The South Wales derby’s unseen moments as sodden Michael Duff embodies Swansea anguish while rockstar Aaron Ramsey inspires Cardiff to glory
Cardiff City’s South Wales derby pain is finally over.
It’s been a decade since Cardiff City fans witnessed a win in this fixture at Cardiff City Stadium, and few can really argue that Erol Bulut’s men didn’t fully deserve it.
“Today you can delete the 10 years,” Bulut said at full-time, summing up the sense of catharsis for Bluebirds fans, who didn’t let the driving rain spoil their party under the lights
For Swansea, this was a chastening night, particularly for boss Michael Duff, who now looks a man under real pressure after just six league games in charge.
The last 11 managers to taste defeat in this fixture haven’t lasted for another derby day, and there’s already some who feel Duff will do well to find himself in the dugout when the two teams meet again in March.
Swansea had little right to be confident about this clash given their similarly dreadful showing at home to Bristol City before the international break. But Duff’s impassioned insistence that he understood the magnitude of this fixture, combined with the bedding in of his four deadline day signings meant there was a small flickering ember of hope that they could perhaps continue their fine recent record in this fixture.
Certainly there were plenty of smiles from the members of the Jack Army who caught up with striker Jerry Yates shortly before boarding the buses to head down the M4 earlier in the day. The infamous ‘doube doube’ was built on that connection between the players and the fans. Perhaps this was a sign that everything was going to be okay for them after all.
Cardiff, in contrast, have often been accused of not taking this rivalry seriously enough in recent years. But the signs were perhaps there from the very beginning that things might be different this time around.
Indeed, the choice of songs on the PA before kick-off pointed to some very early mind games. Perhaps it’s just a coincidence UB40’s ‘Rat in Mi Kitchen’ could be heard playing as the Swans emerged for their warm-up. Perhaps.
Even the mascots weren’t immune to the early gamesmanship, with several brave youngsters in the blue of the hosts seen taunting the away end with an Ayatollah or two, with the visiting fans serenading the two Swansea representatives with a rendition of ‘You Jack B*******’.
Nothing too out the ordinary, one might argue. But the pre-match festivities was arguably where Swansea’s night would start to go wrong.
Joe Allen’s late withdrawal due to a suspected groin injury certainly put a pin into that small pimple of optimism before kick-off.
The sight of the midfielder glumly taking his place alongside Ben Cabango, the man who scored the dramatic winner here last season, will have sunk the hearts of many Swans fans, who did their best to hide their disappointment by contributing to an electric atmosphere in the capital.
Sadly, as is often the case, some took things a little too far.
Before kick-off, a minute’s silence was held for the victims of the floods in Libya and Morocco, as well as former Cardiff and Swans player Brayley Reynolds, who sadly passed away recently at the age of 88.
Unfortunately knuckle-draggers on both sides of the divide couldn’t keep their mouths shut for it. Both sides will inevitably blame each other for what happened, but it was a moment that reflected poorly on both clubs.
As for the game itself. Well, it was frenetic, chaotic, scrappy. All the things many would expect from a nervous derby encounter.
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