BLUEBIRDS SURVIVE
... but only just avoid Cup exit Harris’ men come from two down to force a replay with Carlisle:
CARDIFF City produced a second-half comeback to spare their blushes and earn a replay against League Two outfit Carlisle.
The Bluebirds went two goals down thanks to goals from Jack Bridge and Harry McKirdy, but a spirited City side hit back through Callum Paterson and Gavin Whyte in the second half to ensure Cardiff remained in the FA Cup.
They certainly made hard work of it and dominated for large parts of the game, but once again the sluggish start proved costly for Neil Harris’s men.
There are 57 places between the two sides in the league, but in the first half you certainly couldn’t tell.
There could be no excuses. Harris selected an experienced team, with Cameron Coxe the only young player to be named in the starting lineup, with a very clear view to progressing into the fourth round and giving something for the fans to shout about.
But the travelling supporters bellowed in the corner and Carlisle felt they had a real chance to kick the wounded animal and that moment soon came, just 12 minutes into the first half.
Sol Bamba clumsily brought down Jack Bridge in the penalty area and the referee had no hesitation in pointing straight to the spot.
Bridge stepped up to take the spotkick and Alex Smithies got down low to save well, but the forward followed up with a header to take the lead.
Then the Bluebirds looked to hit back but, as expected, Carlisle packed the edge of their area and wouldn’t allow the hosts through.
Barring the odd shot from range from the likes of Gavin Whyte, Danny Ward and a curling free-kick from Josh Murphy, City were reduced to unclear chances.
Then came the sucker punch on the stroke of half time.
Carlisle broke down the right and a pinpoint cross from Hallam Hope found Harry McKirdy at the back post after the winger had lost his man, Cameron Coxe.
McKirdy nodded back across goal and into the net to double the lead and send the travelling supporters into raptures.
The referee blew his whistle and the few City fans inside the stadium let their discontent be known with a grumbling of boos.
The Bluebirds needed to start the second half well and they certainly did. There was far more purpose to their attack.
It soon bore fruit when Whyte’s cross was flicked on by Danny Ward at the near post before Sol Bamba rifled an effort into the underside of the crossbar. Luckily for the Bluebirds, Paterson was aware enough to beat his man and poke home to halve the deficit.
Then, just minutes later, Paterson turned provider.
He was found on the left wing and whipped in the ball of the season, which fell straight on to Whyte’s head before ricocheting off the post and into the back of the net.
Suddenly, City were on terms and rampant.
Josh Murphy had a goal ruled out for offside before he saw a thunderous volley turned away spectacularly by the impressive Adam Collin in the Carlisle goal.
City then continued to bang down the door, lumping balls into the box and occasionally stringing together some nice passages of play, but this Carlisle defence, and goalkeeper Collin in particular, just wouldn’t relent.
As the game wore on it soon became attack vs defence, but the latter was winning.
The visitors then broke away and Hallam Hope ghosted into the box, only for his shot to narrowly skip by the far post, much to City’s relief.
Even after Lee Tomlin and Robert Glatzel were introduced, there seemed to be no way through and credit must go to Carlisle for that.
City must now make the 600-mile round trip up to Carlisle to replay this fixture, just as their Championship campaign hits crunch point.
Not ideal at all, of course, but at half time it looked as thought it could have been far, far worse.