Cardiff City 0-0 QPR: Bluebirds fire another blank in Boxing Day bore draw
Cardiff City hosted Queens Park Rangers in the later kick-off on Boxing Day
By Glen Williams
Cardiff City were held to a scoreless bore draw against QPR as their winless run stretched to five matches.
It was hardly a festive treat at Cardiff City Stadium as both sides served up an insipid, uninspired contest which saw just one shot on target courtesy of the visitors.
The Bluebirds will argue that they had the better of the opportunities, but the glaring fact is they have gone another 90 minutes without registering a single shot on target. There is only so long there can be encouraging signs without any end product.
Mark Hudson desperately needs a win and, ideally, a run of them. All bark and no bite, it was Boxing Day disappointment for Cardiff fans in the Welsh capital.
The big team news was that Rubin Colwill was named to start his first game since August. A big boost for City, who wanted to add more creativity and be more positive in their approach in search of much-needed points.
And it was he who got City fans off their feet for the first time at Cardiff City Stadium, when he bludgeoned a 30-yard free-kick towards goal before seeing it whistle just past Seny Dieng's post.
But after that, the game slowed down. It was not a first half for the ages, let's just say that, although there were moments for both sides.
Tim Iroegbunam proved a thorn in City's side and Ryan Wintle was booked after the half-hour mark for bringing down the midfielder, who was bearing down on Cardiff's goal. Kenneth Paal stepped up and hit a lovely, left-footed free-kick which had Ryan Allsop worried, but it whistled past the post.
Cardiff's two best opportunities came just before the half-time whistle, in fact, and the busy Callum Robinson was instrumental in both.
The first came when Wintle whipped in an inch-perfect cross towards the Irishman, who looked to steer a header on target, but had a clean-air shot and should really have done better. The second came by virtue of some neat feet from Colwill, who fizzed a path into Robinson's feet before the striker blazed a shot from the edge of the area just over the crossbar.
Cardiff ended the half with Perry Ng hammering a header from Wintle's free-kick, only to see it whizz past the upright.
Kion Etete had the best early chance after the break after Colwill hooked a cross into the back post. The big striker controlled well, swivelled and banged a low shot, but it smashed into the stanchion.
But, in truth, Etete should have put Cardiff ahead not long after that. Cedric Kipre hit a square pass after latching on to a cross and it bounced into the striker's path. Unmarked, Etete swung a vicious right foot at it, but he lacked composure and sent it flying over the crossbar.
The game ebbed towards its conclusion, with Cardiff arguably in the ascendancy. But the last big chance came when Joe Ralls swung in a corner to the middle of the box, which Callum O'Dowda met, but the header was sent agonisingly wide of the post.
And like that, the game was done. Another game without a win, their fifth in a row at home, as Cardiff remain in their precarious position of 20th.
This game represented the start of the second half of the season, and they will have to up their game in the final 22 fixtures if they are to get any sort of daylight between them and the drop zone.
Cardiff City XI: Allsop; Romeo, Ng, Kipre, O'Dowda; Colwill (Whyte 83), Wintle, Ralls, Philogene (Harris 67); Robinson, Etete.
Subs: Luthra, Simpson, Nkounkou, Sang, Rinomhota.
QPR XI: Dieng; Laird, Dunne, Dickie, Paal; Dozzell, Field, Iroegbunam (Amos 80), Adomah (Chair 72), Willock (Shodipo 72); Dykes (Roberts 72).
Subs: Archer, Kakay, Masterson.
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