Cardiff City 0-0 Brighton & Hove Albion
CARDIFF City were powerless to prevent their winless run stretching to six games, as they were held 0-0 at home to Brighton.
The hosts welcomed back goalkeeper David Marshall from injury and handed a debut to on-loan Everton winger Conor McAleny, as a quiet first half ensued at Cardiff City Stadium, with chances at a premium.
The clearest sight of goal in the first period fell to Albion’s Rohan Ince, whose shot was blocked after Joao Teixeira had floated in a teasing cross.
New City signing Eoin Doyle made his home bow at half-time, replacing the combative Stuart O’Keefe as Russell Slade pushed his team forward. But, as the manager admitted after the game, the home side did not do enough to merit the win.
Slade said: “It was poor, it was a really poor game in that first half where the two sides cancelled each other out. We tried to show more intent after the break by going with two strikers up front and we had two decent chances to win the game.”
Albion had chances of their own. A melee in the Cardiff box almost saw the deadlock broken after Scott Malone’s mistake had allowed Brighton’s Inigo Calderon to cross, but the Bluebirds’ defence held firm. And the visitors almost grabbed a winner courtsey of centre-back Lewis Dunk’s header, which sailed wide on 70 minutes.
New-boy Doyle then missed a gilt-edged chance to take all three points for Slade’s team, but sent his 80th minute header over the bar. And another headed chance went begging minutes later, when Trinidadian marksman Kenywne Jones missed the target.
The Bluebirds’ faithful voiced their discontent at the final whistle as Slade and his team were jeered off the pitch, while Brighton boss Chris Hughton will be content with a tough point earned on the road. The Seagulls still sit one place above the relegation zone in 21st but Hughton will have been pleased with their resolve.
He said: “It was a hard earned draw for us and we have to be happy. This is a difficult place to come, they are a good side and we knew what we were up against.”
Cardiff City (4-4-1-1): Marshall 6/10; Peltier 5, Manga 6, Morrison 6, Malone 4; Noone 7, Gunnarson 6, O’Keefe 6 (Doyle, 45, 6), McAleny 5 (Harris, 68, 5); Whittingham 4; Jones 6.
Unused subs: Moore, Fabio, Connolly, Adeyemi, Revell
Yellow Card: O’Keefe (36), Peltier (90)
Brighton & Hove Albion (4-2-3-1): Stockdale 6; Saltor 5, Greer 6, Dunk 6, Bennett 6; Ince 7, Kayal 6 (Lua Lua, 71, 6); Teixeira 7 (Stephens, 85, 6), Forster-Caskey 6, Calderon 6; Best 5 (O’Grady, 63, 6).
Unused subs: Walton, Hughes, Halford, Mackail-Smith
Yellow Card: Calderon (68), Bruno (85)
Referee: Iain Williamson
Attendance: 19,206
