...enter skipper Graham ooh ahh Kavanagh to fire Cardiff City's third successive late, late show with a well executed 79th minute winner to finally shake off spirited and stubborn Wycombe Wanderers and take City back to the Top of the League - lovely!
This was far from a vintage City performance. They often struggled to raise their game and, more crUcially, find a killer final ball in attacks. It also needed a man of the match goalkeeping display from Bluebird league debutant Martyn Margetson. However the win was just about deserved, City persevered, the fans stayed patient and City always have that extra piece of quality over other teams which they made count again.
After Cardiff was lashed with heavy overnight rain (mid-October and Cardiff's first significant rainfall for 5 weeks!!), it was sunny blue skies, mild temperatures and a pitch in perfect condition for this clash and ahead of the Wales vs Italy Under-21 encounter at Ninian Park on Tuesday.
City made two changes After 58 successive league starts since joining The Bluebirds last season, Neil Alexander was missing in goals. As it turned out, he wasn't even selected to warm the bench for Scotland in Iceland, let's hope he sees action in Tuesday's home friendly for the Jocks at home to Canada. His City replacement was Port Talbot-born, Martyn Margetson. chosen by his fellow pro's as last season's best Division Two goalkeeper, what quality to have. The other change saw the rested Andy Legg back in the starting line-up and tactics revert to the lopsided 4-4-2 style.
The game opened very slowly, Cardiff's midfield not finding its usual fluency as they were harried by opponents who, rarely for visitors to Ninian, also committed to 2 in attack - the standard Div 2 ageing big build striker, Andy Rammell, and ex-Wrexham livewire striker Craig Faulconbridge. They also had a dangerous wideman in Stuart Roberts, given the typical "warm" reception afforded to ex-Jack players.
Wycombe's Andy Rammell fired 20 yards wide from 30 yards out early on. Earnie responded by meeting a Weston ball after a beautiful Thorne cushioned knock down, cutting inside a defender but his rising shot across goal was well held by Martin Taylor on 6 minutes, it turned out to be the little man's only real effort at goal all match. Earnie was patrolled by 2 markers but it left room for others to exploit.
When City raised their game, it was clear to see that Wycombe couldn't cope with Earnie and Thorne's movement and pace as City finally stamped their authority on the match but Wycombe had amazing let offs. Earnie beat his markers inside the area but knocked the ball too high for the unmarked Thorne and then within 3 minutes around the quarter hour mark, the desperately unlucky Thorne hit the woodwork twice.
The first was a quality move down the left, Gareth Whalley's superb through ball placing Kav clear wide inside the penalty, his looped ball over was slightly behind Peter Thorne but he knocked it downwards and agonisingly saw it bounce off the far post. Inspired City won a free-kick on the right, Thorne rose majestically above the crowd and the agony doubled as his header flew over the helpless Taylor but smacked off the front of the bar before being helped away.
Wycombe came to test City, part of their game plan undoubtedly was to cause maximum disruption, a key feature being time wasting at every opportunity, Their keeper, Taylor, always went to the other side of the area and took an eternity to restart the game, throw ins taken at walking pace and injury stoppages became excessive too.
They also found a 'friend' in the fussy, petty, whistle happy refereeing of Trevor Parkes who was having far much influence on the game and not endearing himself to the home support. And linesmen who flagged offside reacting to Earnie, Leggy and others positions when they ran to balls in space, not being able to notice they were onside at the moment passes were played. As soon as City upped their energy and intensity, the delays and stoppages seemed to take it back out of them.
Wycombe fought back with 2 good chances, Faulconbridge's deflected shot were was held by Margetson who next had the whole ground in applause with a wonderful flying save to beat away a goalbound Rammell header from 12 yards. But where were our defence as Rammell was totally unmarked?
Cardiff hit back with two good chances on the half hour. Firstly, Rhys Weston, producing another excellent performance, hit a rasping drive coming in from the right that Taylor couldn't hold but just grasped at the second attempt as Earnie was set to swoop. Then Kav hit the first of two very disappointing edge of area free-kick that tamely went over the wall but over the bar too. Kav has got into the habit of taking the same free-kick this season, it always seems to produce the same result. Why doesn't he blast them anymore?
It underlined a frustrating period for City, they weren't firing on all cylinders.
