A replay for Cardiff

Cardiff City will be in the draw for the fourth round of the FA Cup by default after a 1-1 draw at Stoke City.

So it a replay, an extra game I would think most managers could do without. Why can the game be finish on the day? Today it could have got to extra-time and penalties if need be, time to end replays.

After the win over Leeds mid-week the Cardiff team showed fortitude up against Premiership Stoke City. Cardiff were without key players again but the Stoke boss Tony Pulis made seven changes to his team for the team that lost to Manchester United mid-week.

It was Cardiff striker Michael Chopra who opened the scoring with an early goal. From a dangerous cross into the box Chopra who had found space against a post, but Chopra was alert enough put the rebound in the back of the net.

The Cardiff defence stood up to firm under pressure for the rest of the half as the Premier League club looked to get beck into the game. They say the worst time to concede a goal is just before half-time, and low and behold Blackpool levelled the game. All square at half time sounded to be a fair outcome over the 45minutes

Stoke came out for the second-half with a vengeance and proceeded to lay siege to the Cardiff half for the rest of the game. They (Stoke) could have run away with the game with there in ability to score. So it’s back to the Cardiff City Stadium for a rerun soon.

After the match the Cardiff boss Dave Jones was a draw was a fair result, "I think so” and when on to say,

"We fell asleep in the first half (for Stoke's goal) with the long ball down the middle and got caught, but we stood and had to be counted today.
"There were a lot of balls into our box from all over the place and I thought we stood up to it, and when we could get out and play, we tried to do that.
"I've got nothing but praise for the lads, certainly when you look at our bench, which was full of kids.
"They have come here and earned it. I'm disappointed we didn't win it having got our noses in front, but this is a hard place to come."

Dave Jones was asked the call for in to go,

"Everyone has an opinion - everyone wants you out of a job because you lose a couple of games," Jones said.
"I think a lot of them who have been talking have probably got another agenda somewhere along the line.
"It's the people that seem to know a lot about it, but let's talk about today's performance.
"That is all history at the end of the day. We just get on with trying to do what we do best, which is playing football and trying to get the results.
"The fans demand a performance and I think they got that from the lads today."

Stoke manager Tony Pulis said after the game,

"We started the first half very tepid and gave them a goal," Pulis said.
"Then we stepped it up a little bit and Tunny scores a good goal just before half-time.
"I felt as though that was coming and then in the second half it was just wave after wave after wave, but we couldn't score.
"But there we are - you can't fault the players for their effort and commitment.

"It's not ideal for us because the replay falls between two tough Premier League matcges, but we can't blame anyone but ourselves for that."