City drop two places

It was a bit of a groundhog day yesterday for Cardiff City with the visit of Middlesbrough at the Cardiff City Stadium, close to being a re-run of the last game between the two teams. Last season the Bluebirds were on an eight game run of game without defeat and on course for an automatic promotion finish, until the arrival of the North East club.

They process to kill off the party mood for the home fans scoring three goals and consigning the Welshman to another lottery that is the play-offs. Today fans were looking for some revenge even the few players in the today’s squad from last season were talking of unfinished business with Middlesbrough.

Cardiff headed into the game off the back of nine league games undefeated, but the big difference being that this time it was third v fourth in the league. Last season the visitors were struggling at the wrong end of the league table.

Has for today it looked like the day was going to be a toughie when Cardiff had a stonewall penalty call turned down after around 13 minutes. The Cardiff boss was not happy with the ref decision nor was the Cardiff City fans, but for everyone else there in the ground it was a relief. Minutes later Cardiff was a goal down when Nigerian Bart Ogbeche scored his first goal in English football.

It was not long before the home crowd had something to cheer about when an in swinging corner from Peter Whittingham was flicked on by Miller for defender Ben Turner to head the ball into the net, game all square again. It was Turner first goal for the Bluebirds and it was against a team he played for and supported since childhood. With minutes to go Cardiff took the lead with an assist from striker Kenny Miller for Aron Gunnarsson slot the ball into the goal.

With the game at 2-1 at the start of the second half, you can never feel safe, but within 15 minute of the second half restart, the visitor had levelled to game again. They had been piling on the pressure and with their nose back into the game the home team up their game making the run up to the final whistle. The goal saw the Cardiff City boss Malky MacKay make a double substitute with Craig Conway off for Joe Mason and Don Cowie for Rudy Gestede giving MacKay more options up front.

However, the visitors took the lead in the 75minute leading to a win has Cardiff failed to square the game or push for a win. They were chances but that final ball just wouldn’t cross the line so Cardiff dropped to fifth in the league table while the visitors moved up to third.