Unbelievably, City allowed winless and bottom of the table Rotherham United to claim a 2-2 draw at a grey, wet and drab Millmoor. It was easy to agree with ecstatic Millers fans taunting us with "Two up ...and you ****ed it up" as City fans' emotions were run raw again - frustration at watching a poor, low quality game, delight and happiness as our goals arrived but then frustration and anger with the outcome at final whistle.
Today was a reality check. Six Rams coaches set off from South Wales, a couple with the official supporters club as City took a healthy 800 or so supporters to South Yorkshire. It was a huge contrast to last season when a couple of thousand City went there for our first game at this level for almost 20 years in 100 degree temperatures. The Lansdowne and The Muni boys from City Road shared a coach, posh one with curtains, dvd, cd that played the best punk and ska and a fridge to keep the beer cold.
We set off at 8:45am on the 200 mile journey and made the industrial wastelands - Rotherham borders Sheffield shortly after midday. The police escorted us into town on the scenic route - past one out of town shop claiming to be Europe's largest sexy superstore, the Blue Minx gentleman's club (they must have double the tissue sales in Rotherham compared to elsewhere) and then on a grand tour all around Rotherham's vast scrap and metal emporiums, which engulf Millmoor stadium, before parking up outside the away end.
The police advised that there were 4 designated pubs for Cardiff fans but we went to the first available one - a ramshackle sports bar called Shooters - a usual home pub apparently. Other City fans heard Rotherham on mobiles saying how we had taken their pub. Inside,all we did was play pool, darts, fruit and quiz machines and having a bevvy. Dead'ard!
Most City fans then went into the city centre, about half mile walk away, atmosphere very good. Their programme was a decent read, 60pages with 6 on City, but they seem to be the only club in the country who don’t know our club badge changed almost 3 years ago judging by its number of appearances in their pages.
Millmoor, like the club, is operating in the Championship but hardly looks suitable for it. It is a fantastic achievement that they are here and have, until this term, survived so well. Apart from its "picturesque" surroundings, the entrance to the away end and the away parking etc is down narrow lanes. Inside are four stands, all old, and all strangely different in design and shape to each other. It gave the impression that extra sections of stands had been bolted onto smaller stands over the year without too much forethought of design or what was there before.
Apart, from one completely empty section of a small stand immediately of to our right, an overflow area for away fans - different design again and different coloured seats to anywhere else - the ground looked fairly full with home fans yet the crowd was just 5,084 - the second smallest attendance in the Championship this season, narrowly beating the 5,062 who watched Rotherham play Millwall.
City, after turning in those outstanding displays at home to Leicester and West Ham in the past week, unsurprisingly named an unchanged team, one that meant Tony Vidmar, available again after suspension had to sit on the bench. The line up was Warner - Williams-Gabbidon-Collins-Barker, McAnuff-Kavanagh-O'Neill-Ledley, Alan Lee (playing against his former club at Millmoor for the first time) and Parry.
Ronnie Moore's side were desperate for a result. Bottom of the league with an awful record of6 draws and 11 defeats in their opening 17 matches had them stranded by 7 points. The current non-winning league run, now extended to 19 matches, is easily the worst in their history. Their fans must have been close to suicidal after seeing their side score only 5 goals in their opening 15 matches go 2-0 ahead in their 2 previous games then lose one and draw the other. Perhaps it was fate that today they drew having gone 2-0 behind.
With no support, no money, their best players suffering long-term injuries, the owner wanting to sell and projected takeovers failing or stalling, it is hard to see any way out for The Millers this term. They started with Pollitt, Stocdale-McIntosh-Swailes-Hurst, Sedgwick-Shaun Barker-McLaren-Scott, Warne and Richie Barker (Chris' brother). Their on-loan Brazlian striker, Junior, was suspended after being sent off in midweek.
