the Welshmen even
affording the luxury of a missed first-half spot-kick.
John Duncan's strugglers slumped to a fifth defeat in six games, but did manage a
stoppage-time consolation from substitute Roger Willis.
Cardiff showed two team changes from the side that dumped Leyton Orient out of the FA Cup
in the midweek clash. Manchester City's on-loan defender Tony Vaughan returning, and
starlet Christian Roberts getting his first League start of the season.
John Duncan's Spireites showed massive surgery from the team who folded to Oldham at
Saltergate last Saturday. There were debuts for borrowed recruits Manuel Agogo (Sheffield
Wednesday) and Ryan Williams (Tranmere) - Anthony Carss and Steve Blatherwick also
starting.
The bouyant Bluebirds were showing their claws from the kick-off. In the second minute
Matthew Brazier volleyed over and moments later Danny Hill's right-side cross had
Chesterfield keeper Mark Gayle stretching.
The goalkeeper was airborne again on eight minutes as a Winston Faerber chip floated wide,
but the Welshmen were ahead two minutes on as Bowen netted a gem.
Midfielder Hill had flicked on and ex-Welsh international Bowen rode Anthony Carss'
challenge before sending a crisp left-foot drive past Gayle from 20 yards.
But on 17 minutes the Spireites conjured a raid of note. New man Manuel Agogo worked a
smart cameo with Williams and Cardiff skipper Andy Legg just snuffed out the menace of
Jonathan Howard.
And Duncan's braves threatened again on 28 minutes. The pacey Williams brushed past Jeff
Eckhardt, but stabbed his left-foot shot wide as Jon Hallworth advanced.
The Spireites had a chunk of fortune just after the half hour. Steve Blatherwick's heavy
challenge on Brazier appeared to be in the box but Preston referee Michael Ryan awarded
City a kick outside, Chesterfield's centre-back seeing yellow for his misdemeanour.
And from a set-piece, Hill's curler drifted just wide of Gayle's far post.
But Cardiff should have doubled their lead seven minutes from the break. Legg was
pole-axed by Jamie Hewitt in an off-the-ball incident, official Ryan pointing to the spot.
Keeper Gayle went to his left in superb fashion, though, as he beat Roberts' power-drive
to safety.
The Bluebirds flew forward once more and on 53 minutes Hill's drive clattered on to the
Grange End terracing with Gayle scampering to cover.
But 12 minutes later, Cardiff doubled their lead as Bowen grabbed his second of the night,
and eighth of the campaign.
Centre-back Vaughan sparked the move with a sublime crossfield ball, Roberts climbed high
to knock across goal and Bowen powered home from six yards.
Roberts so nearly got on the scoresheet himself on 66 minutes, his ten-yard blast
brilliantly turned away by Gayle.
But the retreating Spireites' needed linkman Chris Perkins' goal-line vigilance late on as
City turned the screw.
Jason Lee smacked a Cardiff upright in the dying moments but substitute Roger Willis did
bag a consolation with a smart finish in the fourth minute of stoppage-time. |
