By Paul Jones
Cardiff City manager Neil Harris may have claimed he felt like someone had stolen his wallet, but his Bristol City counterpart Dean Holden reckoned no theft had taken place.
It was not quite Trump v Biden and another disputed red v blue contest, but both bosses failed to see eye-to-eye after the Robins’ 1-0 victory at Cardiff City Stadium.
Chris Martin scored the only goal of the game after just two minutes and although Cardiff dominated after that it was difficult to see how Harris felt robbed, given his team’s inability to create, never mind finish, clear-cut chances.
The result means Cardiff have still only won once at home this season and are back in 13th place in the table, while the Robins have moved up to second place.
“I’m absolutely gutted, I feel like I’ve had my wallet pinched out of my pocket,” said Harris.
“We were by far the better team, created chance after chance, dominated the game, the ball, set plays, every duel on the pitch.
“But one misplaced pass and the ball ends up in the back of our net. It has to change and can’t keep happening but it has happened again. I feel robbed.
“It’s a game we deserved to win and should have won. The amount of chances we’ve created there, we’ve done enough to win two or three games of football.
“We have to find our clinical edge. It’s not just about the strikers or wide players, who had chance after chance, it’s about us as a team.
“But some of our football was outstanding tonight, the way we opened them up and got into the six-yard box, the amount of knock-downs, it just baffles me how we’ve not won a game, let alone not got a point.
“For two-and-a-half games we’ve been really good. We created 14 chances in the second half against QPR, 17 tonight, 16 on Tuesday night. Performances are there but I want to win games of football.
“I look back at games and think ‘Where do we improve?’ and ask if I need to make changes, personnel-wise, but the majority of the players have played well the last few games.
Make Cardiff City Great Again !!! pic.twitter.com/9XoxcdDvgg
— Glatxel (@CCFC_Glatxel) November 6, 2020
“There’s certainly no panic from me, but I want to win.”
Holden – in his first managerial post this season – saw it rather differently and said: “If Neil Harris feels like he’s had his wallet stolen out of his pocket then he must have been watching a different game to me.
“We had to fight for everything and I am so proud of the performance.
“It’s been a brilliant few days and back-to-back wins feels fantastic,” said Holden.
“You can’t come here and get result like that without a really tight spirit and we had that.
“The biggest thing is all the supporters watching and listening to that will have really enjoyed. The players really felt that support. People are being hit hard by this second lockdown and so to put a smile on people’s faces is great.”
The Robins achieved back-to-back victories in their opening two games, the platform for four successive victories, before they went five matches without a victory.
But this routine Severnside derby win will convince them another winning run can be constructed.
Bristol had to leave out Famara Diedhiou after the Senegalise striker tested positive for Covid-19, but his absence did not inhibit their decisive opening.
Great to see my old side @BristolCity with a great win tonight x
— Lee Trundle (@LeeTrundle10) November 6, 2020
They went ahead after less than two minutes with an exhilarating counter-attacking move, begun by Callum O’Dowda, and capped by Chris Martin, who swept the ball home from Antione Semenyo’s cross from the right.
It was the Scottish international’s first Championship goal of the season, but it failed to signify early dominance from the visitors who seemed content to sit back and invite Cardiff to exert pressure.
Kieffer Moore went close for the home side with a header from a corner, which produced a fine diving save by Daniel Bentley and Harry Wilson – Moore’s Wales teammate – volleyed over from eight yards.
Cardiff continued to press and when Leandro Bacuna unleashed a dipping shot from 25 yards out it was much as Bentley could do to bat the ball away, rather than attempt a catch.
Moore was causing plenty of anxiety for the visitors through his aerial threat and should have done better when he latched onto Wilson’s corner. Again, the ball ended up over the bar and Moore’s momentum took him crashing, back-first, into the post.
He was able to continue, after treatment, but he and his laboring team were unable to prevent Bristol from holding their lead until the interval.
YOU BEAUTY! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/mFLUp8c1Vu
— Bristol City FC (@BristolCity) November 6, 2020
The pattern of Cardiff pressing, but to little effect, continued into the second-half with only Wilson appearing capable of creating even the suggestion of an equaliser.
The Liverpool loanee had tested Bentley’s reactions with a firm downward header on the hour mark and then Wilson’s inviting cross should have brought a goal minutes later.
But substitute Robert Glatzel headed away from goal, rather than towards, and the follow-up from Joe Ralls was blazed over the bar.
Cardiff created two further chances of note, when Joe Bennett’s cross was met by Moore’s head but Bentley saved comfortably, before Bacuna blasted over from an angle in the dying seconds.