Without intending disrespect to the home side, it was obvious from the first 5 minutes that this was only a game City could throw away and how we did. Cardiff were below par, once again being brought down to Rotherham's level as happened at Ninian Park three weeks ago. However they looked organised and slick compared to Rotherham's grit and fight without any perceived quality. Until the last 20 minutes, it was a dull affair but City had their chances.
Within the first 10minutes, Paul Parry - turning into a major success in a forward role that sees him ran onto the ball and at defenders -was desperately unlucky as he met a flick on 20 yards out and instinctively scooped the ball over a helpless Pollitt on the right edge of the area only to see his effort smack away the crossbar and be safely cleared. Moments later, he burst through again,Pollitt flicking a hand out to stop his low shot.
Gary O'Neill headed over and Joe Ledley flicked a shot narrowly wide in City's other key chances of the half, the best move saw Pollitt narrowly deny Darren Williams as he linked smartly with Lee (who was quiet) and McAnuff in a smart, pacy move. City's work going forward was good but couldn't round it off, some credit must go to Rotherham's defence for that.
The home side got forward in sporadic raids only but City were coping comfortably with them even if they had to clear quickly at times. The Millers had one major chance only when a ball across the area evaded everyone and found Warne unmarked but his awful effort was 10 yards wide, he never controlled the ball.
Half-time: Rotherham 0 City 0
The second period was more of the same stuff except a little frustration was starting to creep in that City could not break down limited opponents, it started to have the look and feel of a dour 0-0.
Again, there were chances for City as, if anything, they were en more in control with Kav and O'Neill in total charge of proceedings. Collins headed over, Kav fired wide, Pollitt made a good stop from O'Neill and Ledley put him clear and when O'Neill returned the honours,Ledley went close went a blazing angled drive that just cleared the bar.
Then came that incredible closing 20 minutes - a match within the match. Let’s deal with both City’s goals first, both of them crackers.
It was 1-0 on 70 minutes. Jobi McAnuff drifted inside and stroked the ball to Kavanagh who, with great vision, dissected two defenders with a floor pass and the precocious JOE LEDLEY yet again showed his outstanding talent and maturity with an exemplary finish – a low first time shot from the left angle of the area across a despairing Pollitt with the ball tucked inside the far post. Players and fans celebrated his brilliance and, admittedly, with a degree of relief too.
Within 4 minutes, it was 2-0 with Ledley’s class trumped by a spectacular PAUL PARRY effort. A goal completely out of nothing as he came inside with the ball, drifted past one challenge and then hit an unstoppable effort across the face of goal from the edge of the area. The ball smashed into the top corner roof of the net still whilst still rising and then the inside side netting on the way down. That was Parry Magic.
That really should have been it, game over, points in the bag and close the game out but City’s lack of a killer instinct which has seen them have to settled for draws against Leeds, Brighton, Millwall and Leicester in recent times when each should have been beaten cost them dearly again. It keeps us in danger towards the foot of the table when we should now be well away. Today made it 10 points dropped in these games, we have to get more ruthless.
Rotherham’s way back into the game came within 2 minutes, it was self-inflicted and I’m afraid Tony Warner, despite great form recently, must be held accountable.
A ball came over at head height with Warner under no major pressure. It looked a routine take but Warner decided to punch instead. That looked an error and it was compounded as his hit was feeble, the ball weakly and without height carrying to only just outside the area. City’s out players should ask why they didn’t close down McLaren who was allowed time to control the ball and hit a free shot back with no challenge. His effort looped over Warner and back luck compounded those errors and the ball bounced off the bar, hit the diving Warner on the back as it came out and bounced into the net.
McLaren was widely given the goal but, to me, it can only be a Warner own goal. It wasn’t intentional but the shot wasn’t going in and it was his touch that sent the ball home.
Rotherham used all their subs to chase the game, City threw on Willie Boland for McAnuff to help close the match but, unbelievably, on 79 minutes, Rotherham completed a sequence of 4 goals in 10 minutes to make it 2-2. A simple goal but another superb finish as a ball swept to the edge of City’s area was met by MICHAEL PROCTOR who helped it on and the looped effort beat Warner’s valiant dive, hit the foot of the post and crossed the line. From tedium to delirium to agony inside 10 minutes.
