Bluebirds stutter in promotion push ' CCFC 1 DERBY 1 '

" Bluebirds stutter in promotion push "

" Cardiff City 1-1 Derby County "


21,544 including 294 Derby fans

Cardiff City came from behind to earn a draw against Derby County as their gap at the Championship summit remained at five points.

Connor Sammon looked to have won the match for the visitors on 75 minutes before substitute Craig Noone latched onto an Andrew Taylor cross to head home the equaliser 10 minutes later.

It has been a difficult few weeks for Cardiff after seeing their lead at the top of the table slowly eroded.

There has also been the furore over owner Tan Sri Vincent Tan’s reported plans for a further re-branding of the club – including a re-naming and alterations to the club crest, both of which have been denied.

A combination of the two factors looked to be having an impact as the injury-hit visitors enjoyed the better of the opening half.

Nigel Clough was without the likes of Jamie Ward, John Brayford, Craig Bryson, Will Hughes and James O’Connor through injury and was only able to name five substitutes.

But the Rams, with Craig Forsyth making his debut and Valentin Gjokaj being handed a first start, looked far more fluent than their jittery hosts.

The excellent Paul Coutts volleyed narrowly wide of David Marshall’s right-hand post before the former Preston midfielder’s exquisite pass ripped Cardiff open.

Sammon pulled the ball back for Jeff Hendrick and it took a superb block by Ben Turner to deny his effort while Derby appealed for handball against the defender.

Derby went closer still to an opener on the half-hour, Hendrick robbed Peter Whittingham and drove at the heart of the Cardiff defence to tee up Chris Martin to slot home, but the assistant referee raised his flag to hand the hosts a reprieve.

Marshall got down well to keep out another low strike from Coutts as the home crowd’s frustration increased.

Cardiff, doubtless with some strong words from manager Malky Mackay ringing in their ears, started the second half in better fashion.

Heidar Helguson just failed to get his head to a Tommy Smith cross before Adam Legzdins denied Fraizer Campbell from point-blank range by pushing the striker’s header up and over the bar after Ben Turner had won a flick-on at the near post.

The pressure increased as first Whittingham and then Campbell saw efforts blocked, but Cardiff were stunned when the visitors took the lead against the run of play with 15 minutes remaining.

The Bluebirds gave away possession in their own territory, and when Ben Davies’ cross was only half cleared, Sammon was on hand to calmly slot his eighth goal of the season into the bottom corner.

But the lead did not last long as substitute Noone headed home when Legzdins came and got nowhere near Taylor’s centre to set up a series of frantic Cardiff attacks.

Rudy Gestede looked as though he had to find the winner when the ball fell to him unmarked inside the six-yard box but his attempt at a spectacular volley ballooned horribly over the bar to sum up Cardiff’s nervous night.

When you read that their best players were out injured, it makes the result even worse.

pity our so called best player wasnt out injured (whittingham)

We could have subbed 6 at half time! That said happy we scored and gained a point- we played miles better against Brighton and lost 2-0!

I was only saying to the fella next to me how funny the idea of Noone heading the ball was when up he pops.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21583966

Forgot about the disallowed goal. Never offside.

Forgot about the disallowed goal. Never offside.

Plus the clear hand ball in the box by Turner. They wuz robbed

tbh i think the first half goal or penalty would have done is a favour rather than sticking with what clearly wasn;t working.

Forgot about the disallowed goal. Never offside.

Plus the clear hand ball in the box by Turner. They wuz robbed

tbh i think the first half goal or penalty would have done is a favour rather than sticking with what clearly wasn;t working.

Yeah that as well! You may be right there and i was virtually begging MM to makes changes early if not at half time. I would have liked to have seen Kim, mason and noone just to try and inject some creativity.fair play though I though rudy did ok and was a menace, but why didn't he head that chance instead of going for goal of the season!

Because when he jumps to head the ball he misses

Do the Leeeeo Rudy