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Cardiff demand answers and propose plan while Rotherham defend themselves over abandonment

Cardiff demand answers and propose a restart plan of the match while Rotherham defend themselves over the abandonment on Saturday.

According to Wales Online, the Bluebirds may put in a request that their match against the Millers be rescheduled but at the 1-0 scoreline.

Jaden Philogene put Cardiff in front within the opening half, but a heavy downpour flooded the pitch.

After numerous pitch inspections by referee, Matt Taylor and Sabri Lamouchi were told that the game couldn’t continue.

Cardiff fans, who had traveled from South Wales, were furious at this decision while Rotherham supporters cheered.

Wales Online say an investigation is ongoing while the EFL weighs in on what to do.

Cardiff are planning on having the game restarted, by at the 1-0 scoreline, yet this is unlikely to be accepted by the EFL.

The Bluebirds most likely would have to play again at 0-0, no doubt being controversial for the away side considering that the game wasn’t level at the time it was abandoned.

Cardiff refused to do a post-match press conference, but Rotherham boss Matt Taylor said: “I was so busy at half-time trying to get some information and tactical changes to the group that it was only when one of the coaches came in and told the players to check their footwear that I realised it had started to rain.

“I didn’t realise it had rained that hard. It was incredible and it wasn’t forecasted. We were not prepared for it. It hit the ground and within minutes of the second half being under way the referee made the right decision to take the players off the pitch.

“It was farcical. The ball was getting stuck and it was only a matter of time before a decision was made. The water was clearly not draining through. That is something that cannot be helped.

“It was a race against time to see if the pitch would improve at any stage. I told the players to stay ready because we had no timeframe.”

Taylor adds that the pitch was bad in its entirety and efforts to clear the water weren’t having any effect, yet some reporters felt they had made a poor effort. See more on that HERE.

Restarting after such a delay would have increased the chances of injury, according to Taylor.

He went on to say: “It was still unplayable right in the middle. It was still a couple of inches deep in the middle. The ball was not bouncing.

“If we had gone back out there two hours later, the players are in a huge position of risk, not from the pitch itself but from cooling down and warming up again. There is a bigger picture which has to be looked at.

“Sometimes there is nothing you can do about the weather. It was a downpour like we have never seen.

“I sympathise with their journey and their fans. It doesn’t make them feel any better but I have been from Exeter to Barrow for a frozen pitch, so I have a little bit of an idea of how it does feel. But we will replay the fixture.”

On the first half, Taylor added: “They were better in the first half. We weren’t quite there at any stage in the game. I know we went behind and that affects confidence. We started making a few unforced errors and the team connection wasn’t there.”

An EFL spokesperson said in a brief statement: “Following the abandonment of this afternoon’s Sky Bet Championship fixture between Rotherham United and Cardiff City, the circumstances surrounding this will now be considered in-line with EFL Regulations.”

This is what social media users said as Cardiff demand answers and propose a plan while Rotherham defend themselves over the abandonment…

@jfagej: The use of sprinklers should not be permitted once the game has started. It looked ridiculous today

@davies250395: Plenty of video evidence from the sprinklers being on at one point to the zero effort being put in unless sweeping water back onto the pitch counts!

@alm_vince: Restart the game at 48 minutes with the score: same line ups: no supporters in the ground. Bit embarrassing a newish ground was unable to cope with 10 minute deluge at this level

@Taffia42: Sabotaged by @OfficialRUFC – blatantly ensuring no effort from their ground staff to make the pitch playable. Plenty of footage of a distinct lack of effort at the very least. Pulling water back onto the field of play and only 3 staff. One kept one hand in his pocket throughout!

@CardiffCityEast: It would be stupid to replay the whole match after 48 minutes were played either end the match there with Cardiff City win or we finish the game (second half) with the 1-0 score line on another day.

@TomTinyDavies: Plenty of video evidence to view when considering the outcome… just bare that in mind. @EFL

@AdamYates27: PMSL at these comments. Referee didnt even check the corners of the pitch to see if they were playable. The middle of the pitch wasnt playable which is where he checked. The ball didnt bounce and was sticking when kicking it along the floor.

@Ccfc1925: @CardiffCityFC @EFL hopefully city will forward all the incriminating footage to the EFL , absolutely loads to see during that 40 minutes

@CCFCMando: Anything other than letting us play from the 48th minute 1-0 up or giving us all three points and you’ll have failed miserably. There’s evidence of them getting it called off purposefully.

@bluebird120_: Do the right thing. Sprinklers on at half time. And sweeping the water back on the pitch

@lsm_21: -20 for Rotherham. It’s the only way

@tomjwadeCTFC:  Having seen the footage and the “attempts” to clear the water, I am genuinely intrigued to see how this turns out. 😅

@JakePrice1927: Let’s hope the EFL, stand up and make the right call here. It’s unacceptable to have 10 minutes of rain and a game called off. Also then, groundsmen with minimal effort to clear it.

@ElisDavies5: Did fuck all to clear the water, clear as day they didn’t want to continue. Do the right thing, allow us the goal for the replay, this is too huge

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