Three points stay this side of the seven

There were always going to be a large number changes from the team that played at Oxford United in the Carling cup midweek. Therefore, when the team was announced it was no surprise to anyone it was a carbon copy of the winning West Ham starting line up. Even down to the bench.

Marshall

McNaughton Hudson Gerrard Taylor

Whittingham Cowie Conway Gunnarsson

Miller Earnshaw

Bench - Heaton Quinn Gestede Parkin Mason

In the Cardiff sunshine, the home fans were hoping for a win and the newest manager was hoping for a display to cement a bound with the fans. Everyone got what they wanted, but for the poor Bristol City fan who got on their tractors and headed home pointless and frustrated.

What can one say 3-0 at halftime top of the league with the chanting, "we are top of the league" doing the rounds of the stadium albeit it is August, but it is a fact. Poor David James ex-England number one had to put up with a stream of taunting David James with "England's number one".

Mackay was forced to make an early change when midfielder Gunnarsson picked up an injury and sent on Mason who can play midfield or up front. Soon after the home team were one up, thanks to defender Hudson who from close in headed the ball into the net and sent Cardiff fans wild.It could have been the smell of blood, but the Bluebirds began to pile on the pressure and it was soon to pay off.

Cardiff soon found themselves two goals up when midfielder/winger Craig Conway fired home the ball from just outside the area into the bottom right corner of the visitors' goal Cardiff 2-0 up. The goal instigated mass celebrations in the stadium expect for one small part.

The score line was moving along nicely when up step returning hero Earnshaw to score is first Cardiff City goal since leaving the club back in August 2004 in the Carling Cup against Kidderminster with his last league goal a few weeks earlier. It was a trademark Earnie goal from close in to make it 3-0 and the fans saw his trademark somersault celebration.

Cardiff started of the second were they left the first put on the pressure, but slowly Bristol City were trying to coming back into the game.With around 20 minutes to go in the game Cardiff made a change with goal scorer Earnshaw making way for Gestede. The fans give the striker a rousing send off.

I would say against the run of play Bristol was lucky to pull one back, but Cardiff was nearly restore the three-goal lead only for the goal to be called offside. Cardiff played attractive football pasting the ball around Mason was winning the plaudits of the fans and was right made 'Man of the Match'.

After three goals in the first half, the second felt like a bit of a dump squib.The crowd at the CCS today was a healthy 22,639.

Sevenside derby Sunday

A season is always spiced up by a bit of local rivalry and I class Bristol City as local rivals and they visit Sunday should crate a good atmosphere. Over the past six seasons, we had a manager in Dave Jones who constantly played these games down as just other game. Along with a large number of Cardiff City fans, his attitude irritated me when you are looking for some passion on show. 

I read something the other day about rivalry being good for sport and I have to agree. Rivalry over the years has become synonyms with hooliganism, which is not true always true. Back in the 70’s/80’s yes, but since the introduction of CCTV cameras and better policing trouble is becoming less of a problem. Every football fan will tell you his club has a local rival, a local derby down to non-league foot down to parks football they exist. 

The local rivals at Cardiff City are Swansea, Bristol City and to some extent Bristol Rovers. The closest club to Cardiff when they were in the Football League was Newport County, but from the Cardiff side there has been no great rivalry between the club with a good few Cardiff fans would go to their games if Cardiff were playing away. 

There are other rivalries has well like Leeds United that go back to the early70's, you can add Chelsea, Birmingham City and Millwall plus others. They tend to have risen via hooliganism or a gripe over a game, but can be intensive as local rivalry.Back to the Sevenside derby in my book always been the biggest Cardiff City derby game more than them up the road that it is more about pure hatred than rivalry with them. 

The Cardiff City boss Malky Mackay is up for the intensity of the Bristol City game, but is somewhat disappointed there is no South Wales derby game. Has a Scot he knows all about derby games have played for Celtic and in the Norwich and Ipswich.Former boss Dave Jones would drone on about three points and yes at the end of the day three points are the most important issue. However, derbies are important to the fans out of all the games in a season. The manager and players owe us fans a victory. Bragging rights are important to a fan of any club, but when it is your local rivals, it is just a bit better.

Mackay commenting on derbies said,

“I do love being involved in derbies. It’s just the passion of them really. In the Championship it’s great, you are at some great stadiums and they are rocking, but I think in a derby that little bit more intensity and edge helps.

“Certainly it’s something as a player you love being involved in and now as a manager too. 

“I recognise derbies, after all I come from a city where one of those small derbies happens. 

“I do realise that there’s those bragging rights on Sunday’s game. 

“Bristol is going to be one to savour, but you never know with Swansea, there’s always the cups coming along.”

I tend to think about derby games all the more as the kick-off gets closer. I get myself so wound up by obsessing over it I can be a real pain to be around.