This time last week there was a red weather warning covering Cardiff and it’s surrounding areas and the result was a day and a half of fairly continuous snow which constituted the worst weather conditions for close to a decade. The thaw started last Saturday and with little lying snow left now, there was a feeling that the white stuff, which I still retain a childish affection for, could be forgotten about for another eight months or so at least.
However, with reports of heavy snowfalls around the Liverpool area yesterday, there were times as I watched Cardiff City’s Under 23 Development side beat Ipswich 2-1 at a very cold and windy Vale training ground when the idea that the snow clouds had moved a couple of hundred miles south didn’t seem too far fetched at all.
What started as a strong, cold wind turned into a bitter icy gale as the match went on and, at times, there was an element of farce to proceedings as goalkeepers would call for the ball and come out to get it, only to find that it had caught in the wind and landed twenty yards or more from where they were stood.
In some ways. I was reminded of some recent first team matches as the side I was supporting got into a lead that they were happy to protect as they played on the counter attack and thanks to some good, solid defending, they were pretty comfortable. The similarities did not end there though, because, like most of our games this season, cultured football was conspicuous by it’s absence.
There has been a recent discussion on the messageboard I use as to whether the Development team are playing more of the sort of direct style we see from the first team as opposed to the patient style favoured by Academy and other age group sides at Cardiff for more than a decade. My opinion is that, yes, the style of play has changed, but yesterday’s match was not one where you could make such judgments because the wind ensured that it was a day for battling for headers and second balls while hoping for something to break your way as the elements took charge.
It was hardly the sort of conditions for trialists or eager youngsters from the Academy team to make much of an impression, but, totally against the script for this season so far, there were more of the latter on show than the former.
Yes, after seven months where, by and large, the only Under 18 players you got to see in Development games were those who were not being selected for the Academy team, we finally had two regulars in that side starting at the more senior level.
Twenty one goal Sion Spence was joined by Keenan Patten in midfield, while the only trialist involved, Danny Rowe, started on the bench. Also in the team were Jamie Ward, who was making a comeback after his oh so short first team debut against Bolton last month, while Rhys Healey was deployed in the number ten role that Neil Warnock seems to prefer him in.
Ipswich had most of the early pressure as they benefited from the wind which was blowing predominantly across the pitch, but it was definitely coming more a more northerly direction. However, when City were able to attack, they looked to be the more incisive team going forward and they were ahead on nine minutes thanks to a fine finish by Mark Harris.
Ward’s dead ball delivery during the hour he was on the pitch was of a high standard given the conditions, but his first attempt, from a corner, wasn’t well hit and looked to be heading out of the penalty area until Harris hooked a left footed shot from around the penalty spot over his shoulder and beyond visiting keeper Nick Hayes.
Buoyed by their early lead, City went on the search for another goal and they really should have had it after a fine run took Spence to the byeline from where he pulled back a cross that the unmarked Ogo Obi fired narrowly wide from just outside the six yard box.
Possession switched back and forth on a regular basis as just controlling a straightforward looking pass became a test of touch and skill as the wind grew stronger. Ipswich were doing their fair share of attacking, but, apart from some useful runs by winger Ben Morris, were not suggesting that an equaliser was imminent. Their best two chances came when home keeper Warren Burwood got into some understandable difficulties, but, while an empty net with the keeper stranded from thirty yards out can be a fairly easy opportunity sometimes, that was not the case here and the attempted lob drifted well away from goal – the second chance was snuffed out quickly by the covering City captain Ciaron Brown.
When another goal came, it was something of a surprise because there had been little to suggest there’d be more to follow Harris’ fine effort, but, when Spence freed Obi, he fell to the ground under a tackle, as did Spence as he attempted to move onto the loose ball, Ward then took over and his chipped effort was just off target, but when the whistle went, it was for a penalty not a goal kick.
After Obi had scored from the spot with a minimum of fuss, I overheard a conversation between the ref and one of the Ipswich coaching staff in which the official confirmed that he’d judged the second challenge, on Spence, to be a foul – needless to say the coach disagreed and I must say I was somewhat surprised by the penalty award.
Of course, with this being a City match in season 2017/18, some of our players had to get injured and Healey was the first of a trio of victims when he was withdrawn despite no obvious signs of discomfort. Trialist Rowe therefore did not have to wait too long for his chance to continue the decent form he had shown in his other appearances for us and it was he who came closest to scoring another goal before half time as his shot from the edge of the penalty area flew not too far over.
The second half saw the conditions get worse as the wind strengthened and the sun of the first half was replaced by threatening looking clouds – consequently, so did the standard of the football.
City were mostly content to keep Ipswich at arm’s length and, by and large, they were able to do this as Brown and Paul McKay at centreback again showed that there can be positives to the flood the side with trialists approach seen this season.
However, McKay became the next injury victim as he made way for Connor Young, while Jame Veale, making his return from injury, was introduced in place of Ward and immediately took over the captaincy.
Veale was not too far over with a free kick from thirty yards and could have done better when given some space and time just inside the penalty area than fire way over, but his involvement was short lived as he was the victim of a bad foul, which drew a yellow card for the perpetrator, and, although he tried to play on after treatment, it soon became obvious he couldn’t continue.
When one of their forwards missed a good chance from close in and then Burwood tipped over a shot from distance shortly afterwards, Ipswich seemed to accept that it wasn’t going to be their day as the game began to die a slow death. Given a man advantage though, they upped their efforts and were rewarded on the ninety minute mark as they went the full length of the pitch after City had tried to retain possession following a short corner to get a goal back through Shane McLoughlin.
There were some awkward wind carried high balls for City to deal with in the time that remained, but their ten men held on for a win which I thought they just deserved, but Ipswich will rue that penalty award and I sympathise with them to some extent on that.
As for the youngsters, I thought Spence had a good first half as he was involved in most of the attacking things City did well, but, like most, he found it harder going after the break as the conditions dominated. Patten did a steady, unfussy job tidying up in front of the back four and generally showed a composure which bodes well for his future – there were also hints of a passing ability which would be an asset in better conditions.
Despite our low position going into today’s game, we are still just about one of probably four candidates for the second play off spot in what is a pretty tight league. We have games in hand over most of our rivals, so I see a few more afternoons at the Vale to come – I just hope it’s a bit calmer and about ten degrees warmer if I have to go there again!
