" Match Report Birmingham v Cardiff 25/03/12 "

It was only a half hour drive for me today. I allowed for an hour so as you can imagine I arrived at Birmingham City football club so early that none of the burger fans were open. Fortunately the car park next to the away stand was open so I managed to park up then gave the forum bus a call. Premier One answered his phone and I could not hear a thing he was saying due to the noise level coming from the other passengers. Eventually I worked out the bus was approaching the RV point which meant I had time for a MacDonalds which was just down the road.

After something to eat I made my way to the away entrance. Like CCS Birmingham had its own areas for the travelling coaches. The coaches arrive and the away fans can literally walk into the away end. It made me wonder how many of the new grounds that have just been built have considered this idea.

The team coach was the only one in the courtyard when I walked in. There were a line of local police plus a few of the away stewards. I had a quick word with some local program seller. He had a few boxes of programs and I wondered if he would actually sell them all. I spoke to him for 5 minutes then the coaches arrived. The courtyard went from a place of peace to activity within the next 10 minutes. About 15 coaches pulled in, were directed well by the local stewards and before long the area was crowded with Cardiff fans. Once again I felt where I belonged.

This all happened about one hour before kick off. This meant there was time to have a drink inside the ground. I joined the forum guys for a drink and had a look around the area. It was nothing special, the block slab wall for the toilets and the bar for the eats and drinks. It was the toilet walls that amused me though as this object caught my attention. A pair of hands appeared above the wall holding a camera. Premier One goes to some extremes to get his pictures.

We eventually made our way to the stand and placed ourselves 3 rows to the front next to the home support. We were actually behind one of the goals but on the corner. I looked at the home supporters and it has to be said they looked a lost cause. I was just amazed that this team we are about to play who had been in Europe this campaign was looking so down. They looked like they were going through the motions and the 90 minutes of football we were about to watch was about to explain that for them.

Cardiff fielded an unchanged side from the one that could only draw with one of the bottom clubs Coventry. The away supporters were in good mood and you could just feel the expectations were on the back burner. After 3 homes games where the atmosphere has been poor these supporters were going to make up for it. So the expectations could just wait for one game.

Cardiff attacked the goal at the other end and that is where most of the play was in the first half. As the ball made its way up that end it was difficult to see what was going on from my stand point. Mason seemed to be busy but was being caught offside a lot. McPhail was the dominating player as he seemed to own the midfield and controlled the play.

Cardiff first chance came from a corner that Hudson headed over the bar on the 15th minute mark. From open play Cardiff struggled to get a shot on goal and had to rely on corners for their best chances. There were plenty of corners won as the Birmingham defence were forced to give them away due to the pressure they were under.
On the half hour mark Mason had the best chance of the game as he collected the ball just outside the Birmingham area and curled his shot just wide of the upright.

Birmingham relied totally on the break away and there one and only chance fell to the unpopular Marlon King who found space just outside the Cardiff area. His control let him down and he was quickly closed right down as the ball went for a corner.

The first half ended with no score.

Cardiff continued their dominance after the restart and had a couple of chances to take the lead. Cowie broke free down the left as us away supporters looked. As he made his way into the area instead of shooting he checked inside and got challenged. Moments later Gunnarson charged down the same side but went down when challenged. The referee waved away all appeals for a penalty.

Then Birmingham woke up and their first attack brought them a penalty. Cowie mistimed his challenged inside the area and the home players thought nothing of going down to the joy of the home fans to our immediate right, they had something to wake up to. King took the penalty that produced a great low right diving save from Marshall. The home fans wanted to go back to sleep.

Moments later the home side had a great chance of taking the lead when there was a one on one with Marshall. However Scotlands number one got down to save with his feet.

When it looked like the home side might start taking control it was Cardiff who then started to reclaim the game. They won a concession of corners but failed to get an effort on goal. Sadly it was from one of these corners that the home side took the lead. Cardiff had committed too many players up for one of these corners. The ball was cleared and it fell to the ex Bluebird Chris Burke who sprinted down the right leaving MacNaughton standing. As Burke homed into the Cardiff area with the Bluebird defence trying to get back he picked out one of his colleagues who had the easiest job of putting the ball into an empty net.

From the restart Cardiff went looking for the equaliser. Gestede was brought on for Cowie. However they failed to trouble the home keeper with most of the chances coming from headers that this keeper collected easily in his own 6 yard box.

The game was brought to a halt as Hudson went down on a challenge. The game was held up for a few minutes as he got treated. From the restart Cardiff won a free kick about 25 yards out. Whittingham quickly took it and sent a delightful pass over the Birmingham defence that was met by Hudson. The centre back slotted the ball pass the stranded home keeper for the equaliser.

The away fans went wild as the home fans reverted back to their sad faces. You could just feel their plight as they looked like they had given up.

Cardiff went for the winner by bringing Miller on but that did leave them exposed at the back. Birmingham created one more chance before the end when Burke had a point blank shot saved by Marshalls private parts.

As the game approached full time it was all Cardiff. In desperation the home keeper came out for a cross and managed to punch the ball away. The ball fell to Gestede just outside the area and with the keeper off his line the Frenchman tried to lob the ball over him and into the net. The ball ended up over the bar and on top of the net.

The game ended 1-1.

Summing up: Cardiff should have won that one but it is becoming clear a scorer is needed. Birmingham were poor and I doubt very much they will make the play offs.

Cheers Ian, once again for a good report.

