Weale's cup chance

Chris Weale has good reason to look kindly on the Carling Cup.

The competition may not be a top priority for the Premier League's bigger clubs, but it gave Weale a rare opportunity to establish himself in Bristol City's first team at the start of last season.

When first-choice Adriano Basso was injured in the opening Championship game against QPR at Ashton Gate a year ago, Weale was recalled from a loan spell at Hereford for a League Cup date with Brentford at Griffin Park.

He kept a clean sheet in a 3-0 success and subsequently held on to his place for games against Blackpool, Scunthorpe United and Manchester City.

Although he hardly put a foot wrong, Weale was forced to make way for Basso at Sheffield Wednesday on September 1, after which he barely featured in City's march to the play-offs.

A year on, it would appear little has changed. Basso is once again injured, having suffered a thigh strain in the Robins' opening Championship game at Blackpool.

And Weale, who distinguished himself during the second half at Bloomfield Road, is looking to grasp his opportunity with both hands in tonight's Carling Cup first-round showdown with Peterborough United at Ashton Gate.

Only this time, he intends laying permanent claim to the keeper's jersey.

Weale recently agreed a new one-year contract with City and insisted: "I signed to play, I want to play and I'm not happy sat on the bench.

"Of course, Adriano is a very good goalkeeper and I know I'm going to have to keep performing like I did at Blackpool and work hard in training every day.

"I know it's a cliché, but you really do have to take it one game at a time in football. If you get too far ahead of yourself, you can come unstuck quite quickly."

Of tonight's game, he said: "I'd like to think I'll play, but we'll have to see how Adriano is and take it from there."

Understandably, Weale's Bristol City experience prevents him taking anything for granted.

He said: "I got my chance in the Carling Cup last season and had a little run in the side. But I was disappointed to be taken out of the side after the Manchester City game, because I didn't think I'd done anything wrong.

"I understood why the manager did it and we went on to have a great season. Hopefully, this season will be different (for me).

"It's one of those situations where, as an individual, you have to remain positive. You have to believe your opportunity will come and this could be mine."

City boss Gary Johnson has talked of having "two No 1s" on his staff and he admitted the choice of goalkeeper for Saturday's Championship curtain-raiser at Blackpool was far from straightforward.

Weale said: "The manager named his side on Thursday, but didn't tell us who was playing in goal.

"When I found out on Friday, I was disappointed.

"But I understood why Basso was starting, because he's done very well here for two seasons on the trot."

Weale will appreciate additional time in which to prepare for tonight's meeting with League One newcomers Posh after being hurried into action at Bloomfield Road.

He said: "Basso came in at half-time with a bit of a knock and I didn't really have time to warm up properly.

"You know these things are going to happen sometimes and it's something you have to deal with as a goalkeeper.

"You sit on the bench and run through all the different scenarios and you have to be as ready as you can be when your chance comes."

Bristol City (from): Basso, Weale, McAllister, Fontaine, McCombe, Orr, Ribeiro, Carey, Skuse, Johnson, Sproule, Williams, McIndoe, Myrie-Williams, B Wilson, Noble, Trundle, Adebola, Maynard, Brooker.