Cardiff boss Dave Jones insists that the last gasp penalty was a soft one but also believes they were denied an earlier one

The Cardiff manager was speaking after the 2-2 draw at Ninian Park which had been earned thanks to a late penalty from Ross McCormack - given for a foul by Ashley Williams.

The referee adjudged Williams to have pushed the Cardiff striker before pointing to the spot to the clear anger of the Swans players, management and supporters.

Jones though believes that it was a penalty despite the softness of it and said “I’ve heard what Roberto thought about the penalty – but I’m going to have to beg to differ with him over a glass of red wine, everyone is going to go on about it – but if you look, just before that Jay Bothroyd was pulled down in the box and it’s not given – then they went up the other end of the pitch and scored.

“It is a soft penalty, but I’ve looked at it two or three times and I think the lad has to win the header. He doesn’t and he pushes him in the back.

“If we had come away with nothing after the way we dominated after the first 20 minutes we’d have been disappointed because their keeper was absolutely superb – how the hell he got to the one from Joe I don’t know.

“We were caught by the sucker punch because we were trying to press and get the winner. But even then we kept fighting and we got our rewards in the end.

“They were on top for the first 20 minutes and it took us that to settle, but, after that, we have really pressed and their keeper has made a couple of unbelievable saves. Perhaps with a little bit more composure in front of goal we would have had one in the back of the net.

“The chances we had in the first half and second half should have been enough for us once we’ve got the goal.

“Then we pressed again, they had one cleared off the line, but overall it was a great game to watch with some really good football from both sets of players. A good derby game.

“For me it wasn’t a reprieve because we just kept battling away.

“We wanted the three points and that’s why we pressed – but if we’re doing that we have to be solid in the back and not get caught, but we did. It’s a sloppy goal to give away which is the disappointing side – but I couldn’t say there were many others from the way we played because we had a good go.

“And I thought the players conducted themselves well and I thought the ref had a really good game. We’re not always going to be happy with different things, but I thought he did well. He missed one that I’ll moan about, but he gave me one that I can’t.

“And overall the game had everything, lots of tension and nerves, but both sets of players did very well.”

Jones comments were taken from the Wales Online website - you can read the full article at http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballnation/cardiff-city-fc/2009/04/06/penalty-was-just-reward-for-our-efforts-says-cardiff-city-boss-dave-jones-91466-23318586/

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