April 16 is proving to be a popular date with the club as it
was on the same day in 1960 that the Bluebirds last clinched promotion to
English football’s top flight, while it also continues an incredible run of
clinching promotion in 1983, 1993, 2003 and 2013.
The match may not have been the exciting promotion clincher
most had hoped for, but that didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of any of the
thousands who charged on to the pitch at the final whistle before eventually
being cleared off so that manager Malky Mackay and his players could emerge to
join in the celebrations.
In fact, Cardiff were indebted to goalkeeper and sure-fire
player-of-the-season contender David Marshall for pulling off a string of fine
saves, while Charlton skipper Johnnie Jackson curled a free-kick on to the
post.
But Cardiff weren’t toothless either, and talisman Craig
Bellamy curled over after great work from Jordon Mutch and Aron Gunnarsson, and
Andrew Taylor smashed the outside of the post with a fierce drive seconds after
the break.
Leon Barnett and Kim Bo-Kyung asked questions of visiting ‘keeper
Ben Hamer, and when Craig Noone did eventually get the ball in the back of the
net the linesman’s flag halted his celebrations.
A winning goal would have all but secured the title on the
same night with both Hull and Watford losing, but the City fans were delighted
with their lot as they only needed a point for promotion before kick-off.
The stadium ruptured with dancing, singing and grown men
hugging, laughing and in some cases crying as news filtered through of Millwall
taking the lead against the Hornets, making the evening’s result void in the
promotion race.
A relieved and beaming Mackay said after the final whistle: “I
am very proud of the football club. This is an occasion the people of this club
have waited a long time for and [they] have gone through a lot of
disappointment along the way.
“There is a formula for promotion. You have got to have good
people. Good players, but good people and good characters with athleticism who
want to push themselves.
“We have been top since November, there to be chased, shot
at, ignored, criticised – but within the camp we have stayed focussed.
“We have done everything it has taken. The group have stayed
focussed, they have listened to the staff and prepared properly and I am so
happy for this group.”
In the Blue Square Bet Premier, there were draws for both
Welsh clubs as Wrexham were held 1-1
at home by Braintree, and Newport County
played out an entertaining 2-2 draw at Luton Town.
Two early goals decided the encounter at The Racecourse.
Player manager Andy Morrell chipped the Dragons in to a third-minute lead,
before the FA Trophy winners were pegged back in the 18th by a crisp
drive from Braintree’s Ben Wright that delighted the eight travelling
supporters.
The game wasn’t of the highest quality, but Wrexham did
their best to force a winner despite seeing top scorer Danny Wright leave the
field with a dislocated elbow which will rule him out for the remainder of the
season, including the promotion play-off campaign.
Brett Ormerod headed over from close range, Morrell missed a
couple of chances, including a volley acrobatically saved by visiting ‘keeper
Nathan McDonald, and Johnny Hunt fired wide when in space.
Morrell bemoaned his side’s injury woes, saying: “I don't
know if I've walked under a ladder or in front of a hundred black cats because
our luck at the moment is horrendous.
“I feel for [Wright] because he deserves to be in the play-offs.
It couldn't have been a worse night. To say I'm depressed is an understatement.
“I simply can’t send my strongest team to Mansfield on
Saturday. The play-off on Tuesday or Wednesday is too important, so we’ll have
to suck it up and see. I’ll send what I can but I can’t risk losing any more
players because I haven’t [currently] got 11 to put out.”
Christian Jolley came off the bench to net a brace as
Newport twice came from behind to secure their ninth game unbeaten since being
defeated by Stockport on March 23.
Andre Gray was also at the double for the hosts, scoring 12
minutes in and 12 minutes before full-time.
Aaron O’Connor fluffed an early chance to punish his former employers, and Gray punished his profligacy by netting from a David Martin cross for his 17th goal of the season.
Connor Washington rounded Luton ‘keeper Dean Brill but his
weak effort was cleared by the covering Lathaniel Rowe-Turner, before Gray
tried to chip Newport stopper Lenny Pidgeley but also cleared the crossbar.
Jon Shaw tried the same route and this time hit the bar for
the hosts, and these missed chances were punished when sub Jolley pounced on an
error between Brill and Rowe-Turner to equalise six minutes after the break.
Gray fired Luton back in front, before Jolley squared it up
once more with six left on the clock with a header.
County manager Justin Edinburgh said afterwards: “It was enjoyable. We both went for the win, [and] it was an open game with some good football at times, but we’re disappointed not to win it to be honest.
“I was worried when they went 2-1 up, but as Christian
[Jolley] has done all season he just popped up with an equaliser towards the
end.
“I thought we were going to be on the end of a defeat we
didn’t deserve, but credit to the players they skept going and went to the end
tonight. I’m pleased with the result.”
In the Blue Sqaure Bet North Division, Colwyn Bay gave their supporters hope of their own ‘Great Escape’
from relegation with a superb 3-1 win at promotion-chasing Brackley Town.
Rob Hopley headed home Shelton Payne’s cross, before Jamie Ellison
doubled the lead through a well-struck free-kick. Tom Smyth headed in to his
own net to allow Brackley back in to the game just before the break, but
Ellison secured the win on 55 minutes with another fine strike as the hosts
pushed hard throughout the second period to try and earn a share of the spoils.
The impressive Chris Sanna in The Seagulls’ goal once again
did everything in his power to see the North Walians home.
The result moves The Bay to within three points of Corby
Town with two games in hand and re-ignites hopes they could yet save
themselves.
Player-manager Frank Sinclair said: “My voice has been
missed on the pitch [while I was suspended], and I could kick myself because if
I hadn’t got myself sent off (against Altrincham) we might well have been safe
by now.
“I was very proud of the boys, I thought to a man they were
superb. We’ve got three or four players carrying knocks but they all wanted to
play and that is the spirit you want when you [are] in our position.”
Merthyr Town also
cemented their place in the play-off positions in the Evo-Stik League Southern
Division One South & West with a comfortable 2-0 win over Taunton Town.
Ryan Prosser and Gary Colborne got the all-important goals
that sees them close the gap on Swindown Supermarine and Paulton Town above
them to just a point as the Swindon-based side went down 3-0 at Shortwood
United and Paulton weren’t in action.
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