Gabbidon was a little too casual, often turning into trouble by taking one touch too many, the passing was ok but not at pace and rarely opening or switching the game, Andy Legg was isolated and almost a spectator on the left wing (but how we loved it when he twice outstripped ex-Jack Roberts for pace in chases and hit him hard with tackles) and Thorne/Earnie weren't getting the service they hoped for.
Parkes now had Ninian furious as Wycombe had three injury stoppages in a short period. One of them saw Faulconbridge walk 30 yards down the middle of the pitch after a knock in the face. Bearing in mind he had no problem doing that, Parkes then allowed him to be treated on the pitch and then go straight upfield for a corner kick.
Worse than that, Weston and Roberts collided as Wycombe won a corner. Weston was ok after treatment but Parkes refused to let him back on the pitch to defend a corner and then, childish refereeing, wouldn't even allow play to take place until Weston walked around to the side of the pitch after being treated behind the goal. City were nearly punished as Faulconbridge headed over and then. to anger everyone more, Parkes simply waved Roberts back onto the field from when he was treated. As another Wycombe player was injured, it all become too much and the whole ground broke out into a prolonged and very loud slow handclap and boos.
His decision making was poor and inconsistent, it regularly seemed to go in Wycombe's favour and it was bewildering to see him never look for advantage after a City player was fouled, some good openings were lost.
The half went out with a whimper. Stuart Roberts went off injured, Rhys Weston had finished him off to be replaced by Sean Devine, a player who always seems to score against City but who hardly got into the game today although he had Wycombe's best chance.
The half was probably best summed up by Andy Legg who picked up the ball and smash it across the other side of the pitch as the half-time whistle blew.
But could he possibly have been frustrated as a Bob Bank season ticket holder, Neil David, who along with his best man, had to leave the match to get married and not know the result until a while after final whistle??
Half-time: CITY 0 WYCOMBE 0
Thorne started the second half by nodding wide but shortly after, missed a golden opportunity.
A good move as Willie Boland trotted around a Wycombe defender and hit a beautiful cross. Thorne didn't see it until the last moment, possibly expecting a defender in front of him to nod away, it looked like a surprised header as he didn't find any power and nodded down then into the arms of a grateful Taylor from inside the 6 yard box. A better connection and there was only 1 result. Peter Thorne was having a great game, particularly in the air, but he does badly need a goal.
Another great chance was fluffed on 55 minutes as more Boland perseverance saw a ball find Whalley on the 6 yard box. Whalley has only one foot though and take one touch to control the ball and then his effort was mishit and went straight at Taylor too. Other efforts by Whalley (again), Legg and Kav were all blocked as City found another gear but again, struggled to retain it, partly letting themselves down was poor final passes and either overhit or underhit crossing.
There was a little more controversy as Andy Legg was booked for diving in the area when neither he or any other player appealed for a penalty (he nearly got a second yellow later and he needlessly stuck a hand in the air but it flew over him) then his perfect cross by him saw Thorne and Kav collide going for the same ball with the goal gaping.
With City very frustrated again, Wycombe could sense the chance to grab a shock win and came so close. The reason they didn't was because of Martin Margetson producing more outstanding saves. Having kept clean sheets in his last three reserve outings, he was desperate to impress. The impression he left with many is that he is a superior shot stopper than Neil Alexander although, being a shorter goalie, maybe can't dominate his area at crosses. City are very lucky to have two keepers of real quality and it will be rough justice if Alexander comes straight back into the side.
Margetson produced classy stops to prevent firstly, Rammell, and a couple of minutes later, Devine, from scoring almost from identical spots 12 yards out. The Devine save was also followed by bravery as Margetson dived in amongst the boots to grab the ball after his first stop looked set to be followed home by Devine.
Ninian Park had gone quiet, there was a major need to change things as City were fast running out of steam and ideas. Some wanted Leo on to attack Wycombe's big defenders, others wanted Maxeweel to push a stuttering midfield forward but Leo chose 3-5-2 and wing backs, a gamble given Wycombe's threat.
He brought on Barker and Campbell for Whalley and Croft. It give City more width and enabled them to switch play more but the frustrations weren't going Thorne again failed with a header, this time from a Legg cross, one fantastic Barker run ended with the ball flying into the Grange End.
