Bluebirds fail to land a blow in drab Boxing day draw
CARDIFF City were held to a scoreless bore draw against QPR as their winless run stretched to five matches.
It was hardly a festive treat at Cardiff City Stadium as both sides served up an insipid, uninspired contest which saw just one shot on target courtesy of the visitors.
The Bluebirds will argue that they had the better of the opportunities, but the glaring fact is they have gone yet another 90 minutes without registering a single shot on target.
There is only so long there can be encouraging signs without any end product.
Mark Hudson desperately needs a win and, ideally, a run of them. All bark and no bite, it was Boxing Day disappointment for Cardiff fans in the Welsh capital.
The big team news was that Rubin Colwill was named to start his first game since August.
A big boost for City, who wanted to add more creativity and be more positive in their approach in search of much-needed points.
And it was he who got City fans off their feet for the first time at Cardiff City Stadium, when he bludgeoned a 30-yard free-kick towards goal before seeing it whistle just past Seny Dieng’s post.
But after that, the game slowed down.
It was not a first half for the ages, let’s just say that, although there were moments for both sides.
Tim Iroegbunam proved a thorn in City’s side and Ryan Wintle was booked after the half-hour mark for bringing down the midfielder, who was bearing down on Cardiff’s goal.
Kenneth Paal stepped up and hit a lovely, left-footed free-kick which
NEWPORT County fought back from a goal down to claim a share of the spoils against 10-man AFC Wimbledon at Plough Lane.
County were playing for the first time since a home defeat to Doncaster Rovers on December 10 and manager Graham Coughlan made one change from that match – recalling striker Offrande Zanzala in place of former Cardiff City man Omar Bogle.
And it was Zanzala, making his first start since August due to a serious hamstring injury, who levelled from the penalty spot 20 minutes from the end.
The Congolese front man was clearly eager to make his mark from the start as he earned a booking within the first 10 minutes for an overzealous tackle.
Paul Hudlin had the first real chance of the match for the hosts, but he headed wide after 17 minutes.
CARDIFF CITY
had Ryan Allsop worried, but it whistled past the post.
Cardiff’s two best opportunities came just before the half-time whistle, in fact, and the busy Callum Robinson was instrumental in both.
The first came when Wintle whipped in an inch-perfect cross towards the Irishman, who looked to steer a header on target, but had a clean-air shot and should really have done better.
The second came by virtue of some neat feet from Colwill, who fizzed a path into Robinson’s feet before the striker blazed a shot from the edge of the area just over the crossbar.
Cardiff ended the half with Perry Ng hammering a header from Wintle’s free-kick, only to see it whizz past the upright.
Kion Etete had the best early chance after the break after Colwill had hooked a cross into the back post.
The big striker controlled well, swivelled and banged a low shot, but it smashed into the stanchion.
The Exiles’ first opportunity arrived three minutes later when Cameron Norman was fouled, and centre-back Priestley Farquharson headed just wide from the resulting free-kick.
Farquharson conceded a corner at the other end soon afterwards and Ethan Chislett picked out Josh Davison in the middle, but the striker’s effort was wide of the mark.
Zanzala then saw a header saved at close range by Dons’ stopper Nik Tzanev before Paul Kalambayi and Harry Pell both saw goal-bound efforts blocked for the home side.
Coughlan’s men ended the first half strongly with Aaron Lewis firing over the top from a corner and Nathan Moriah-Welsh shooting wide from inside the area, but they
But, in truth, Etete should have put Cardiff ahead not long after that. Cedric Kipre hit a square pass after latching on to a cross and it bounced into the striker’s path.
Unmarked, Etete swung a vicious right foot at it, but he lacked composure and sent it flying over the crossbar.
The game ebbed towards its conclusion, with Cardiff in the ascendancy.
But the last big chance came when Joe Ralls swung in a corner to the middle of the box, which Callum O’Dowda met, but the header was sent agonisingly wide of the post.
And just like that, the game was done.
Another game without a win, their fifth in a row at home, as Cardiff remain in their precarious position of 20th.
They were by far the better team, but how many times are we going to say that without three extra points on the board?
It’s a difficult line to tread.
This game represented the start of the second half of the season, and they will have to up their game in the final 22 fixtures if they are to get any sort of daylight between them and the drop zone.
Cardiff City XI: Allsop; Romeo, Ng, Kipre, O’Dowda; Colwill (Whyte 83), Wintle, Ralls, Philogene (Harris 67); Robinson, Etete.
Subs: Luthra, Simpson, Nkounkou, Sang, Rinomhota.
QPR XI: Dieng; Laird, Dunne, Dickie, Paal; Dozzell, Field, Iroegbunam (Amos 80), Adomah (Chair 72), Willock (Shodipo 72); Dykes (Roberts 72). Subs: Archer, Kakay, Masterson.
AFC WIMBLEDON............... 1 NEWPORT CTY.................... 1
couldn’t find a breakthrough.
And it was Wimbledon who began the second period on the front foot, with Hudlin and Chislett both going close in the first two minutes after the break.
County responded well as Norman fizzed a shot wide from distance and Tzanev had to be alert to keep out another Moriah-Welsh effort, before Zanzala was once again denied by a block at pointblank range.
But it was the hosts who broke the deadlock on 58 minutes when Chislett curled a free-kick over everyone and into the top corner after a foul on Ayoub Assal on the left wing.
Coughlan quickly made a change, bringing on Aaron Wildig to relace James Waite in the advanced midfield role behind Zanzala and Will Evans.
Davison almost added a quickfire second for Wimbledon, but Joe Day saved and the Exiles pushed forward in search of an equaliser.
A Farquharson header and an Evans piledriver were both blocked and it looked as though County may be frustrated in their efforts.
But the match changed midway through the second half when Hudlin was shown a straight red card after he appeared to grab Lewis by the throat.
And County were level within minutes when Huseyin Biler was adjudged to have fouled MoriahWelsh in the penalty area and Zanzala found the bottom corner from the spot.
Coughlan’s men scented blood and Declan Drysdale headed just over the top, before Zanzala sent a righ-footed effort wide, but they couldn’t find a knockout blow on Boxing Day.
■ Paul Mullin claimed a hat-trick as Wrexham swept aside 10-man Solihull Moors at a packed Racecourse
Ground.
Wrexham struck three minutes before half-time when Ollie Palmer swivelled to finish with a low drive.
The lead doubled when Palmer turned provider for Paul Mullin to hit the first of his three goals.
Solihull’s hopes dipped again when Kyle Storer was sent off for a poor challenge on Luke Young, before Aaron Hayden and Mullin completed the rout.
The attendance of 10,150 was Wrexham’s record crowd for the season, while on the pitch Wrexham equalled a club record of 15 wins in a row in all competitions.
Despite the handsome victory, Wrexham remain second in the National League, four points behind Notts County who also impressed with a 4-1 win over Oldham.
Despite their heavy defeat, Moors remain in the play-off places on goal difference.