Reports & Comments - Cardiff 0 QPR 0

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QPR Official Site
Gary Waddock spoke of his delight as Rangers sealed a deserved point against high-flying Cardiff City at Ninian Park.
The Hoops Caretaker Manager had just seen his side stretch their mini unbeaten run to five matches with a fourth draw on the spin.
"It was a good point and I felt that with a bit of luck we could have gone back home with the three points.
"I wanted to win the game. I think the way we played in the second half, when we ground out one or two opportunities, showed that we came here to win the three points.
''I wasn't going to come here in a cavalier style. I wanted our side to be compact and narrow.
"When the game opened up I thought we passed it quite well and created chances. There's no way I was going to come here and be cavalier.''
Rangers enjoyed the lion's share of possession in the second period, with Marc Nygaard unfortunate to see his goal-bound effort tipped onto the post by Neil Alexander.
At the other end, the Bluebirds were restricted to just four shots on goal, of which only one was noteworthy.
"It shows how well we defended to limit Cardiff to just one real opportunity in the game. I think we had more opportunities during the second half.
"We are delighted that we've kept a clean sheet and we are going home with a point."
http://www.qpr.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Match/ManagersComments/0,,10373~807338,00.html


Sporting Life
BLUEBIRDS' WINGS CLIPPED BY STALEMATE
A goalless draw at home to QPR did little for Cardiff's play-off hopes but manager David Jones is not giving up just yet.
The visitors dominated the early exchanges but found the Cardiff defence - and Riccardo Scimeca in particular - resolute as both sides failed to create any noteworthy chances.
"It was a very tight game and there was nowhere for any one to move," said Jones.
"They kept their formation of two banks of four and we weren't good enough on the day to break them down."
Cardiff are two points outside the top six, although with an inferior goal difference to their rivals, but Jones is not giving up on sneaking into the play-offs.
"If we had earned the victory we might have moved up a place but there is still plenty for us to play for," he added.
"It just wasn't our day today and I do not have a big enough squad to change things around.
"We seemed to lack a little quality but I can not criticise my players for that.
"This club has come on in leaps and bounds since the start of the season and it has been progress all the way through."
The Bluebirds' best chance came in the 12th minute when Cameron Jerome broke free down the right and crossed into the danger area but the on-rushing Steve Thompson just failed to get a touch.
Rangers were most dangerous when Gareth Ainsworth was on the ball but the first half closed with neither side looking capable of making the breakthrough.
The second half was much the same with the poor conditions preventing any fluidity but Jerome had a great chance when a missed kick presented him with the ball in front of goal but Wales' keeper Paul Jones was swiftly out to block.
"It was a good point and at one stage I thought it could have been all three," said Rangers caretaker boss Gary Waddock.
"We came to win and had more opportunities to score in the second half when the play opened up.
"We passed it well and made several chances but I was never going to approach this game in cavalier style.
"Cardiff have been doing very well and needed a win to push into the play-off position but that shows just what a good point it was for us.
"If the manager's job is offered to me I would gladly take it but at this moment in time Ian Holloway is the manager and it is not up to me."
http://www.sportinglife.com/football/nationwide1/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/06/03/25/SOCCER_Cardiff_2nd_Nightlead.html&TEAMHD=nationwide1


IC Wales - City settle for point in no-goal show
Inconsistent Coca-Cola Championship play-off chasers Cardiff had to settle for a point against mid-table Queens Park Rangers, who had drawn their three previous games.
The away side dominated the early exchanges but found the Cardiff defence - and Riccy Scimeca in particular – resolute, as both sides failed to create any noteworthy chances.
The first effort on goal came from Cardiff in the 18th minute, as Joe Ledley’s 25-yard left-foot effort flew wide of Paul Jones’ left-hand post.
Cardiff’s Glenn Loovens was then booked for a lunge at QPR’s top scorer Gareth Ainsworth three minutes later, as City increased the pressure on their visitors.
The home team began to take greater charge of a tight game as the first half progressed, with Jason Koumas pulling the creative strings in midfield.
However Dave Jones’ men were unable to translate their growing dominance into chances as the game became bogged down in midfield. Both sides wasted attacking opportunities through a string of offsides, with Cameron Jerome the most culpable.
The influential Koumas provided Cardiff top scorer Jerome with an opportunity to increase his season’s tally to 17 in the league in the 38th minute, but his header was blocked by the impressive Danny Shittu.
Koumas was in the thick of the action again two minutes later but his 25-yarder was blocked by Marc Bircham.
Rangers did not produce their first effort on goal until three minutes before half-time when Ainsworth put a right-foot effort wide from 20 yards.
QPR started the second period brightly, Ainsworth forcing a save from Neil Alexander with a 20-yard free-kick three minutes after the restart.
The action was soon back at the other end though, where Jerome forced a parried save from veteran keeper Jones with a rasping 18-yard drive from the right-hand side of the penalty area.
Jerome continued to frustrate the home support, however, by repeatedly straying offside.
Hoops striker Marc Nygaard burst into action on the hour-mark, as the suddenly busy Alexander parried his close-range effort away for a corner, but he only had to watch when Ainsworth fired wide five minutes later.
Counterpart Jones was then called into action to catch an effort from City’s transfer window capture Steven Thompson.
Rangers introduced veteran marksman Paul Furlong to try to inspire a late victory and he forced Alexander into action after just a minute on the pitch with an 18-yard effort.
The Bluebirds responded almost instantly through a long-range Kevin Cooper left-footer which flew wide.
Both teams pushed in the final minutes, but lacked the quality to create a match-winning chance. http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0600soccer/0900cardiffcity/tm_objectid=16863630&method=full&siteid=50082&headline=city-settle-for-point-in-no-goal-show-name_page.html