The crowd were getting resigned to a draw as you couldn't see a goal coming from anywhere but there has been a major change in the mentality and patience of the Ninian Park crowd. This was a game City may well have lost last season, it would have been a game in the past where player mistakes with poor passes, wrong options and bad crossing would have been loudly criticised. But the support know opposing teams have to be broken down and if ever patience was rewarded, today was the day.
Graham Kavanagh still has the power to please and annoy fans in equal measures. When he is bristling with energy and near goal, he is great to watch and always a threat but he also likes to lie seep where he hurts nobody and was doing both again. He's been far short of his attacking best this season but big players win big games and he moment had arrived.
Kav started the move inside City's half, purposely driving City forward through the middle of the park before squaring the ball to Chris Barker. Barker showed his quality by charging down the left and when he crossed inside, it was Kav on the end of it. His first shot was blocked but with three hesitant defenders around him, he had a second chance. His finish was perfection as he stayed calm, others would have blasted the ball but Kav was Mr Cool as he took a moment then placed the ball across goal from 12 yards inside the far post with Taylor's dive clutching at air.
It was a supreme moment and celebrated with joy, relief and a roar that must have been heard all around Cardiff. Happiest of all must have been the matchball sponsor, Molly Evans, who is celebrating being 1 year old next Friday and who can do the ayatollah according to the programme! The mass relief was summed up by Sam, who anxiously spent the 2nd half in the dugout, returning to the Grandstand happy that 3 points were on the way.
It was a goal that continues an astonishing pattern this season or City only scoring either early or late on in games. Cardiff have now scored 8 goals in the final half hour of games, 12 in the first half hour but just a solitary goal in the 30-60 minute period. I guess the moral is get to games on time, don't leave early and have a long half-time drink!
Eleven minutes remained but City knew have learned how to play out closing minutes this season, six of City's 8 league wins so far have been by a single goal margin. Wycombe never got close, City attacked hard and looked likely to grab a second. It was now Wycombe's turn to be frustrated, they threw on Darren Currie (Tony's nephew for those who remember great '70's wingers) but ended with their centre half almost tearing Earnie's shirt in half as he almost broke through. Earnie, at 5'4", squaring up to a 6'3" brick outhouse after that challenge, was great to see!
Final whistle blew and news came through that Oldham drawing away had put City back on top of the league, Swansea losing away had put them back on the bottom of Division Three and it was party time. If only Slovakia had held on to beat England!!
It extended City's league record since Lennie arrived at the club to a state that must be City's best run in history. It now reads played Played 26, Won 18, Drawn 7. Lost 1 for 61 points - incredible stuff. But the only thing that matters is being Top (or 2nd) in the table next May and with the chasing pack all picking up great results, it's a run that just has to continue.
Report from FootyMad
Cardiff City skipper Graham Kavanagh fired his side to victory in a tense match which was never allowed to flow by fussy Birmingham based referee Trevor Parkes.
Martyn Margetson made his debut in the City goal with Neil Alexander on Scotland duty and he showed what a fine keeper he is with a faultless performance to keep Wycombe at bay when they threatened to score.
Kavanagh struck with 11 minutes remaining to keep the Bluebirds on course for promotion.
He received a cross from Andy Legg but his first attempt at goal came back off a defender. He made himself space when controlling the ball before sending a crisp shot past the diving Martin Taylor into the visitors' net.
"It was very pleasing to get the goal when we did as the gaffer had told us to keep going and something was sue to break," said the City skipper.
"We kept battling away but were thankful for the saves by Martyn who kept us on level terms with a couple of superb stops.
Chairboys Boss Lawrie Sanchez was very unhappy that his team ended up with nothing.
"We deserved at least a point and it is very disappointing that after matching Cardiff all over the field we should end with no reward.
"That was our best performance of the season and if we keep up that sort of form then we will be all right.
"We had our chances today but football can be very cruel. Once we had sorted out our tactics I felt that we were the better side. Nevertheless I still expect Cardiff to be promoted alongside Wigan.
"When you have expensive players in your side you expect quality and there is no reason why Cardiff cannot go on in time, even up to the Premiership."
External reports
The Football Echo
BBC Sport
The Western Mail