Cardiff City have questioned security at rivals Swansea City’s home ground after Ollie Tanner suffered a cut on his leg when a advertising board fell during a goal celebration in Sunday’s South Wales derby.
Tanner assisted fellow substitute Callum Robinson’s 79th-minute equaliser in a 1-1 draw, but the winger was injured in the ensuing celebrations when Cardiff fans behind the goal ran towards the players, causing a huddle to collapse.
Cardiff first-team coach Omer Riza said: “We’re looking around and saying, ‘Maybe we should have more security around the pitch’ so fans can’t get to the advertising billboard. That heavy billboard fell on it and Ollie has a big cut on his leg.”
Riza deputised for Errol Bruett in the post-match media interviews after the Bluebirds manager was sent off in added time. He added: “[Ollie is] “Yes, he continued to play, but he had to leave the field for 30 seconds and that may have hurt us during that time. There are all areas we can improve on.”
The incident came 24 hours after fans spilled onto the Selhurst Park pitch during West Ham’s 2-0 win over Crystal Palace and a ballboy became trapped under an advertising board – he had to be rescued by visiting players Jarrod Bowen and Tomas Soucek.
Swansea manager Luke Williams believes security around the pitch needs to be reviewed following the weekend’s incident. “There was an incident against West Ham so it’s something that security at all clubs need to look at,” Williams said.
Speaking about the fallen billboard, Williams added: “I’m glad it didn’t fall and hit something hard. A boy from Bath City [Alex Fletcher] “We have a player who was seriously injured after hitting a brick wall at the edge of the pitch and was taken to hospital. It’s safer to go over it.”
Bruett was sent off in the fifth minute of the seven-minute extra time for a tangle with Swansea substitute Kyle Naughton. “I think it’s a bit harsh. He was dragged onto the pitch by Naughton and the player put a hand on him,” Riza said. “To get a red card there is too harsh. I think he will protest.”
Swansea took the lead with a Liam Cullen tap-in after 10 minutes and Robinson equalised, giving them a sixth win in seven games. “The mentality was there, like when we lose,” Williams said. “We just couldn’t control the game well and couldn’t keep the pressure on Cardiff.”
Robinson was sent off seven minutes into that game in October 2022 for throwing the ball at Swansea’s Ben Cabango, with Cardiff losing 0-2, and the 29-year-old made amends for that mad moment by tucking Tanner’s cross into the goal 11 minutes before the end.
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Some clever build-up play found Brazilian winger Ronaldo in space for Cullen to score for the home side, but his shot was pushed back by Cardiff goalkeeper Ethan Holbert and the Swansea striker had the simplest of finishes.
Cardiff had not tasted a derby victory in front of a Swansea crowd since February 2011 – their only victory here since the game was played behind closed doors in March 2021. The Bluebirds controlled the game in midfield with Matt Grimes on Sunday but struggled to counter Swansea’s early fluidity.
The visitors’ inconsistency may not have been a surprise given that the starting eleven included five summer signings. Centre-back Jesper Daland was introduced immediately after his midweek move from Cercle Brugge. Horvat parried Josh Timon’s menacing cross and Ronald should have done better to finish Josh Key’s cross.
Ronald had two shots on target early in the second half but the Brazilian failed to pass to the unmarked Cullen and Cardiff brought on Wales international Rubin Colwill and Tanner, who scored in the Bluebirds’ derby win last September, to the bench to give their attacking side some impetus.
The double substitution worked to perfection, with Colwill and Tanner combining well with Robinson to end a 14-game scoreless run and give Cardiff their first points of the season, while the away crowd provided the ultimate spectacle that overturned the result.
