• Home
• Guestbook
• Rumours
• Match Reports
• Predictascore
• Player Profiles
• Papertalk

Match Report

---

Saturday, 7th November 2009 Swansea City 3-2 Cardiff City

Swansea City 3-2 Cardiff City Match Report by Nigel Gigg , Match Pictures by Andrew Thomas and Dai Smith Swans produced a superb performance to beat arch rivals Cardiff City in a thrilling encounter.   Everything was set up for this to be a classic. Cardiff came into the game knowing a win would put them on top of the table even if it would only be for a few hours. Swans would have been full of confidence following a nine game unbeaten run.   News that Whittingham was unfit for Cardiff added to the feel good factor prior to kick off but when all Swans fans thought that Lady Luck was finally shining on us, news came through that Garry Monk had pulled out of the game minutes before kick off with a recurrence of his back problem. Alan Tate moved to the heart of defence and took on the captain’s armband and Fede Bessone came in at left back.      The atmosphere pre match was electric with the 1800+  Cardiff fans in full voice but they were drowned out by 17,000 Jacks.   Side- de Vries, Rangel, Tate, Williams, Bessone, Dyer, Britton, Pratley, Allen, Van der Gun, Beattie. Subs- Cornell, Serran, Lopez, Orlandi, Butler, Trundle, Pintado. The game started in a typical frenetic way, with both sets of supporters in something of a frenzy.   The games first chance came in just the 2nd minute with Craig Beattie reacting quickest to a loose ball in the Cardiff area and he was unlucky to see his shot saved by David Marshall in the Cardiff goal.   Swans settled into the game far better than Cardiff and were dominating possession and it was no surprise to see Swans go ahead after just 9 minutes. The source of the goal was something of a surprise with Nathan Dyer, the smallest player on the field, having a free header from just 6 yards out.   A corner from the right was aimed at Ashley Williams at the far post. He was marked by two defenders but still managed to head the ball back across goal and Nathan Dyer had time and space to head home in front of the Cardiff supporters. Six minutes later and it all looked too easy as Swans scored a second. Again, Cardiff’s centre of defence practically gifted the goal away. A cross from the left toward Craig Beattie at the far post, saw the big striker pulled down by his marker. Everyone was expecting the penalty but referee Lee Probert ignored the bleeding obvious. Cardiff’s defenders must also have expected a whistle as they stood still as the ball fell into the path of Darren Pratley, who lashed the ball home from 12 yards out.   Cardiff looked dead and buried and they struggled to gain a foothold in the game, as Swans dominated in just about every part of the pitch.   With Cardiff posing little threat, them scoring looked a remote possibility, them scoring twice in two minutes seemed about as likely as winning the EuroMillions lottery, but that’s exactly what they did.   In the 32nd minute a hopeful ball forward from the right was well controlled by Jay Bothroyd with his chest. The ball fell perfectly into his path and he finished well with Swans central defensive partnership both looking hopefully across the field to the linesman.   Two minutes later and Fede Bessone gave away a daft free kick ten yards inside the Swans half. The free kick was aimed beyond the far post and Dorus should have claimed it. He stayed on the line and the centre halves took their cue from Dorus and did nothing, allowing the Cardiff centre half and captain Mark Hudson to steal in at the far post and score easily.   Swans, to their credit had the better of the remainder of the half and could have had a penalty or two but Mr Probert seemed determined to give no borderline decision. His sitting on the fence was highlighted after his failure to book Ross McCormack for a two handed push on Fede Bessone.   After having better of the opening of the second half Cardiff almost took the lead on 58 minutes.   Gorseinon born Adam Matthews made a terrific run through the heart of the Swans midfield and it took a foul from Leon Britton to stop him. Ross McCormack’s free kick from 30 yards went over the wall and had Dorus beaten but thankfully struck the bar and fell safely.   Within a minute and Swans had regained the lead. Fede Bessone made a terrific run  down the left wing and his near post cross was met perfectly by the run of Darren Pratley who volleyed home.   Almost immediately Gorka Pintado replaced Craig Beattie.   Swans now had the upper hand and denied Cardiff possession for long periods without really creating too many chances.   Joe Allen came off for Andrea Orlandi and Tom Butler replaced a tiring Nathan Dyer.   Late on Cedric Van der Gun had a chance to ease everyone’s nerves but he fluffed his shot after good work from Gorka Pintado.   There was a nerve racking four minutes of injury time but a Cardiff equaliser would have been so undeserved against a superior Swans side.   The final whistle brought fantastic scenes of euphoria  from Swans fans around the ground and scowls from the supporters of the side who truly believe they are so much better than us.   Ratings-   De Vries 7 – At fault for second goal but did well apart from that.   Rangel  7 – Solid game. Tate 8 – Earned an extra point for running to the Cardiff fans after the third. Williams 8 – Reliable as ever. Bessone 8 – Did well in defence and particularly going forward.   Dyer 8 – Excellent game but did tire late on. Britton 8 – Set superb platform in midfield. Pratley 9 – The one thing missing since his return has been goals and then like buses they come in twos. Superb display. Allen 7 – Worked tirelessly. Van der Gun  7 – Well marked by young Matthews.   Beattie 7 – Did everything but score.   Subs   Pintado 7 – Worked hard and did well for his 30 minutes. Orlandi 7 – Again did a good job late on. Butler 7 – Replaced a tiring Nathan Dyer and did well.     Within a minute and Swans had regained the lead. Fede Bessone made a terrific run  down the left wing and his near post cross was met perfectly by the run of Darren Pratley who volleyed home.   Almost immediately Gorka Pintado replaced Craig Beattie.   Swans now had the upper hand and denied Cardiff possession for long periods without really creating too many chances.   Joe Allen came off for Andrea Orlandi and Tom Butler replaced a tiring Nathan Dyer.   Late on Cedric Van der Gun had a chance to ease everyone’s nerves but he fluffed his shot after good work from Gorka Pintado.   There was a nerve racking four minutes of injury time but a Cardiff equaliser would have been so undeserved against a superior Swans side.   The final whistle brought fantastic scenes of euphoria  from Swans fans around the ground and scowls from the supporters of the side who truly believe they are so much better than us.   Ratings-   De Vries 7 – At fault for second goal but did well apart from that.   Rangel  7 – Solid game. Tate 8 – Earned an extra point for running to the Cardiff fans after the third. Williams 8 – Reliable as ever. Bessone 8 – Did well in defence and particularly going forward.   Dyer 8 – Excellent game but did tire late on. Britton 8 – Set superb platform in midfield. Pratley 9 – The one thing missing since his return has been goals and then like buses they come in twos. Superb display. Allen 7 – Worked tirelessly. Van der Gun  7 – Well marked by young Matthews.   Beattie 7 – Did everything but score.   Subs   Pintado 7 – Worked hard and did well for his 30 minutes. Orlandi 7 – Again did a good job late on. Butler 7 – Replaced a tiring Nathan Dyer and did well.

