Cardiff City 0-2 Notts County - Report and Comment

Match Report

The Bluebirds have now gone 4 home games without a win, after hard-working Notts County grabbed a 2-0 victory in today's encounter at Ninian Park to take all three points back to Nottingham.

Taking seven points from three consecutive away games had lifted the Bluebirds to within a point of Second placed Crewe, and had City won today they would have leapfrogged the Railwaymen into the automatic places due to their 2-1 defeat at Prenton Park. Unfortunately it wasn't to be.

A second half brace from County's top scorer, Mark Stallard was enough for to seal all three points for the visitors, who were also in desperate need of the points to lift them away from relegation danger. He wasn't our "One to Watch" in the Notts County Preview for nothing!

Stallard's opening goal was on the hour mark from the penalty spot after Scott Young was ruled to have pulled back Paul Heffernen who had an open goal in front of him. Stallard made no mistake from the spot, sending Alexander the wrong way to secure his 20th league goal of the season. The Scottish 'keeper was partly to blame for conceding the penalty, he charged off his line to soon and was side stepped by Heffernen leaving him facing an open-goal.

As City searched for an equaliser Lawrence through on Jason Bowen to replace Mark Bonner, and Gavin Gordon was also introduced, but not until the 80th minute, surely he should have come on sooner!

Gordon found himself in the book just seconds after being introduced after barging down the County 'keeper as he attempted to get on the end of a Jason Bowen cross.

Stallard's should have put County two up with 15 minutes to go when he broke through the slow City defence, and found himself one on one with the Alexander, but he aimed his shot just wide of the post.

Moments later though he had bagged his second, this time making the most of a one-on-one opportunity. The 200 travelling Notts County fans bounced around the Grange End in delight, most of the home support had already got back to their cars, thanks for the support lads!

Crewe's defeat at Prenton Park keeps the Bluebirds just a point behind in third place, but victories for Oldham, QPR and Tranmere keep things very tight at the top end of the table. It's amazing to think that if City hadn't picked up those vital 7 away points, we would now be outside the play-off zone!

Cardiff were much the better side in the first half, but failed to take decent chances and paid for that in the last 45. City's defending looked poor, and the pacey County forward line got passed Young and Prior too easily. Changes must be made for Friday's visit to Tranmere Rovers.

Cardiff City - Alexander, Croft (Gordon 80), Prior, Young, Barker, Boland, Bonner (Bowen 64), Kavanagh, Mahon, Earnshaw, Thorne
Unused Subs: Legg, Collins, Margeton.

Notts County - Mildenhall, Bolland, Fenton, Ireland, Richardson, Ramsden, Nicholson, Brough, Liburd, Stallard, Heffernan
Unused Subs: Deeney, Harrad, Hackworth, Stone, Riley.

Referee - L Cable

Kavanagh and Boland worked hard in the midfield today, creating most of City's chances in the first half.

It was an extremely physical game, and Kavanagh's presence in the midfield was important but as a team Cardiff just were not good enough today.

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