Riza blasts first-half display as Bluebirds just salvage a point at Preston

OMER Riza admitted his Cardiff City side were "nowhere near it" in the first half and hit out at his team's sloppy defending which led to them needing a stoppage-time equaliser to gain a point at Preston North End on Tuesday night.

- GLEN WILLIAMS Football writer [e-mail]

The Bluebirds came from behind twice at Deepdale thanks to Will Alves and a 94th-minute leveller from Yakou Meite to take Cardiff's unbeaten run to four games. Three of those games, however, have been draws.

Wins and three points are the order of the day, but Cardiff have struggled to ramp up the win column all season, which has left them in this major predicament with only five games now left to play.

But Riza said Preston "could have scored more" and that his side were perhaps fortunate to come away with a point from Lancashire.

"We were not good enough first half. Nowhere near it. First, second balls, off the pace, didn't press, didn't cover space we didn't do anything, really. Everything we spoke about, we didn't do, which was disappointing," Riza said.

"I think the boys found it difficult. We wanted to try and match them up because we knew their pace and their aerial threats but we didn't deal with that at all.

"Our three centre-halves were open, didn't talk, mark, track, cover. Same from the mid and forward lines.