Football League Division Three – Cardiff City 0 Swansea City 0
Plenty of muscle, but a shortage of fizz, in a rumbustious Welsh showdown at Ninian Park. After an untidy first half, it was The Bluebirds who so nearly stole it, with 39-goal front-men Williams and Nugent chucking away a glut of opportunities. Cardiff boss, Frank Burrows, restored 21-goal hit-man Kevin Nugent, as he sought to power past arch-rivals Swansea. The Swans brought back giant striker Julian Alsop and the midfield guile of Nick Cusack.
There was a frenzied opening to the match, referee Steve Bennett of Orpington was quickly into the action, cautioning the visitors’ Alsop and Cusack in the first four minutes.
Both teams bristled with nerves and a series of raids capitulated to dreadful destruction. It was on the half hour that The Bluebirds conjured the first worthwhile move. Nugent set up midfielder Craig Middleton but he pulled his shot wide of the far post.
The Swans, with ‘keeper Roger Freestone in commanding form, looked compact at the back and threatened themselves as the interval loomed, with Matthew Bound sending a couple of screamers into the packed Grange End terrace.
Yet Cardiff stormed back after the break and should have been ahead on 56 minutes.
A Bound error let in Swansea old-boy John Williams who rounded Freestone, but his tight-angled blast cannoned to safety off Jon Coates’ lunge.
Then the ex-postman nearly delivered just 15 minutes later, but he nodded over after substitute Danny Hill had whipped in a vicious cross from the right.
Just six minutes from time, Nugent again raised Cardiff’s hopes, but he headed tamely over after substitute Jasen Bowen had broken free on the right.
Then in stoppage time, the home side almost stole it. Hill evaded Steve Jones, but his left-footer was hooked off the goal-line by Swans skipper Cusack.
Team Line-ups
Cardiff City
Kelly, O’Sullivan, Legg, Mitchell, Eckhardt, Bonner, Fowler, Ford, Williams, Nugent, Middleton, Thomas.
Swansea City
Freestone, Jones, S, Coates, O’Leary, Smith, Bound, Appleby, Thomas, Alsop, Watkin, Cusack, Casey.
Substitutions
Cardiff City: Hill, for O’Sullivan (64), Bowen, for Williams (78)
Swansea City: Bird, for Thomas (85), Lacey, for Watkin (88)
Bookings
Cardiff City: Eckhardt (28), Williams (52)
Swansea City: Alsop (2), Cusack (4), Thomas (32), O’Leary (51)
Referee
S. G. Bennett (Orpington)
Attendance: 10,809