Swansea City 3-2 Cardiff City Match Report by Soccernet , Match Pictures by Andrew Thomas and Dai Smith Darren Pratley struck twice to help Swansea edge an action-packed derby clash 3-2 and claim South Wales bragging rights over bitter rivals Cardiff. Three rousing encounters caused a host of controversial moments both on and off the field last season as the two sides met for the first time in almost a decade. But thankfully a thrilling game of football will attract all the headlines this time around, with Pratley sweeping home what proved to be the winner in the 61st minute to leave Cardiff still longing for their first derby triumph since 1997. Nathan Dyer headed Swansea into an early lead and, with the hosts completely in control, Pratley doubled it with just 16 minutes on the clock. But Cardiff turned the game on its head just after the half-hour mark with two goals in three minutes courtesy of Jay Bothroyd and Mark Hudson to level an astonishing first half. Yet it was left for Pratley to settle matters just minutes after Ross McCormack had seen his free-kick hit the crossbar, much to the delight of a jubilant home crowd. Both sides were hit by injury problems ahead of the eagerly-anticipated clash. Most notably Cardiff who were without the division's top two goalscorers in suspended Michael Chopra and Peter Whittingham, along with midfielder Stephen McPhail. Meanwhile, Swansea were already missing Mark Gower when influential defender Garry Monk was forced out shortly before kick-off having picked up what was believed to be a calf injury in the warm-up. But that was soon put to one side as the game got underway and, with a pulsating atmosphere ringing around the Liberty Stadium, The home side side were all over Cardiff in the early stages and it came as no real surprise when they took the lead after just nine minutes, Dyer heading home Ashley Williams' cross from close range. Dave Jones' side were getting completely overrun in midfield with Swansea marauding forward at every opportunity and the lead soon doubled. Federico Bessone, promoted from the bench due to Monk's injury, found Beattie in the area and he duly knocked the ball on for Pratley to volley home and send the majority of the 18,209 crowd into dreamland. Swansea's blistering start had left the visitors, and 1,800 travelling fans, stunned. But a remarkable opening half-hour was completely turned around within the space of three minutes. And it was soon 2-2, with Hudson choosing the perfect moment to head his first goal for the club from McCormack's free-kick and ensure a breathtaking opening 45 minutes finished all square. McCormack's well-taken set-piece proved crucial in the first half and he almost made a direct contribution in the 58th minute when his free-kick rebounded off the crossbar. Yet an action-packed encounter once again swung Swansea's way just after the hour mark when Pratley ghosted in at the near post to convert Bessone's inch-perfect cross. Clear goalscoring opportunities became limited as the encounter wore on with both sides feeling the effects of a breathless first half. Cardiff inevitably pushed forward in the closing stages and set up a frantic finale but Swansea held firm, with an emotional Paulo Sousa left congratulating his players on the pitch at the final whistle. Would you like your match report printed here? Email it to the site straight after the match. Click here to return to the main page.