CARDIFF CITY 2 CITY 1
Canon League 2nd Division
29th August 1983
attendance 8,899
Scorers
City Tolmie(54)
Cardiff Bodin(4 & 75)
Ref Trevor Spencer
City Williams, Ranson, May, Bond, Power, Caton, McNab, Reid, Parlane, Hartford, Tolmie – sub Kinsey(80)
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Cardiff Dibble, Jones, Bodin, Tong, Dwyer, Bennett, Owen, Gibbins, Crawford, Roden, Lewis – sub Mullen(unused)
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FROM THE PRESS BOX
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PETER GARDNER WRITING IN THE MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 3OTH AUGUST 1983
Lesson two in life out of the limelight was difficult for Manchester City to digest.
Cardiff, fresh from the Third Division, brought the Blues crashing back to earth after the euphoria of the opening day success at Crystal Palace.
City had only themselves to blame for a 2-1 Ninian Park defeat when early season cracks quickly began to appear.
Too many chances were tossed away against a team there for the taing and lapses at the back were punished as Cardiff lifted themselves after their own painful first pathetic performance at Charlton.
It was a bitterly disappointing exercise and one which left manager Billy McNeill explaining: “This is an excellent example of how opponets are going to treat us as a big name side.”
The City boss added: “We must be prepared to learn from our mistakes and make sure we don’t lose again for a long time.”
City opened confidently enough and could have been ahead before the shock of a 4th minute Cardiff goal from left back Paul Bodin, his first in League football.
Even then the Blues played with enough composure to suggest they could win and Tommy Caton shook the bar with a superb 30 yard effort.
But Cardiff’s ability to run, chase and work for each other inevitably brushed City out of their stride and the South Waes side took control to provide a sharp reminder of what life in Division Two is going to be like.
If Alex Williams was marginally at fault for the first goal when he appeared to get down too late to Bodin’s shot that took a deflection, he was fully guilty over the winner a quarter of an hour from the end.
City had tenaciously fought their way back with Jim Tolmie opening his City goal account after Caton had headed on a Kevin Bond free kick.
But the Williams failed to hold a Jones cross from the right and Bodin pounced for his second to give Cardiff vctory from the unlikeliest of sources.
City rarely found the blend, balance and rhythm that had floored Palace 48 hours earlier, and with Asa Hartford hobbling off after Cardiff’s winner, it amounted to a costly defeat on a ground where teams with designs on promotion should confidently be expected to win.
Lesson two in life out of the limelight was difficult for Manchester City to digest.
Cardiff, fresh from the Third Division, brought the Blues crashing back to earth after the euphoria of the opening day success at Crystal Palace.
City had only themselves to blame for a 2-1 Ninian Park defeat when early season cracks quickly began to appear.
Too many chances were tossed away against a team there for the taing and lapses at the back were punished as Cardiff lifted themselves after their own painful first pathetic performance at Charlton.
It was a bitterly disappointing exercise and one which left manager Billy McNeill explaining: “This is an excellent example of how opponets are going to treat us as a big name side.”
The City boss added: “We must be prepared to learn from our mistakes and make sure we don’t lose again for a long time.”
City opened confidently enough and could have been ahead before the shock of a 4th minute Cardiff goal from left back Paul Bodin, his first in League football.
Even then the Blues played with enough composure to suggest they could win and Tommy Caton shook the bar with a superb 30 yard effort.
But Cardiff’s ability to run, chase and work for each other inevitably brushed City out of their stride and the South Waes side took control to provide a sharp reminder of what life in Division Two is going to be like.
If Alex Williams was marginally at fault for the first goal when he appeared to get down too late to Bodin’s shot that took a deflection, he was fully guilty over the winner a quarter of an hour from the end.
City had tenaciously fought their way back with Jim Tolmie opening his City goal account after Caton had headed on a Kevin Bond free kick.
But the Williams failed to hold a Jones cross from the right and Bodin pounced for his second to give Cardiff vctory from the unlikeliest of sources.
City rarely found the blend, balance and rhythm that had floored Palace 48 hours earlier, and with Asa Hartford hobbling off after Cardiff’s winner, it amounted to a costly defeat on a ground where teams with designs on promotion should confidently be expected to win.