Cardiff move on

What a great victory for the City last night at the Cardiff City Stadium they seemed to be walking the game at half time with the score at 2-0 with goals from Ross McCormack and Peter Whittingham. Manager Dave Jones decision to drop Michael Chopra worked with McCormack having a strong game with a goal.

Cardiff stay fourth in the league table but move three points ahead of Saturday’s visitors Swansea and four points of Leicester. The Bluebirds are now eight points in front of seven placed Blackpool with six games left before the end of the season. I don’t think anyone involved with Cardiff City are counting their chickening after what happen last season missing out on a Play-off place by the narrowness of margins.

McCormack got the early goal when Kelvin Etuhu shot was not saved by the Leicester keeper and the ball fell in the path the Scottish international who fired the ball home. Cardiff took the lead in the first 10 minutes and proceeded to dominate the first half looking every inch promotion candidates. McCormack later had a goal bound attempt cleared of the line has City push forward.

Cardiff boss Dave Jones was forced to made a change in the 35th-minute when Darcy Blake came off injured sending on Adam Matthews. It took a while but the second goal came right on half time and who stepped up, it was top scorer Whittingham. McCormack had a hand in the second goal when the Leicester keeper stopped his shot the ball then fell to Gavin Rae, he found Whittingham who calmly put the ball home for his 22nd goal of the season. It could have been 2-1 at half-time when from a corner the ball looked to have crossed the Cardiff line, the Leicester players call for a goal but the officials ruled on goal.

Cardiff deserved to go in at half time with the lead as Leicester look nothing like Play-off contenders they were desperate to get something out of the game after losing the last two games.

The second half under way and it was not long before Cardiff fans had something to concern them when in the 52th-minute the visitors pull one back. Jones made a change soon after the goal taking off Mark Kennedy and replacing him with Tony Capaldi has Leicester push for a second goal. Jones decided to make another change not long after sending on Capaldi bring off Etuhu and Warren Feeney going on.

With 20 minutes to go Cardiff were down to ten men when Gabor Gypes pull down a goal bound Leicester player, he only had the keeper to beat so it was a straight red card and will miss the next three game. Leicester could smell blood and tried to up their game but Cardiff had it covered and the game finish 2-1. It was a great win for the City now it’s Saturday and Swansea next.

Dave Jones after match comments, "I think that was our best performance this season because of the circumstances.
"We deserved our half-time lead and I knew they would come at us after the break, but I didn't expect to lose three players through injury and have one sent off.
"It was a typical Tuesday night game and the place was bouncing because the fans were magnificent.
"The players deserve all the praise going because they were not going to lie down.
"Chris Burke was a passenger with a tight hamstring so really we were down to only eight outfield players by the end, but I can't fault anyone and they are all shattered.
"We had to defend 20 yards out, let them have the ball in midfield, and then defend when it came into the danger area."