Wales Online Match Report
Sat Jan 05, 2019 5:53 pm
Gillingham 1-0 Cardiff City: Bluebirds stunned by Elliott List's winner in FA Cup upset
By Dominic Booth
FA Cup third round action as the Bluebirds were shocked by Gillingham at the Priestfield Stadium
Neil Warnock was desperate to avoid becoming an FA Cup 'headline' but Elliott List's late winner for Gillingham condemned Cardiff City to the wrong end of a third round upset.
List's emphatic 82nd minute finish beyond Alex Smithies sent the Priestfield Stadium into raptures and continued Cardiff's poor start to 2019.
The Bluebirds had squandered a number of chances to put the game to bed, with both Loic Damour and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing hitting the woodwork before List's late intervention.
It was harsh on Cardiff, though Warnock will bemoan a lack of cutting edge from his forwards that proved costly.
Credit must go to the Gills, who stubbornly thwarted a strong side fielded by Warnock, despite the manager making seven changes. One of those to get a long awaited chance was Smithies, making just his second appearance in the Cardiff goal, who was forced into an early save by the impressive List.
Cardiff's first major opening came on 16 minutes when Joe Bennett - recalled in favour of Greg Cunningham - found himself in acres of space and was picked out in the box by Mendez-Laing. But neither Bennett, nor Joe Ralls - nor Mendez-Laing - could squeeze their shots past goalkeeper Tomas Holy and his sliding Gillingham defence, which proved a solid barrier.
Morrison's stabbed effort than brought another save from Holy, before Loic Damour's volley went over the bar, as the Bluebirds asserted their superiority. But for all their dominance, Warnock's men might have trailed at the break, 15-goal striker Tom Eaves heading just over the bar from Bradley Garmston's excellent cross.
The Bluebirds were still frustrated to go in 0-0 at half-time.
Callum Paterson had been very quiet in the first half, but had big chances to open the scoring after the interval. First, he pressed
Eaves then came inches away from turning home Luke O'Neill's fizzing shot with the hosts more proactive going forward after manager Steve Lovell's team talk.
Josh Parker then squandered arguably the game's biggest chance just before the hour-mark, somehow skying from another superb O'Neill cross.
Mendez-Laing continued to be the main attacking outlet for Cardiff and came closer than anyone to breaking the deadlock. He composed himself brilliantly before curling a shot that hit the crossbar.
But the Bluebirds were made to pay for their profligacy - and some poor defending - when the ball broke to List to smash home.
Substitute Josh Murphy came within inches of an instant reply, drilling just wide, before Callum Reilly struck the crossbar.It mattered not to the delirious home supporters, who watched their side see out a memorable 1-0 victory - that Cardiff will want to quickly forget.
Gillingham: Holy, O'Neil, Zakuani, Lacey, Ogilvie, Garmston, Byrne, Reilly, List, Eaves, Parker. Subs: Hadler, Hanlan, Charles-Cook, Nasseri, Simpson, Mbo, Rees.
Cardiff City: Smithies, Peltier, Morrison, Manga, Bennett, Damour (Hoilett, 90), Ralls, Mendez-Laing, Reid (Ward , 74) , Harris (J.Murphy, 54) , Paterson.
Subs: B. Murphy, Coxe, Cunningham, Humphries.
Attendance: 7,090
By Dominic Booth
FA Cup third round action as the Bluebirds were shocked by Gillingham at the Priestfield Stadium
Neil Warnock was desperate to avoid becoming an FA Cup 'headline' but Elliott List's late winner for Gillingham condemned Cardiff City to the wrong end of a third round upset.
List's emphatic 82nd minute finish beyond Alex Smithies sent the Priestfield Stadium into raptures and continued Cardiff's poor start to 2019.
The Bluebirds had squandered a number of chances to put the game to bed, with both Loic Damour and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing hitting the woodwork before List's late intervention.
It was harsh on Cardiff, though Warnock will bemoan a lack of cutting edge from his forwards that proved costly.
Credit must go to the Gills, who stubbornly thwarted a strong side fielded by Warnock, despite the manager making seven changes. One of those to get a long awaited chance was Smithies, making just his second appearance in the Cardiff goal, who was forced into an early save by the impressive List.
Cardiff's first major opening came on 16 minutes when Joe Bennett - recalled in favour of Greg Cunningham - found himself in acres of space and was picked out in the box by Mendez-Laing. But neither Bennett, nor Joe Ralls - nor Mendez-Laing - could squeeze their shots past goalkeeper Tomas Holy and his sliding Gillingham defence, which proved a solid barrier.
Morrison's stabbed effort than brought another save from Holy, before Loic Damour's volley went over the bar, as the Bluebirds asserted their superiority. But for all their dominance, Warnock's men might have trailed at the break, 15-goal striker Tom Eaves heading just over the bar from Bradley Garmston's excellent cross.
The Bluebirds were still frustrated to go in 0-0 at half-time.
Callum Paterson had been very quiet in the first half, but had big chances to open the scoring after the interval. First, he pressed
Eaves then came inches away from turning home Luke O'Neill's fizzing shot with the hosts more proactive going forward after manager Steve Lovell's team talk.
Josh Parker then squandered arguably the game's biggest chance just before the hour-mark, somehow skying from another superb O'Neill cross.
Mendez-Laing continued to be the main attacking outlet for Cardiff and came closer than anyone to breaking the deadlock. He composed himself brilliantly before curling a shot that hit the crossbar.
But the Bluebirds were made to pay for their profligacy - and some poor defending - when the ball broke to List to smash home.
Substitute Josh Murphy came within inches of an instant reply, drilling just wide, before Callum Reilly struck the crossbar.It mattered not to the delirious home supporters, who watched their side see out a memorable 1-0 victory - that Cardiff will want to quickly forget.
Gillingham: Holy, O'Neil, Zakuani, Lacey, Ogilvie, Garmston, Byrne, Reilly, List, Eaves, Parker. Subs: Hadler, Hanlan, Charles-Cook, Nasseri, Simpson, Mbo, Rees.
Cardiff City: Smithies, Peltier, Morrison, Manga, Bennett, Damour (Hoilett, 90), Ralls, Mendez-Laing, Reid (Ward , 74) , Harris (J.Murphy, 54) , Paterson.
Subs: B. Murphy, Coxe, Cunningham, Humphries.
Attendance: 7,090
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Re: Wales Online Match Report
Sat Jan 05, 2019 5:55 pm
I think this is a good, balanced report from Dominic Booth and (for me) he sums it up in one sentence...
Quote: "It was harsh on Cardiff, though Warnock will bemoan a lack of cutting edge from his forwards that proved costly"
Cardiff City were certainly not as poor as some are trying to make out; other than in front of goal and that is where Neil Warnock's immediate priority should lie
Quote: "It was harsh on Cardiff, though Warnock will bemoan a lack of cutting edge from his forwards that proved costly"
Cardiff City were certainly not as poor as some are trying to make out; other than in front of goal and that is where Neil Warnock's immediate priority should lie