It was damning that Cardiff so nearly lost it altogether and spent the final few minutes hanging on as Rotherham suddenly switched on and sensed a long overdue victory. Tony Warner made one brilliant save, just managing to palm a blistering McIntosh shot over the bar. There were scrambles and desperate defending too with the ball hoofed away as we visibly came apart. However, City rode the storm and had to settle for a draw in a game that really should have been won without great argument.
Leaving the ground and heading home was quiet at first, it felt as though we had lost. Then came the news of the blow that Pompey, missing three midfielders to injury and having taken a beating at Aston Villa, had recalled Gary O’Neill probably to play against us in the Carling Cup on Tuesday. As they say, funny ol’game, just as things look so good and promising, the wheels come off slightly. Thanks for coming Gary O’Neill, you have been fantastic for us. We are undoubtedly a much better side with im but City have also improved since he’s been here too. We’ll have to adjust to life without him, sadly.
Non-sexist readers should move straight onto the next paragraph. If you’re still here, imagine our delight at what followed. It was still a good day out though and rounded off in some style as we stopped in Ross and I thought I walked into a dream, along with the rest of the boys. Nubile young girls in short skirts playing pool watched by others, naturally big chested girls sitting around everywhere (who needs Jordan?) and a coachload of fellas in need of cheering up suddenly cheered up enormously. The only downside was the big one looked like Nadia from Big Brother, she probably didn’t appreciate my chants about that! I could happily have stayed all night and had forgotten about the game.
Suitably refreshed, the rest of the journey home was a hoot with Lansdowne and Muni boys having a sing off. Lansdowne won, naturally although the Muni boy’s impression of Roger The Landlord won the funny stakes. Thanks for the trip lads, top one.
Report from FootyMad
Cardiff let slip a two-goal lead as they were robbed of their second win in four days by bottom club Rotherham.
Two goals in two minutes from teenage sensation Joe Ledley and striker Paul Parry put the Welsh side in control.
But Rotherham replied almost immediately with two goals in four minutes to deny the visitors victory.
And only a fantastic late save from keeper Tony Warner kept out Rotherham who have gone 18 matches without a win – the worst by any league club for 33 years.
Alan Lee, the striker who left Rotherham for Cardiff in a near £1million deal last year, was causing his old team-mates problems early on.
Twice he flick headed and sent in Parry who beat keeper Mike Pollitt with a crafty lob that grazed the top of the bar and dropped over and then saw Pollitt turn away his second effort.
Gary O'Neil, on loan from Portsmouth, curled in a 25-yard free-kick but Pollitt covered it smartly.
A clever free-kick from Ledley dipped over the defence and threatened to embarrass Pollitt, but Martin McIntosh stretched to clear.
And when a corner was half cleared Graham Kavanagh pounced but drilled his shot just wide.
When Ledley burst down the left and picked out Lee with his low cross Chris Swailes closed down the Irish frontman.
Cardiff, unbeaten in five, had Darren Williams to thank for keeping out the home side just before the break.
Twice Williams produced last-ditch clearances when McIntosh powered a header after Chris Sedgwick's cross and again when Rob Scott rose to head past keeper Warner.
But in the 70th minute a stunning goal by 17-year-old Welsh international Ledley put Cardiff in front when he hit a blistering shot from 25 yards.
Two minutes later Parry matched the youngster's opener with a carbon copy goal from 25 yards.
But four minutes later Rotherham midfielder Paul McLaren claimed his first goal for the club with a 30-yard drive that bounced off the bar and went in off the back of keeper Warner.
And substitute Michael Proctor blazed a dipping volley over Warner for the equaliser, before only a super save from Warner denied McLaren a spectacular late winner.
External reports
Wales On Sunday
Western Mail
Echo