Sheffield Wed 0 Cardiff City 0: McPhail's flair not enough

Cardiff City failed to win for the fifth time in their past seven Championship matches as Brian Laws' first home game in charge of Sheffield Wednesday ended in a goalless draw. By way of consolation though, they have clung on to first place in the League, by virtue of having scored one more goal than Preston and possessing a superior goal difference to Birmingham.

As far as such scorelines can be, this was an open and attractive encounter. But despite Cardiff creating the better chances, even the best efforts of leading scorer Michael Chopra could not help them find the winner they probably deserved.

"This is a good point for us," said Dave Jones, the Cardiff manager. "We were the team who looked more like going on to win and on another day the chances would have gone in."

The League leaders' best moments revolved around Chopra and Stephen McPhail. Time and again, McPhail would find space in midfield and when he did, there was Chopra, dropping deep or making a run, to receive the inevitably precise pass.

Wednesday's attacks were less fluent, but they should have scored when Frank Simek's pull-back found its way across the six-yard box. Then Wayne Andrews, making his Wednesday debut, was unable to capitalise when through on goal.

Cardiff continued to press, though, and late on both Kenny Lunt and Lee Bullen cleared off the line as Wednesday rode their luck. "We'll settle for the point," said Laws. "We've got a 'never say die' attitude and that helped keep us in it."