Report
from NigelBlues.
Oxford United (0) 2 Cardiff City (2) 3
Murphy pen 68 Faerber 17
Hallworth o.g. 74 Nugent 43
Nugent
85
Attendance: 6,423
City supporters: 1,500
Atmosphere: Cardiff non-stop apart from the 10 minute panic in the 2nd
half, Oxford quiet apart from the first 10 minutes and the 10 minute madness
of the second half
Weather: Sunny and warm 1st half, some rain 2nd half but still warm
Pitch: Immaculate - nice slope too!
Programme: £2.00 for 40 pages without a great deal of content and not that much
interesting to read - about the norm then!!
City (3-5-2)
Hallworth Eckhardt Fowler Ford Faerber Legg Hill Bonner Boland Nugent Bowen
subs: Thomas Brazier replaced Hill 75 Jarman replaced Fowler 80 Kelly
Cornforth replaced Bonner 80
What a day, what a game, what goals, what a performance, WHAT A WIN!
It's still early days but Cardiff have produced quality performances that are so
good that even pessimists must now be thinking that we can achieve something more
substantial than mid-table consolidation this season, we will certainly live with anyone
in this division.
This was quite simply an awesome performance. Make no mistake, Cardiff comprehensively
outplayed a good Oxford side by being fitter, better, having more quality and more skill.
It was the best City away performance, in terms of quality, for years. Only Cardiff could
play so well and nearly snatch defeat from the jaws of victory with 10 minutes of madness
but we're used to it.
The trip to Oxford was nightmare as an early morning accident in which somebody was sadly
killed on the M4 past Newport caused the motorway to be shut down at the Monmouth
junction, seven miles of traffic jams and clogged up Newport too. Some of the Newport
based players were stuck in the chaos too and had to drive to another pick-up sport in
their own cars. City apparently didn't get to the game until 40 minutes before kick-off
making the display more creditable. I took a detour through Gloucester and Cheltenham and
then most City fans encountered the next problem - all pubs near the ground were shut on
police orders until 6pm.
Thanks to last minute advices and arrangements on Friday by Bully and Mick Chambers in
Oxford, many listers made it to a backstreet pub in Cowley called The Star, about 15-20
minutes walk from the ground. The barmaid was shocked to see so many City fans there,
"The Landlord never told me we advertised on the internet!" she said. I didn't
have the heart to tell her any different, I just admired her ... quite a lot!
But we were here for the footie so got to the Manor Ground which was exactly as I
remembered it. The stadium is quite disjointed and shiows its age with little bits added
here and there over the years, no wonder they're celebrating getting a new ground. The
view from the away terrace wasn't bad from half-way back. Further forward, you had to gaze
through the gaps of fencing. City fans also had s small stand near one corner flag and
another 2 stands, were along the same touchline, both for Oxford fans. Oxford also has a
terrace behind a goal and more terracing running to the right of the City terrace with
their main (oldest) stand behind it.
Cardiff were unchanged from the side that started against QPR with Mike Ford back as
Captain and apparently getting a superb reception from Oxford fans (I was still walking up
the hill to the ground!) Fowler again playing central defence.
Oxford had a useful side who, man for man, looked very good with many players
who have performed at a higher level. They are tipped for promotion despite their
off-field problems and have had good wins at Stoke and Southend in the first week of the
season.
The first 10 minutes was breathless with quality end-to-end football from both sides.
There didn't seem to be any settling down as both teams just went for each other. Shots
were flying about but the closest either side came was Hallworth making a great stop from
Tait when clear.
The remainder of the half however saw Cardiff play their most outstanding football at an
away game for years. They didn't just dominate Oxford, they crucified them. The quality of
football, movement, passing and skill was at a level that you couldn't have ever imagined
Cardiff would ever be capable of producing again when we watched them struggling in
Division 3. It was special and the support loved it.
Bonner and Hill took over midfield (Hill was on a mission to prove Oxford how wrong they
were to release him last season), Oxford couldn't live with Bowen, Faerber, Legg and
Boland and Nugent put himself about to win just about every aerial challenge. It was
breathtaking and no surprise when City too the lead on 17 minutes, not long after Danny
Hill was close to scoring with a lobbed effort that the dodgy looking Oxford keeper, South
African international, Ardense just tipped over.
