Cardiff City res 4 - 1 Swansea City res

Last updated : 22 February 2006 By Michael Morris

Andrea Ferretti and Jamal Easter scored two goals each as City continued their unbeaten Pontins Holiday Combination campaign.

City were 2 - 1 up at half time with a goal from each player and they both scored again in the secon half.


Report from Paul Evans

The season long debate about the low turn out for games at Ninian Park took a fresh twist today when Cardiff City TRIPLED their normal gate for a game played in bitterly cold and windy conditions!

Yes, where Cardiff City would normally expect a crowd of about 100 for a midweek afternoon reserve match, around 300 were present for the 4-1 victory over Swansea reserves today and, based on this staggering leap in spectator numbers, club officials are now confidently predicting a full house for Sheffield Wednesday's visit in ten days time!

Right then, back to reality! City's second string comfortably beat a very young looking jacks outfit by 4-1 and, truth be told, it probably should have been more.

Given that the edge City had in experience with the likes of Margetson, Weston and Mulryne present, I suppose they should be beating such young opposition by this sort of score, but it's worth pointing out that City's side had reserve team rookies such as centreback Lloyd Jenkins and right midfielder Darcy Blake in their line up as well.

I was just getting settling into my seat as Andrea Ferretti opened the scoring on three minutes so I didn't see who played the ball through to him, but Ferretti was presented with an easy chance which he comfortably put away from about ten yards out.

For a while after that, the strong wind dominated as both sides found it hard to get the ball down and play. The teams were cancelling each other to a large extent at that stage, but then, midway through the half, the game sprang to life with a sloppy goal for each team within the space of two minutes.

The first came when a cross from the right by Jamal Easter was fumbled towards goal by visiting keeper Field and, although he quickly grabbed the ball back, the linesman indicated that the ball had crossed the line - the lack of protests from the Swansea players seemed to indicate that the decision was a correct one.

My first thought was that it was an own goal, but I'm sure Jamal Easter will be claiming it. However, whether it was his goal or not, Easter was to blame to a large extent shortly afterwards when, with City attacking on the corner of the box , his poor pass to Weston allowed Swansea to break. Although the City will view the goal that followed as a poor one to concede, credit should also be given to the jacks for taking the chance they were given so efficiently as an instant long pass released Pepperell (think it was him anyway) who carried the ball on before confidently beating Margetson.

The rest of the first half was played out with growing evidence that City were getting more on top as Easter with shots into the side netting and just over and Mulryne with a header narrowly wide almost increased the lead.

City deserved their 2-1 interval lead, but Swansea had fought hard to stay in touch and must have thought they had a chance as the second half started. However, City took a decisive grip on the game within seconds of the restart when Jacobson's accurate long ball put Ferretti through and he netted with a calmly placed lob over the keeper from about fifteen yards out.

After that, with them playing into the elements it became a question of keeping the score down for the jacks - they did get the occasional look in when City got a bit careless, but never really threatened the home goal through the entire half.

City made full use of their substitutions with Taylor, Coombes and Morgan replacing Khalil, Kift and Jenkins, whilst there was a blast from the past for City fans when the jacks brought on Kevin Nugent for the final quarter of an hour and in the process immeadiately doubled the average age of their side!

As for the rest of the game, you always had the feeling there were more goals there for City, but they only got one more when Jamal Easter confidently scored from the spot after he had been brought down in the box for an obvious penalty (even the Luton ref would have given it!). After that, Ferretti and Easter both came very close to adding to their tallies and I can also remember captain Danny Parslow being denied by Field from a close range header, but a game which was good enough to make you sometimes forget how cold it was finished 4-1 as City completed a 9-2 aggregate reserve team double over the jacks.

Everybody in a City shirt had decent game for me today, but, of the younger players, I thought Joe Jacobson did well and now looks as comfortable at reserve team level as he did for the Academy team last season, Jonathan Kift did well, Darcy Blake was forceful and certainly likes a tackle and Ferretti, who has disappointed me at times at reserve team level, looked a potential first team player.

However, it was one of the experienced players who caught my eye today. I have been pretty critical of Phil Mulryne at first and reserve team level this season, but today he turned in by far the best reserve team performance I have seen from him. Mulryne bossed the game from about the half hour mark onwards and showed the full range of the passing ability that he has always had - he also seemed to be more up for the game than normal as well.

So a couple of big reserve team wins over the jacks this season has to be satisfying - of course, it's not like the real thing, but, I suppose, that, until "Swans supremo" Huw Jenkins can mastermind it so that his team are actually in the same division as us, it's the best we can expect!