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31 January 2010
JONES PRAISES FANS DESPITE TOUGH TIMES AT BLUEBIRDS

Wales Sport
Author: Chepstow Williams at Cardiff City Stadium

CARDIFF CITY 2 DONCASTER ROVERS 1

CARDIFF CITY manager Dave Jones praised the Bluebirds fans for helping the promotion chasers to a late win over an attractive Doncaster side on Saturday.

Jones had feared that there would be a fans backlash against his players, following chairman and chief executive Peter Risdale's announcement that money would not be made available for new players in the January window.

Fans had been encouraged to buy tickets for next season, having been given the promise that any money raised by the "Golden Ticket" scheme, would be spent on strengthening the squad this month.

Due to Cardiff's financial plight, the board has decided against adding to the debt, knowing that the club has until the tenth of next month to service a £2.7 million payment to the Inland Revenue.

About five hundred fans demonstrated against Risdale after the game, shouting 'Get him out', but it was a fairly peaceful if noisy demonstration.

Jones said that the fans had got behind the team, and it was their voices which were raised to encourage the players to win a late corner, and it was from that set piece that Jay Bothroyd got the winner.


Cardiff had dominated the first half. It was Bothroyd who was on the end of Whittigham's through ball to beat the off side trap and place the ball between Doncaster goalkeeper Neil Sullivan and the far post. Whittingham was occupying the central midfield role normally filled by Joe Ledley who yesterday underwent the first part of a double hip operation.

This will keep the Welsh international out of the game until the end of the season.

His place could well be taken by the visitors captain Brian Stock was superb in the Doncaster mid-field, under the eye of the watching Wales manager John Toshack.

Stock though could do nothing to stop the possession Cardiff were enjoying, and the chances they created. Bothroyd missed two, Chopra sliced an effort wide, and was denied by the legs of Sullivan. As the half ended Ross McCormack's header hit the foot of the Doncaster post.

The second-half Doncaster got tighter control of the Cardiff midfield, and really had a go at the home side.

A minute after the break, James Coppinger sent in a left-footed shot, which goalkeeper David Marshall pushed over the cross bar.

Although they were dominating, Doncaster couldn't create the Chances Cardiff had carved out in the first half. Their deserved equaliser came on 65 minutes when left back Gareth Roberts fired a low shot from the left side of the Cardiff penalty area.

Anthony Gerrard cleared a goal-bound effort off the line as Doncaster sensed a winner was within their grasp.

But with the crowd behind them, Cardiff went in search of a winner, and for the second Saturday in succession, they won a game in stoppage time. Whittingham took a left sided corner which Bothroyd met with a scruffy header.

The ball appeared to be fumbled by Sullivan as it went into the Doncaster net.

Jones praised his squad who had dug deep once again. He said he was annoyed and frustrated by the decision not to buy players and can now only hope that he has enough players with enough quality to maintain their push for premiership football next season.

The win keeps Cardiff in fourth place in the Championship, one place above Swansea whose game at Watford was called off due to a frozen pitch.

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