On Saturday 27th April Cardiff City played against Middlesbrough for the last home match of the season at Ninian Park and lost 1–4.
Cardiff City started off strong in the 3rd minute. Middlesborough’s goalkeeper was at full stretch with a save. A minute later, Cardiff City had a corner and was just about to go in as Cardiff City’s number 4 Goutas jumps up for a header. Unfortunately, it got deflected by a Middlesborough defender. Cardiff pressed hard up the field with strong attacking play and in the 8th minute there was a penalty appeal as Number 14 Bowler for Cardiff City was shoved and pulled down in the penalty box. But the referee was having none of it at all. In the 25th minute of the match, it looked like Cardiff City were going to get the crucial opening goal, but Cardiff’s number 14 Bowler had a shot on target and it was a great save for Middlesborough’s goal keeper once again.
Things looked as if they were going to be all square up to half time until Middlesborough’s number 5 Matthew Clarke scored the opening goal on the stroke of half time giving Michael Carrick’s side the all important opening goal giving them a 1–0 lead. As the second half kicked off, Cardiff City looked fierce on the ball. Goutas scored a goal but it was ruled offside in the 46th minute. The number 4 looked devastated. Middlesborough counter attacked and number 20 Finn Isaac Azaz scored the second goal. Cardiff City’s defence looked poor.
There was such a young team playing and they were so far out of their depth. Middlesborough were pressing hard up the pitch and made their attacking presence known and Middlesborough’s number 9 was fast on the ball resulting with a 56th minute goal scored by Emmanuel Latte Lath. Cardiff were now 3–0 down. Fans were starting to leave Ninian Park and Middlesborough fans singing “Cheerio Cheerio Cheerio” echoed round the stadium.
To make matters worse, Middlesborough were on the attack again and number 14 Alex Gilbert scored Middlesborough’s 4th goal. Despite Cardiff City being down 4–0, the loyal blue die-hard fans were still behind the boys, singing Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds to boost morale and keep spirits high. It looked like it was going to be a clean sheet for Middlesborough’s goalkeeper but Cardiff City’s number 14 Josh Bowler caught him by surprise, scoring one goal back for the blues in the 90+1 minute.
This weekend’s championship fixtures for the last matches of the season are:
Stoke v Bristol
Sunderland v Sheffield
Swansea v Millwall
Coventry v QPR
Ipswich v Huddersfield
Leicester v Blackburn
Plymouth v Hull
Birmingham v Norwich
West Brom v Preston
Middlesborough v Watford
Leeds v Southampton
Rotherham v Cardiff