August 18th 2007:
Cardiff City failed to hang on to their one goal lead against local rivals Bristol City in front of the Sky Cameras.
Cardiff took the lead with only six minutes gone when Romanian winger Gabriel Torje smashed home a low shot following a fine run.
Striker Robbie Fowler was substituted after just 35 minutes after complaining of a dead leg, the Bluebirds will not want him to be out for long as they only have three senior strikers in their small squad.
With manager Jonathan Walker opting for a 4-5-1 formation, Bristol City were struggling to force their way through the defence. The game would be turned on it’s head just before the break when Darren Purse brought down Darren Byfield just outside the area. The referee adjudged him to be the last defender and he was subsequently shown the red card, meaning Cardiff faced a second half with 10 men on the pitch.
McPhail was sacrificed for Kevin McNaughton who slotted into the defence, but in the second half Bristol City dominated the attacking possession and were rewarded when Darren Byfield finished a fine move by placing the ball past Kasper Schmeichel with 14 minutes to go.
Just three minutes later Bristol’s Louis Carey was shown a straight red card for a poor challenge on Joe Ledley. With both sides reduced to 10 men the game disolved and a both sides were content with a draw.
The draw leaves Cardiff City in 6th place in the league table having collected four points in their opening two games.
Cardiff City: Schmeichel, Simpson, Evans, Purse (sent off 44) Sepsi, Torje (MOM), McPhail (McNaughton 45), Rae, Whittingham (Ledley 61) Collins, Fowler (Maclean 35)
Subs Not Used: Oakes, Campbell
Goals: Torje 6
Bristol City: Byfield 76
