By Sam Hill
Brian Barry-Murphy acknowledged Cardiff City’s 4-3 win against Doncaster had “eerie similarities” to their seven-goal clash with Leyton Orient earlier this season.
The Bluebirds had trailed 3-2 in that clash back on October 4, before late goals from Callum Robinson and Yousef Select snatch the three points.
The Doncaster triumph was even more dramatic given the lateness of Joel Bagan’s decisive strike.
And boss Barry-Murphy said both Orient and Doncaster had caught his team by surprise by going with an unexpected formation.
“Obviously our intention was to play a lot better and have more control of the game, but it didn’t work out that way,” the 47-year-old said.
“The most pleasing thing is we found a way to win, and enough chances to do that. I’m very pleased for the supporters and the players that we managed to do that today.”
Rovers’ manager Grant McCann made the decision to abandon his usual 4-2-3-1 system for a back 5 setup, something Barry-Murphy admitted shocked him a little.
“Yeah, it did surprise us,” he said. “We’ve only seen one tiny example of them playing with a back five this season. Our preparation was done on a back four.”
It is a scenario Cardiff are consistently encountering, especially at home this season, with the manager noting that opposition game plans are often changed drastically when facing his side.
“We’ve seen a lot of game plans change when the team sheet comes in,” he stated.
“A lot of the games have been unpredictable in terms of how predictable the opposition have been, so it’s very important for our team to be adaptable and understand the circumstances they face when the game actually happens.”
This early uncertainty was clear to see, as the visitors started the brighter side and took an early deserved lead through captain Owen Bailey after a quarter of an hour.
“I think there were signs in the first half that we weren’t quite clear on what the solutions were,” Barry-Murphy admitted, before being quick to note his side’s improvement after the break.
“In the second half, when we started, we played much better, so there’s a lot for us to take from that.”
The former Manchester City Under-21s coach was keen to highlight the opposition and their influence on the game as much as his own side.
“If I speak too much about our failings, that would discredit Doncaster,” he claimed. “They played a really good game and are so dangerous in the way that they play. They looked a constant threat throughout.”
Ultimately, it was the Bluebirds attacking endeavour led through their manager that saw them seal all three points today. In additional time, the hosts consistently pushed for the winner and that mentality proved decisive.
“The character and mentality of the team to attack right until the last whistle was the most pleasing thing,” he insisted. “Cian Ashford showed the composure we want, and Joel Bagan showed the aggressive intent to get in that position so late and score.”
Amid all the chaos of the seven-goal thriller, in which his team landed their fifth consecutive League One victory, the Irishman was still quick to point out where his group can go.
“It gives you such an opportunity to improve the team,” he suggested. It’s evident to me how much room for improvement we have, and that’s probably the most exciting thing.”