After a move and about 10 passes down the left wing, Andy Legg swept a curling cross from
30 yards out. Nugent just managed to glance the ball but as it got to the far side of the
area, Winston Faerber charged in to blast a right-footed straight back across goal and
into the far corner. It was an outstanding finish and he raised his finger in salute to
the City faithful who were going mental.
Cardiff continued to take the game to Oxford, who were chasing shadows as City were
irresistible. Superiority was apparent in every area of the pitch as fans were rubbing
their eyes in disbelief but loving it all. Shortly before half-time, City got a well
deserved second from another quality move.
Danny Hill trapped the ball on half-way, advanced past two Oxford defenders as if they
weren't there and hit a fantastic ball to put Jason Bowen clear on the left. Despite 1,500
City fans shouting 'shoot', Bowen kept cool as he moved into the area, turned a defender
inside out and left him on the floor and passed the ball for Kevin Nugent to fire into an
unguarded net from 6 yards, just beating his marker to the ball.
It was the cue for celebrations and dances everywhere but still City weren't finished.
Laying siege to the Oxford goal, a header went to Winston Faerber 40 yards out and I can
remember saying, "he's going to shoot". I tall seemed to be in slow motion as
Faerber lined up and unleashed a swerving, dipping effort that was destined for top
corner.The keeper did well just touch it over at the very last moment but what a goal it
would have been. As it was, Faerber was Ayatollahing and City fans were bowing in a
"we're not worthy" style chanting Winston, Winston, Winston. For the rest of the
match, the shout of "shoooooooooooooooooot" went up every time Winston touched
the ball, even when he was taking throw-ins. He is a total cult hero.
Half-time and no City fan wanted that to happen but it was glorious, sexy football - just
a pleasure to watch. Some fans tried chanting, "it's just like watching Brazil"
but it was soon changed to "it's just like watching Cardiff". Chants of
"sing when you're rowing" were also being belted out to the subdued Oxford
crowd.
H/T Oxford 0 Cardiff 2
Half-time was slightly bizarre as City supporters were coming to terms with the fact we
were really were watching a Cardiff side play that well. There was a strange moment when
City fans became aware that all Oxford sections of the ground and ballboys/groundstaff
standing motionless and were having a 1 minute silence. There was no tannoy in the Cardiff
end and nobody realised until it was happening so were slow to react and pay proper
respects but it was unintentional. Always sad to see this type of event but a few reckoned
it was something to do with Oxford's first-half showing.
Rather than go into a shell, Cardiff started the second half exactly as they finished the
first. In control, moving forward, making it look like men against the boys and full of
confidence and invention.
The closest efforts were a superb whipped cross met by Kevin Nugent (or was it an Oxford
defender?). Either way, their keeper produced a superb save at full stretch to push the
ball away. Bowen looked to have won a penalty but the referee was erratic - in fairness,
at least he was erratic to both sides but many Cardiff fans thought Oxford players weren't
being punished for similar tackles to those that Cardiff defenders were penalised for.
It was all too good to be true and normality came crashing down as Cardiff committed
suicide to allow Oxford back into the match.
Oxford committed more men forward and the defence show its brittle frailities again. A
hanging cross was poorly headed out by Jason Fowler. An Oxford player touched it on the
edge of the area, Jeff Eckhardt inexplicably put a hand out. Penalty! Murphy coverted with
little trouble on 68 minutes, sending Hallworth the wrong way.
Five minutes later, unbelievably, it was 2-2. Beauchamp shot and Hallworth showed his
shot-stopping class by beating the ball out. The defence however allowed Beauchamp to be
first to the ball and clip a high ball back into the area. Hallworth, not the most
dominant in his area, inexcplicably jumped up under the pressure, got to the ball but
seemed to drop it as he took it into his body and it rolled into goal. A definite own goal
and a disaster. In two league and one cup match, four of City's 5 goals conceded have been
2 penalties and 2 own goals!
For the next 5 minutes, City looked on the rocks and were losing a midfield battle where
they had overun Oxford for the previous 70 minutes. Credit to Oxford for not giving up but
the feeling was that Cardiff could still win if they sorted themselves. Anything other
than a Cardiff win would have been a travesty but it was time for substitutions.
On came Matt Brazier, John Cornforth and Lee Jarman for Bonner, Hill and Fowler. Cornforth
showed his class and experience in playing City back into the match. His every touch,
mostly simple lay-offs, found a City shirt as he gently commanded the midfield and settled
things. Brazier didn't exactly produce but a couple of his 50-60 yard runs had City
pushing back into the Oxford half and the tide seemed to be turning again.
