By Paul Jones
Mick McCarthy admitted his 1000th match as a manager was otherwise not a very memorable occasion as his Cardiff City team were held to a goalless draw at Huddersfield.
The Bluebirds manager saw his side escape with a point after Yaya Sanogo missed a second-half penalty for the home team.
The visitors also lost wing back Joel Bagan with a dislocated shoulder and now face a problem on the left side of their defence, with Joe Bennett having already suffered a long term knee injury.
The result meant Cardiff missed the chance to go back into the play-off places and they remain one point behind sixth-placed Bournemouth, who have played one game fewer.
Barnsley are level on points with Cardiff, but have two games in hand.
This was McCarthy’s 11th game in charge and although his team remain unbeaten after a hard fought game, this was probably their least impressive performance.
They created little in attack and were relieved to see a 73rd minute spot kick from Sanago dragged past the post after Curtis Nelson had fouled Aaron Rowe.
“It was a really tough game that we didn’t play particularly well in,” said McCarthy.
“We have all had a hectic schedule and the lads have been different class. They have put a shift in and we’ve had to make substitutions.
“But if you can’t win it, then don’t lose it – that’s my view. I know they’ve missed a penalty, well, tough luck on them. Other than that we were pretty solid.
“Tom Sang has come in and made his debut and I thought he was different class. Joel Bagan came in and did well, so I am delighted with them.
“It is hard to keep going. I do ask a lot of the players, but they give everything and keep going.”
Asked about the seriousness of Bagan’s injury, McCarthy added:” I’m not a doctor, so I don’t know but he’s dislocated his shoulder.
“Let’s hope he doesn’t need an operation but generally they do otherwise it can happen again.
“We have now got a break so hopefully we can have a few days off and get back to the levels we were at before. But we need a break first and time to rest some weary legs.”
The spot-kick blunder, however, means the Terriers have now failed to convert all three of the penalties they have been awarded this season.
A frantic first half-hour did not lack endeavour but quality was sparse from both teams.
With less than two minutes on the clock, home goalkeeper Ryan Schofield reacted quickly and stretched out a leg to block a six-yard chance for Cardiff skipper Sean Morrison after his team-mates had failed to clear Joel Bagan’s left-wing delivery.
Alex Vallejo also got in the way of a Joe Ralls shot as the Terriers survived an early onslaught from McCarthy’s men.
Morrison, meanwhile, took the sting out of a 15-yard Lewis O’Brien attempt, allowing Dillon Phillips to routinely gather.
The Cardiff keeper went on to make a more elaborate save to keep out Juninho Bacuna’s curling free-kick after the Curacao international had been dragged to the deck by Will Vaulks.
At the other end, a marginally-offside Vaulks’ thumping volley rattled against the crossbar from six yards after the ball fell from the air following Harry Wilson’s blocked shot.
Following Josh Murphy’s long-range strike that was deflected away from goal by Naby Sarr, Schofield then had to display sharp reflexes when Vaulks smashed an edge-of-the-box volley on target after Fraizer Campbell had cleared Wilson’s corner.
There was a distinct lack of goalmouth action during the early stages of the second half, with both sides continuing their struggle to gain a stranglehold on the game.
Huddersfield gradually began to threaten more, however, as Campbell tangled in the box with Curtis Nelson, but shouts for a home penalty were ignored by referee Tim Robinson.
Bacuna also curled a free-kick in from the left that Richard Keogh, leaning back and stretching, did well to direct narrowly off target with his head.
The building momentum told in the 74th minute when O’Brien exchanged passes with Sanogo and pulled the ball back for Aaron Rowe, who was felled by a lunging challenge from Nelson 10 yards from goal.
But the former Arsenal striker made a hash of the resulting penalty, firing wide of Phillips’ right-hand post.
A frustrated Sanogo also skied over from 20 yards moments later before being replaced, while a deflected Jaden Brown shot brushed the side-netting with the visitors’ first chance of the half in the 78th minute.
O’Brien, pulling the strings in the Terriers’ midfield, released Pipa through the left channel for an opportunity that was well smothered by Phillips and then sent in a cross that was headed down by Sarr for an unmarked Campbell to be just as wasteful as Sanogo when he cleared the crossbar with a half-volley from seven yards.
Cardiff, who have not tasted defeat in any of their last 15 meetings with Huddersfield, might even have stolen victory in stoppage time, but Morrison’s close-range overhead kick was collected by Schofield.
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