At half time today Cardiff's mediocre season was heading towards another defeat with fans unhappy at the manager and the team and an expected battering at Brentford was looking on the cards.
Cardiff found themselves defending in numbers and chasing the more mobile home side around the pitch. City did have one shot that was blocked and a corner or two but they were second best to a side still hoping to make the Premier League.
Brentford looked sharper, semed to be able to get the ball into the box at will and always found a pass that gave them a chance at getting forward.
Midway through the half they won a free kick and as decent an effort it was the ball should have been routinely caught by Simon Moore but he spilled it and Andre Gray accepted the invitation to sidefoot it into the goal. Brentford 1 - 0 Cardiff.
City frustrated Brentford until half time and the manager and his staff had to endure a walk across the pitch to the tunnel with City fans having a few choice words towards the club officials and there was an audible number of boos.
But at approx 3.50pm in West London someone sprinkled fairy dust on the Cardiff City dressing room and a different Bluebirds side ran out for the second half.
Actually I need to mention that it seemed like the City subs at half time looked disinterested and going through the motions as they used their time on the pitch to keep warm. Before the second half started there was little to cheer.
Russell Slade was forced into an early first half sub when Lee Peltier was injured and replaced by Joe Ralls. Cardiff need to find a place for Ralls in the starting line up.
To start the second half Kadeem Harris came on to face the club he was on loan at. (Remember Simon Moore was a Brentford player as well).
Harris replaced Kennedy at half time, Kennedy had taken a few knocks in the first half.
With Harris looking to break with pace Cardiff had an out. The pressure on the defence lifted and City were more involved in the game.
Chances looked to be coming mostly from set pieces again but a ball into the box saw Federico Macheda challenge with Brentford keeper Button, the goalie managed to drop the ball under pressure from his own defender and Macheda was on hand to accept the gift. Brentford 1 - 1 Cardiff.
Brentford were now getting nervous. They needed to win to keep up with the top sides in the Championship. Cardiff again looked to go forward and a ball through to Revell saw the City striker favourite to win a chase to the ball over Button. The keeper hesitated and Revell lobbed him superbly to give City the lead and give Revell a contender for the goal of the season award. Brentford 1 - 2 Cardiff.
As you'd expect Brentford had to chase a saving goal. Cardiff dropped a little deeper but still kept the home side on their toes with some decent breaks. But the game turned again when Kadeem Harris committed himself to a challenge and was given a straight red for his tackle.
It looked a 50/50 to me but the initial reaction from the Brentford player who looked badly injured saw Harris off the pitch. A few seconds later the Brentford player was on his feet, a little tentatively but generally OK.
Cardiff had to dig deep and trying to hold on with 10 men. Less than 10 mins later the task was made harder when Macheda was sent off for his second yellow.
His booking, along with one for Peter Whittingham a bit earlier came as City took the necessary actions needed to try and win the game. Both offences stopped Brentford's attack with the ends justifying the means.
The board went up for six minutes. In that time before I've seen Cardiff go from a winning position to losing a game but not today. In fact Kenwynne Jones, on as a sub for the knackered Revell, smacked a shot over the bar before nearly 5 minutes of full on Brentford pressure as nine men held on by doing all they could to earn a Cardiff win.
It was epic, the 1500 away fans were put through the mill as City defended as though their lives depended on it. The final whislte brought a relief and a moment of realisation that 9 (nine) men had beaten a side hoping for promotion, on their own patch.
Griffin Park has witnessed some drama in the last couple of seasons. Today they witnessed a script that for home fans was so far fetched they would never have believed it.
Next up leaders Bournemouth at CCS. Can Cardiff get an elusive result at home after three consecutive away wins.