Cardiff 3 Barnsley 1: Well done, Pat Miller

Ever seen a blind man cross the road, trying to reach that other side? Ever seen a young girl growing old trying to make herself a bride?

Welsh band, Stereophonics, should have included ‘Ever seen a referee bullied into a string of outrageous decisions by a vociferous crowd?` into their 2001 cover, ‘Handbags and the gladrads`.

Barnsley`s encounter with Cardiff on Tuesday night saw referee, Pat Miller, make some bizarre decisions to enrage Simon Davey and the handful of hardcore Tykes supporters.

A defensive Reds outfit conceded two first half-half goals in a wet Welsh capital.

The first came on four minutes with Joe Ledley picking up a loose ball from a corner and smashed home from five yards, with appeals for Ledley`s foul on Andranik simply waved away.

On fourteen minutes Iranian midfielder, Andranik Teymourian, was booked for having a free-kick smacked into him, the referee couldn`t wait to pull out his yellow card. Well done, Pat Miller – you`ve got your name in the paper.

Barnsley sat back and invited the pressure from the Bluebirds with Eddie Johnson and Ledley testing Heinz Muller.

Eddie Johnson was then booked for his Maradona-like hand-ball as he looked to palm in a City free-kick.

Michael Mifsud had to carve out the Tykes` only chance of the first half when his quick feet allowed the Maltese international to let fly from 30-yards, though Konstantopoulos was on hand to tip the wicked drive over for a corner.

The game was effectively sealed when Heinz Muller parried Peter Whittingham`s drive into the path of Michael Chopra. The former Barnsley man eventually got the ball under control to slot past Muller and double the home side`s lead with two minutes to the interval.


Barnsley manager Simon Davey was nowhere to be seen as the teams emerged for the second half – the referee had asked the Welshman not to watch the remainder of the match from the dugout.

Mifsud made a nuisance of himself again three minutes into the second period with his shot just going wide of goal after a great pass from Andranik.

The crowd`s hostile influence almost showed again on 53 minutes as everyone in the ground appealed for a penalty despite no claims from any of the City players after Eddie Johnson went down under a good challenge from Muller.

Roger Johnson played straight through Michael Mifsud in the penalty area and the referee, of course, bottled awarding Barnsley a spot-kick. It makes sense, though – anyone in their right mind would want to make it out of Ninian Park alive. So you have to feel sorry for Pat Miller, don`t you?

Jon Macken was introduced on 62 minutes and only a matter of seconds later, the striker had bagged a brilliant instinctive goal, turning onto Moore`s header and finding the top-corner from twelve yards.

Two minutes later the chances of a red revival were in tatters, Pat Miller dismissed Andranik with a straight red, as the Iranian shoved Chopra`s chest whilst protesting the ball should be a few yards further back for a free-kick.

Neveretheless, Cardiff got their free-kick from where they wanted to take it, but Joe Ledley`s effort was superbly blocked by Muller.

The introduction of Quincy Owusu-Abeyie for the home side injected some much needed pace on the hosts` left wing.

The substitution paid almost immediate dividends as the winger carved himself a great opportunity when cutting onto his right, but his effort went a whisker away from Muller`s left-hand post.

Gavin Rae had enough time and space to tee himself up from 30-yards, the midfielder`s effort, however, cannoned off Muller`s crossbar.

Cardiff hit ten-man Barnsley on the break and sealed a victory with Peter Whttingham cutting onto his left foot and planting his effort onto the far post and in for 3-1.


Cardiff City: Konstantopoulos, Rae, Gyepes, Whittingham, E. Johnson, Parry (Owusu-Abeyie 74), R. Johnson, Ledley, Chopra (McCormack 70), Kennedy, Blake.
Subs not used: Capaldi, Comminges, Scimeca.

Barnsley: Muller, Hassell, Foster, Souza (Moore 45), Kozluk, Campbell-Ryce, Colace, Andranik, Hammill (Rigters 82), Mifsud, Bogdanovic (Macken 62).
Subs not used: Steele, Van Homoet.

Referee: Pat Miller (Bedfordshire)
Assistant Referee: Nick Hobbis (Birmingham)
Assistant Referee: Simon Knapp (South Gloucestershire)
Fourth Official: Malcolm West (Cornwall)