Cardiff's third goal was another classic. Nugent battled hard to win control in the centre
and sweep a ball wide to Faerber. Faerber moved forward, left his marker for dead and
played the ball across the area to find Nugent meet it and, falling back, drill the ball
low and first-time into the bottom right corner from 15 yards. A worthy way to win any
game, especially this one.
There was more panic in the clsoing minutes as Lee Jarman came within a whisker of giving
away another penalty whilst Jon Hallworth atoned for his error by producing two fantastic
saves, one to tip a great left footed volley around the post and an even better effort to
deny an Oxford player from point-blank range.
The final whistle went and the celebrations started. The players came up and appaluded the
fans who didn't leave and stop applauding back until the last man disappeared. Mike Ford
was whipping up the support and Faerber jumped onto the fence to shake hands with some
fans and Ayatollahed again.
It was an outstanding performnce, a quality match and Cardiff fans left purring at what
they had witnessed. THE BLUES ARE GOING UP! CITY FOR THE PLAY-OFFS! - there's a long way
to go but on the basis of the performances in recent weeks, it suddenly doesn't looked
quite so far fetched now, does it!?!?
Report from Oxford fan Chris Brown.
Well a fully deserved victory for Cardiff who outplayed a very poor Oxford
side almost from start to finish.
Clearly Cardiff had done their homework and closed Oxford down well and stopped our
passing game. Apart from the first 5 minutes when Hallworth made a fine save from Tait it
was all Cardiff and they took a deserved lead when Faerber (who must have had bad BO to be
so much space in the first half) hammered in from 18 yards. Cardiff went 2 up when Nugent
finished off a break from just inside the Oxford half. In fairness I was level with the
incident and it was offside but you couldn't argue that City 's performance justified a
two goal lead. The linesman was piss poor though and gots loads of decisions wrong both
ways. Oxford were denied a penalty on the stroke of half time when Anthrobus was seemingly
fouled when through on goal.
The second half saw Arendse make a stunning save from I'm not sure who and Hallworth in
turn made another fine save from Beauchamp. Oxford got back into the game when a stupid
deliberate handball was committed and Matt Murphy (by far the worst player on the pitch)
converted the penalty. Oxford continued to press and this was the first time that Cardiff
sat back. The equaliser came from another scramble the area and Murphy somehow scrambled
the ball in. At this stage there was only one winner and even as an Oxford fan I have to
say that would have been a travesty.
But Nugent won the game with a fine volley on the turn after full back Powell had been
skinned by Faerber. Even after this only two superb saves from Hallworth saved City when
saving from a 25 yard Beauchamp volley and point blank when was through on goal. Anthrobus
was then upended in the box after he appeared to foul Hallworth but the ref gave neither
went I thought they were both fouls but anything other than a City vistory would have been
unfair and it was thoroughly deserved.
Oxford manager Mal Shotton when asked to describe his teams performance said
it was 'crap' and 'all the players were crap' and has called them for training at 9.00
tommorrow morning. Full back Powell has also been fined as he failed to tell the bench he
was suffering from an injury and then used it as an excuse for being beaten for the last
goal.
The support was Cardiff was magnificent and vociforous throughout. Only a few morons in
the corner decided to spoil it by throwing coins at Beauchamp. I don't know what he done
to start it but throwing coins is unacceptable and hopefully the local Police will study
the video and kick these people out of football grounds. I know that Cardiff fans are
generally good people but a few twats let the rest of you down.
I thought Cardidff played some very good football, Nugent was outstanding, his flicks and
lay offs were top class. At the back I thought the battle between Eckhart and Anthrobus
was good, very physical but fair and Bowen's running was exceptional. Faerber was classy
in the first half but got less room in the second. Hallworth made several outstanding
saves but appeared to shit himself every time the ball was at his feet. Even Hill done
things he never looked capable of when he played for us.
For Oxford there were very few plus points, we never coped with a wing back system,
Beauchamp was completely ineffective and Murphy is the worse player in the whole world
(and he scored both goals). Instead of using the wingers we just hoofed it up the middle
and hoped for the best. This was in fairness due to the pressurising of the cardiff
players. When Cardiff did sit back Oxford starting knocking the ball around and being
creative but it was all too late. Maybe in a peverse way this will do us good so I guess
thanks to Cardiff for that.
The reception from the home fans for Fordy was a bit special, he was and still is so
popular here. |