Cheers Ian , Nice meeting you again yesterday Andy's face was a picture
Great report as always.

Cheers Ian, look forward to your Millwall report.

It was only a half hour drive for me today. I allowed for an hour so as you can imagine I arrived at Birmingham City football club so early that none of the burger fans were open. Fortunately the car park next to the away stand was open so I managed to park up then gave the forum bus a call. Premier One answered his phone and I could not hear a thing he was saying due to the noise level coming from the other passengers. Eventually I worked out the bus was approaching the RV point which meant I had time for a MacDonalds which was just down the road.

After something to eat I made my way to the away entrance. Like CCS Birmingham had its own areas for the travelling coaches. The coaches arrive and the away fans can literally walk into the away end. It made me wonder how many of the new grounds that have just been built have considered this idea.

The team coach was the only one in the courtyard when I walked in. There were a line of local police plus a few of the away stewards. I had a quick word with some local program seller. He had a few boxes of programs and I wondered if he would actually sell them all. I spoke to him for 5 minutes then the coaches arrived. The courtyard went from a place of peace to activity within the next 10 minutes. About 15 coaches pulled in, were directed well by the local stewards and before long the area was crowded with Cardiff fans. Once again I felt where I belonged.

This all happened about one hour before kick off. This meant there was time to have a drink inside the ground. I joined the forum guys for a drink and had a look around the area. It was nothing special, the block slab wall for the toilets and the bar for the eats and drinks. It was the toilet walls that amused me though as this object caught my attention. A pair of hands appeared above the wall holding a camera. Premier One goes to some extremes to get his pictures.

We eventually made our way to the stand and placed ourselves 3 rows to the front next to the home support. We were actually behind one of the goals but on the corner. I looked at the home supporters and it has to be said they looked a lost cause. I was just amazed that this team we are about to play who had been in Europe this campaign was looking so down. They looked like they were going through the motions and the 90 minutes of football we were about to watch was about to explain that for them.

Cardiff fielded an unchanged side from the one that could only draw with one of the bottom clubs Coventry. The away supporters were in good mood and you could just feel the expectations were on the back burner. After 3 homes games where the atmosphere has been poor these supporters were going to make up for it. So the expectations could just wait for one game.

Cardiff attacked the goal at the other end and that is where most of the play was in the first half. As the ball made its way up that end it was difficult to see what was going on from my stand point. Mason seemed to be busy but was being caught offside a lot. McPhail was the dominating player as he seemed to own the midfield and controlled the play.

Cardiff first chance came from a corner that Hudson headed over the bar on the 15th minute mark. From open play Cardiff struggled to get a shot on goal and had to rely on corners for their best chances. There were plenty of corners won as the Birmingham defence were forced to give them away due to the pressure they were under.
On the half hour mark Mason had the best chance of the game as he collected the ball just outside the Birmingham area and curled his shot just wide of the upright.

Birmingham relied totally on the break away and there one and only chance fell to the unpopular Marlon King who found space just outside the Cardiff area. His control let him down and he was quickly closed right down as the ball went for a corner.

The first half ended with no score.

Cardiff continued their dominance after the restart and had a couple of chances to take the lead. Cowie broke free down the left as us away supporters looked. As he made his way into the area instead of shooting he checked inside and got challenged. Moments later Gunnarson charged down the same side but went down when challenged. The referee waved away all appeals for a penalty.

Then Birmingham woke up and their first attack brought them a penalty. Cowie mistimed his challenged inside the area and the home players thought nothing of going down to the joy of the home fans to our immediate right, they had something to wake up to. King took the penalty that produced a great low right diving save from Marshall. The home fans wanted to go back to sleep.

Moments later the home side had a great chance of taking the lead when there was a one on one with Marshall. However Scotlands number one got down to save with his feet.

When it looked like the home side might start taking control it was Cardiff who then started to reclaim the game. They won a concession of corners but failed to get an effort on goal. Sadly it was from one of these corners that the home side took the lead. Cardiff had committed too many players up for one of these corners. The ball was cleared and it fell to the ex Bluebird Chris Burke who sprinted down the right leaving MacNaughton standing. As Burke homed into the Cardiff area with the Bluebird defence trying to get back he picked out one of his colleagues who had the easiest job of putting the ball into an empty net.

From the restart Cardiff went looking for the equaliser. Gestede was brought on for Cowie. However they failed to trouble the home keeper with most of the chances coming from headers that this keeper collected easily in his own 6 yard box.

The game was brought to a halt as Hudson went down on a challenge. The game was held up for a few minutes as he got treated. From the restart Cardiff won a free kick about 25 yards out. Whittingham quickly took it and sent a delightful pass over the Birmingham defence that was met by Hudson. The centre back slotted the ball pass the stranded home keeper for the equaliser.

The away fans went wild as the home fans reverted back to their sad faces. You could just feel their plight as they looked like they had given up.

Cardiff went for the winner by bringing Miller on but that did leave them exposed at the back. Birmingham created one more chance before the end when Burke had a point blank shot saved by Marshalls private parts.

As the game approached full time it was all Cardiff. In desperation the home keeper came out for a cross and managed to punch the ball away. The ball fell to Gestede just outside the area and with the keeper off his line the Frenchman tried to lob the ball over him and into the net. The ball ended up over the bar and on top of the net.

The game ended 1-1.

Summing up: Cardiff should have won that one but it is becoming clear a scorer is needed. Birmingham were poor and I doubt very much they will make the play offs.

Yet again another good match report hallam

Nice one Ian