I don’t go to many away games any more.
Pre-kids, I used to go a fair few. I’m not a fan of slogging up and down the country in such a small space of time, but away games are always memorable in their own way and worth the effort. Compared to home games, it’s a heightened experience. Everything is a bit more exciting and a bit more intense.
At the end of a busy week though, it often feels like too much of a sacrifice these days. I watch every game, in person at Cardiff City Stadium, or on a stream, if one is available. Otherwise, I will watch the game back the following morning.
Away games are also an expensive pursuit. Twenty-odd trips every year adds up and I can only applaud those with that level of commitment, prepared to take time off work and redirect so much of their earnings. They are the lifeblood of a football club and that should never be forgotten.
I went to Liverpool at the weekend, with 7,000 others, because my son has always wanted to go and I know the hardcore who went to Barnsley will likely tut and shake their heads, but it was too irresistible to pass up.
After a challenging season, I reasoned that we all deserved the escapism. It was still a sacrifice all the same though.
We all know that football authorities and those who govern the game care very little about those who attend matches and provide the atmosphere that they market around the world.
As a result, they saw fit to schedule the game at noon, for broadcasting purposes, which meant that it was virtually impossible to attend using public transport.
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We went on a supporters' coach, which left at 5am, so we were up at 4am. It was close to a five-hour trip either way, but it was worth it. It’s always worth it in the end.
I’ve been to both Anfield and Goodison Park before, so I knew the immediate area, my way around and the best chip shop. We wandered across Stanley Park to see both grounds, on a day where we experienced all the weather. All four seasons in one day. We cheered in the Cardiff bus and headed into the ground behind them.
As for the game itself, the boys did good.
Due to injuries and a number of cup-tied players, it was a very young, largely inexperienced side. When I saw that it was relatively less experienced than the side Liverpool selected, I feared the worst, but it was a competitive encounter throughout with plenty of positives.
Both debutants, Oliver Denham and Eli King, fared very well. Especially Denham, who was probably Cardiff’s man of the match on the day. Joel Bagan, who came in from the cold, also impressed and will likely have the opportunity to continue his development in the coming weeks.
I was disappointed that Tommy Doyle didn’t start, as I felt like he was one of the players who could have made a real difference. He certainly did when he finally emerged from the bench, driving Cardiff forward like he has in each of his three league games to date. I understand why he was held back for Peterborough, especially in light of recent injuries, but football is all about glory as well as survival and games like this don’t come along very often.
Rubin Colwill once again provided a glimpse of what he is capable of, emphatically dispatching his chance from the edge of the box. I know Steve Morison feels that he needs to be as good out of possession as he is with the ball at his feet, but players of his ilk rarely are. You don’t want any passengers in your side, but sometimes a playmaker is worth the risk and it feels like finding a way to accommodate both Colwill and Isaak Davies may soon become a pressing concern for Morison.
What a great moment it also was for Jai Semenyo to make his professional debut at one of football’s great stadiums. The 18-year-old right-back is earning rave reviews and he now has a taste of what it feels like to play at the highest level, on the biggest stage. Hopefully it will motivate him to embrace the challenge that awaits him.
Attention now returns to the league and the table still makes for harrowing reading, but things do not look, or feel, quite as bad as they did a few weeks ago. It feels like Cardiff have turned a corner, with back-to-back wins and even a lesser-spotted clean sheet. Hopefully, they can now find some consistency, especially at home, and start to commence their ascent up the league.
Everyone will return for the Peterborough game, as Cardiff now feel like they’re blessed with an abundance of options. After a couple of months without midweek games, matches now come thick and fast for the foreseeable future, so strength in depth will certainly prove a big help.
Sadly, Cardiff are out of the FA Cup for another season, but the memories of another glamorous encounter will live on. When I reflect on the day, I won’t remember the consecutive early nights, wild weather and the 45-minute queue at the service station. I will instead recall the anticipation, pride and bedlam when Cardiff scored at our end. Or limbs, as my son would say.
I can still see Darren Purse and Ben Turner’s equalisers against the same opposition, from the same vantage point. Colwill’s strike fits nicely alongside and made it another day to remember.
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