“ CARDIFF CITY ARE CREATING THEIR OWN FERGIE TIME “

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“ CARDIFF CITY ARE CREATING THEIR OWN FERGIE TIME “

Postby worcester_ccfc » Wed Dec 13, 2017 2:50 am

Tuesday 12 December 2017

By Chris Wathan

Cardiff City’s Royals revival underlined their status as the Championship’s comeback kings – with Neil Warnock saying the Reading result was no fluke.

Warnock’s men looked dead and buried at the break on Monday night , 2-0 down before half-time for the first time this season.

But – with Warnock having been sent from the dug-out for clashing with the fourth official over the performance of referee Stephen Martin – the Bluebirds’ bounced back with two goals in the final seven minutes.

Joe Bennett’s volley gave hope before Lee Tomlin crashed in his first of the season off the crossbar, keeping Cardiff within four points of leaders Wolves.

The wild celebrations were as much about the dramatic finish as the reaffirming of the promotion credentials being displayed by Cardiff who are showing all the hallmarks of a side who refuse to give up lightly.

Because it is far from the first time the Bluebirds have fought back from losing positions to pick up late points this season.

Indeed, there is evidence that while the Premier League still talks of Fergie Time, so Cardiff’s Championship rivals are reason to fear Warnock O’Clock.

On their march to the 11-point cushion they have over those outside the top-six, Cardiff have managed to score eight goals in the final ten minutes of games, with only two sides – Brentford and Bristol City – registering more.

But it is the significance of those late scores that sees them stand out with those eight goals earning the side nine points. That’s more than any other side in the Championship have managed from late goals.

It reminds of Fergie Time, the mythical idea that the stopwatch would slow as Sir Alex Ferguson’s all-conquering Manchester United side habitually score late goals and pick up points from pessimistic positions.

Bennett’s first goal of the season and Tomlin’s first goal for the club earned a point on Monday, coming just three weeks after Callum Paterson’s 83 minute at Barnsley broke the deadlock and added two to the points tally.

Cardiff started as they meant to go on this year, Kenneth Zohore securing an opening day win at Burton with just three minutes remaining.

Danny Ward also got his first for his new club on 83 minutes as he scored to level against Fulham and take a point from Craven Cottage. Cardiff’s latest comeback came against Sheffield Wednesday, Sol Bamba scoring in the fourth minute of injury time to keep the side’s unbeaten home record.

And there was an 84th-minute winner from the spot for Joe Ralls at Middlesbrough, sealing a 1-0 victory.

Only one of Cardiff’s eight goals in the last ten minutes of games so far has made no difference to the result — Ward’s 91st-minute effort at home to Ipswich simply re-establishing the Bluebirds’ two-goal advantage over Mick McCarthy’s men.

Bristol City are the next best in the division, grabbing seven extra points at the death with wins over Reading, Hull and Sheffield Wednesday all gained from goals scored 81 minutes onwards.

But it is not just Cardiff’s late, late show that impresses; it is the fact they have scored six equalising goals this year and only once not gone on to earn at least a point, coming in the Severnside derby defeat to Bristol.

It means it is five games that Cardiff have come from behind to earn points – starting with the 2-1 win at home over QPR after conceding early on, followed up by those draws against Fulham and Sheffield Wednesday before the second-half turnaround against Norwich last Friday and Monday’s late draw drama. That’s a total of nine points earned from losing positions.

And it’s why Warnock says no-one could say there were surprised by the turnaround at the Madejski, saying it showed not only his side’s tenacity but their talent.

“It’s not just the characters we have but the fact we have some really good players with good ability,” said the Bluebirds’ veteran boss. “It’s a great testament to their skill and ability to go from the disappointment of going two down to rally and get a point.

“But these results aren’t by fluke. We’ve got some guts, character and good players and if we can take that through the remainder of the season then it bodes well.

“In the Championship you won’t have it go your own way every week, you’re going to go behind , the type of character to show to come back against a good side like Reading, it makes it a better result.”
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“ CARDIFF CITY ARE CREATING THEIR OWN FERGIE TIME “

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Re: “ CARDIFF CITY ARE CREATING THEIR OWN FERGIE TIME “

Postby dogfound » Wed Dec 13, 2017 10:12 pm

Fergie time had nothing to do with mythical stopwatches slowing ...but far more to do with the man himself making a point of constantly looking at his watch to pressure refs in to adding a bit longer when United were losing.
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