Ugly football but win keeps Bluebirds in mix

Mar 31 2008 South Wales Echo

How the players rated

Peter Enckelman 6

Three efforts on target and a handful of crosses made this one of the Finn’s easiest afternoons. Free-scoring West Brom will not be so shot-shy.

Aaron Ramsey 7

Unusual position, usual class performance. Not surprisingly, caught out once or twice, but never looked overawed. Quick-thinking helped set up the winner.

Glenn Loovens 7

Had to mop up more than he would have liked as the City defence laboured for long periods. Cajoled Ramsey and could have made it 2-0 with a header late on.

Roger Johnson 6

Not his greatest game, but will point to a clean sheet as the bottom line. His right foot was more sand-wedge than four-iron at times.

Tony Capaldi 5

Came off second best against the lively Adam Hammill, and fared even worse when Bradley Wright-Phillips appeared. A weak link and short on confidence – but what are the alternatives?

Peter Whittingham 6

Fired two long-range efforts narrowly off-target, but pretty anonymous otherwise. Though with the ball often bypassing the midfield, hardly his own fault.

Stephen McPhail (c) 6

Took his fair share of knocks. but battled on. A couple of interventions, but the announcement of his man-of-the-match award was met with bemusement all round.

Gavin Rae 7 (MoM)

Covered a tremendous amount of ground, even posing the odd attacking threat. Played Ledley in beautifully for his chance. No faulting his commitment. on a day when others went missing.

Joe Ledley 6

Should have scored City’s second midway through the first half in his only attacking involvement. Deeper than normal, but he and Capaldi didn’t instil confidence down the left.

Paul Parry 7

Buried the winner with a striker’s finish and, like Rae, chased back and harried for 90 minutes. Didn’t get a sniff of a second, despite his tireless toil.

Steve Thompson 6

If marks were awarded for endeavour and persistence, Thommo would be a regular nine-out-of-10 player. Too often his first touch lets him down. Like all strikers desperate for a goal, tries too hard.

T Sinclair (for Whittingham 70), R Scimeca (for Thompson 90+2). Not used: D Purse, W Feeney, M Oakes (gk).

R Wright; J Wright, C Perry, W Thomas, G Vignal; A Hammill (V Pericard 79), J Viafara (B Wright-Phillips 60), Y Safri (capt), J Euell (A Surnam 75); S John. Subs not used: A Ostlund, K Davis (gk).

Michael J Jones (Chester) 7
Only produced a card in injury time in a straightforward afternoon, though should have kept a closer eye on some flailing Southampton elbows.

simon.kendal-williams@mediawales.co.uk