CARDIFF HOGG SO UP IN YER GRILL ...but it’s left Warnock red in the face
WHO was Neil Warnock kidding when he claimed that he had mellowed? He experienced the whole gamut of football emotions in the technical area here.
Decked out in T-shirt and shorts, he was more like a caged tiger than someone equipped for an afternoon out in the Yorkshire sunshine.
The Cardiff boss was left wondering how his side couldn’t capitalise on Huddersfield skipper Jonathan Hogg’s 61st- minute sending-off in a shocking encounter which was stitched on to be last on Match of the Day.
Referee Michael Oliver brandished red following a discussion with assistant Simon Bennett, who adjudged that Hogg had thrust his head into Harry Arter after the ball had been cleared from the Welsh club’s corner.
TV replays indicated it was more of a push than a head butt and Huddersfield boss David Wagner insisted: “It was a soft sending-off. There were two aggressive players and one was more clever than the other. Unfortunately the clever one was not our player.
“Until the sending-off I thought we controlled the game. The sending-off was a game changer.”
Warnock said: “I thought we were a lot more positive in the second half even before they went down to 10 men. I didn’t think Huddersfield could do any better but we could. I thought we could do miles better.
“I told the players, ‘We’re in the Premier League, let’s have a go’. Last week against Newcastle’s 10 men we were really poor whereas this week we really dominated and should have won but I’m sure we will score eventually.”
Newly promoted Cardiff have two points from a goalless start to the season, while Huddersfield staggered to their first point of the campaign after a week of rehab following a mauling at Manchester City.
Cardiff should have grabbed victory as 10-man Huddersfield ran out of steam, Victor Camarasa setting up sub Danny Ward whose low effort was turned around the post by Jonas Lossl, an early replacement for Ben Hamer.
A fourth-minute collision, sparked by Nathaniel Mendez-laing careering into him after accelerating into the box, saw the Cardiff winger carried off, and Hamer only lasted a few more minutes before limping out of the action.
Josh Murphy also wasted a couple of late chances which was a relief to Wagner, who added: “Once again we showed our fighting spirit and it was a good point for us.”
The closest the home side came to breaking the deadlock was a fierce header from Steve Mounie which Neil Etheridge was able to push around the post.
Cardiff owner Vincent Tan made a rare trip to an away game enjoying a few selfies with the fans.
But any chance of calming his manager down? No chance. ■ Huddersfield have scored just one goal in their last eight matches at the John Smith’s Stadium. ■ Cardiff boss Neil Warnock has won just one of his last 15 Premier League games.