Cardiff City v Scunthorpe United

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Football League Championship

Cardiff City :
Marshall, Hudson, Quinn, Gerrard, Kennedy, Whittingham, McPhail, Ledley (Rae 46), Bothroyd (Magennis 90), Chopra (Burke 84), McCormack.
Subs not used:
Enckelmann, Gyepes, Comminges, Capaldi.

Scunthorpe United :
Murphy, Byrne, Jones, Mirfin, Togwell (O'Connor 76), Sparrow (Forte 76), McCann, Woolford, Morris, Hayes, Hooper (J.Wright 49).
Subs not used:
Lillis, Thompson, A.Wright, May.

SULSESC REPORT

by Neil Wright at the Cardiff City Stadium

WITH memories of that fantastic day at 'Wemberlee' still clear in all our minds, it was with mixed apprehension that the perennial band of 10 SULSESC brothers gathered at Paddington Station for our opening day Championship fixture at the newly opened Cardiff City Stadium.

With the fixture computer having pitted us against one of the early season promotion contenders, today's game would certainly be a good marker as to how much work will need to be done if we are to survive back in The Championship.

I, for one, always enjoy an away fixture at the start of a new campaign and today was no exception. Spirits were high as our train rolled into Cardiff station just before midday and it was off to The Cottage for pre-match lunch and liquid refreshment. By 2 o'clock, our number had swelled into the 20s and it was off to the ground.

Had Gary Hooper taken his first minute chance then the remaining 89 minutes could have been so different. But it's at this point where the mood begins to change.

With Adkins choosing to play 4-4-2, let's just say that we were only in this game probably for the opening 10 minutes. I will make a bold prediction at this point that Cardiff's Michael Chopra will figure high in contention for the golden boot come the end of the season.

Once Cardiff got into their stride in their still unfamiliar surroundings, it was one-way traffic. We went into the break 3-0 down and it is safe to say it should have been four or five. Both our full-backs, Byrne and Morris, were run ragged down the flanks, Byrne in particular looking totally out of his depth at this level.

Changes were made early in the second-half with United taking off Hooper and bringing on Josh Wright, a close season acquisition from Charlton, and by switching to 4-5-1, we managed to make a better fist of the second-half.

The game finished 4-0, we were well and truly beaten and our defensive frailties were clear for all to see.

It's going to be a long, hard season!