H’FIELD TOWN 0 CARDIFF CITY 0
CARDIFF City missed the chance to move back into the Championship’s top six after a scrappy goalless draw at Huddersfield Town.
Chances were sparse during a contest which, on the whole, perhaps wasn’t the tubthumping spectacle Mick McCarthy would have liked on his 1,000th game in management.
The Bluebirds, carrying several injury concerns, were unable to really find their usual attacking fluency in West Yorkshire, and may well consider themselves lucky to leave with a point after Yaya Sanogo missed from the spot deep into the second half.
McCarthy will have plenty to ponder, particularly after seeing Joel Bagan forced off before the break with a shoulder problem.
With Joe Bennett already a long-term injury concern, and Perry Ng left out due to a knock, McCarthy’s full-back options are looking increasingly light.
At the other en,d Harry Wilson and Josh Murphy both laboured to find their usual spark on their return to the side, although it was a promising outing for young Tom Sang, who was handed a surprise league debut.
Huddersfield clearly made a point of targeting Cardiff’s two inexperienced wing-backs during the opening half an hour or so, although the young pair coped reasonably well, limiting the hosts to few clear-cut chances.
Nevertheless, Dillon Phillips had to be alert to keep out Juninho Bacuna’s free kick from 25 yards on 15 minutes, before Aden Flint rattled the crossbar by connecting with Wilson’s goalbound effort on half an hour.
It seemed a great chance, although Flint’s blushes were spared by the offside flag.
The bitter blow of losing Bagan to a dislocated shoulder perhaps hampered the Bluebirds’ rhythm, with the youngster now facing a long spell out.
The hosts may well have counted themselves a little lucky to go into the break with 11 men, with Juninho Bacuna appearing to raise his hands after getting involved with a conwell-delivered frontation with Flint.
You’d be forgiven for thinking such handbags would have taken the intensity of this contest up a notch, but the second half was just as muted, although Curtis Nelson did just about enough to prevent former Bluebird Frazier Campbell nipping in at the near post after a corner.
The set-piece seemed to be the most likely source of a goal as the clock ticked past the hour mark.
Richard Keogh perhaps should have done better after breaking free of Ciaron Brown to get his head on the end of a Juninho Bacuna free kick, but couldn’t keep his effort on target.
That let-off was nothing compared to what unfolded 15 minutes later, mind.
A poor challenge from the otherwise excellent Nelson on Aaron Rowe saw referee Tim Robinson point to the spot.
But Cardiff keeper Phillips, who’s emerged as something of a penalty specialist in a City shirt, was left without a save to make as Sanogo fired his resulting spot kick wide.
A big moment, and aside from Sang’s deflected half-volley, it was Cardiff who remained busier defensively.
Phillips was called into action 10 minutes from time, producing a fine one-on-one save to deny Vallejo.