The last time Cardiff beat Swansea in a meaningful tie was over 11 years ago. John Major was Prime Minister, Princess Diana still alive, Channel 5 didn't exist, Braveheart hadn't yet made it to video and scientists had just cloned a sheep called Dolly. Swansea have tasted victory three times since that Vetch Field tie, although this fixture marked the first League meeting between the South Wales rivals in nine years. There is a monkey on Cardiff's back, and yesterday's hard fought draw means it will have been 12 years without a win before they have the chance to rectify the situation.

All the talk in Swansea before this game seemed to focus on the players who wouldn't be on the pitch. Talismans Ferrie Bodde and Leon Britton out through injury and a suspension for the impressive Jordi Gomez, who's deflected free kick had seen off Cardiff so satisfyingly just a month and a half ago.

Spirits in the home stands were lifted by the sight of Britton warming up but, with The Swans still missing their two top scorers, no one was under any delusions that this game would be as straightforward as the previous encounter. Even though very few people said it out loud amongst the excitement and bravado, most knew this was a tough one, and considering the circumstances most Jacks might secretely have taken a draw before hand - those who did would find themselves dissapointed with that outcome just 90 minutes later.

Cardiff of course had their own prodigal son in Michael Chopra, returning on loan after falling down the pecking order at Sunderland. As Ledley scored his fantastic eqauliser at the fag-end of the first half Chops stood in front of the Swansea family stand screaming and swearing for about a 90 seconds at the children and old people sat there, so he must have been pleased. It was one of only two times in the game most supporters would notice the ex-Premiership striker though, as he spent much of his 55 minutes of game-time obsolete.

The second time we noticed him of was course the penalty. This game was full of what you might call "controversial" or "talking points". To be honest there's not much to talk about - replays showed no contact was made on Chopra as he went down to win his second non-penalty since his return to Wales. In fairness to the referee though it looked at speed like there might have been a foul from the ragged Bessone so it was not a terrible decision; no doubt at all though that it was the wrong one. Cardiff fans would of course point the fact that Scotland was offside during the buildup to Swansea's opener - a lovely cutback which found Pratley 12 yards out - and they would be right. This decision again warrants very little discussion, it was wrong, if no more than Swansea deserved for their control of the game in the opening half hour.

And Cardiff too deserved their lead when it came, having found their feet and pressured Swansea out of the passing game that had dominated them in the previous match. It wasn't pretty but it was effective, and until a moment of madness from their captain Swansea looked to be on the ropes. Mcphail let his side down for the second time against their rivals as he stupidly kicked the ball away after conceding a throwin. The ref, unimpressive though he was, had no real choice but to give the captian his second booking and send him off. Again. The numbers were levelled when man-of-the-match Britton lunged in to a rash challenge at the death but by then the damage had been done.

Cardiff didn't offer anything to the game from the second their captain walked and you wouldn't expect them to. Ten minutes of pressure saw Gorka Pintado tuck away the sweetest volley from six yards and Swansea dominated the rest of the game, forcing more than one fantastic save from Enkileman to preserve the Bluebirds' point. Cardiff's understandable decision to put ten men behind the ball and defend what they had led to Swansea being able to play they way they wanted and produced some signature terrific moves with Shaun Macdonald and Angel Rangel looking particulaty spritely down the right. Britton, as ever, belied his frame and carried injury to outshine everyone else on the pitch - if he ever learns to shoot he'll be worth millions.

It was tempting to wonder as the final whistle went what more could be achieved had either of the home side's top scorers been available and there is no denying that Owain Tudor Jones still looks ill at ease but that is details - Swansea had the chances to win this game and probably should have done but this performance will not have dissapointed any of the Liberty faithful. There is a cost; both Britton and Pratley will miss the next game through suspension (Pratley's booking given for the most laughably rediculous dive from a Cardiff player ever seen - and it wasn't even Chopra!), but in 2008 at least Wales belongs to Swansea, and you won't find any Jacks complaining about that.