Goals by Richard Langley and the first City score from John Robinson saw fightback from behind and make it a memorable, highly entertaining clash.
All season, Cardiff had failed to beat any top half side yet now, Cardiff Bus-like, they all come at once. Impressively, leaders Norwich, 3rd place Sunderland and Sheffield United (who started in 3rd but fell to 6th) were all well beaten at Ninian Park in less than 5 weeks. It shows Cardiff aren't far away in some respects but it's their general inconsistency and a recent inability to win lesser games, particularly at home, has cost.
Tonight though, The Bluebirds were irresistible and fully merited winners. Nobody could argue that but Blades boss, Neil Warnock did. The man would win a Gold Medal in this summer's Olympics if whingeing was a sport. Maybe on reflection, Warnock will realise his side were distinctly second best because every City player hit form at once. Each stood up and got counted making it possibly the best overall team display of the season. City showed pace, tempo, skill, passion, spirit and the grit and character to fightback from a 1-0 deficit which was undeserved anyway.
It was especially sweet because City had already lost twice to the visitors this season. That incredible 5-3 second half goal blitz at Brammall Lane where we ran out of steam and couldn't handle Sheffield attacking us down the sides and a soulless FA Cup home defeat at the start of January where City failed to register a worthwhile attempt at goal. Those of us at Sheffield will not forget how the home fans and their tannoy loved taunting us with The Pirnaha's Tom Hark every time they scored so top marks to the tannoy man by playing that at final whistle to taunt the poxy 160 or so away fans (and they call themselves a big club aiming for the Premiership - yeah, right).
Lennie's line-up named itself with five injured, Bonner gone to Oldham whilst other "squad" players have probably seen their last first-team action of the season, and possibly their City career, after events at Wrexham in midweek FAW Premier Cup action. Fortunately for City, a midfield crisis was just about averted as John Robinson and Willie Boland were patched up to play after a fortnight's absence although Boland only survived to half-time. It was Margetson, Croft-Gabbidon-Collins-Vidmar, Langley-Boland-Whalley-Robinson, Lee-Earnshaw.
Neil Warnock's Sheffield United went top of the table after beating City earlier in the season but have fallen off the pace set by Norwich and West Brom. Their automatic promotion challenge seems dead in the water after this result. They started the day in 3rd place but left South Wales 10 points behind the top two. They now need to ensure their play-off place as they now lie in the last place and only 1 point ahead of Wigan and Ipswich immediately behind them. Their lost ground came in a disastrous run from late January and all February where they lost 5 out of 6 games. They came to Ninian Park unbeaten in 5 but suffered a hugely disappointing midweek home draw to Derby which put real pressure on them to win at Ninian.
Sheffield started with Paddy Kenny in goals, Kozluk-Morgan-Page-Francis, Jagielka-McCall-Tonge-Ndlovu, Lester-Gray. Defender Chris Morgan will have been disappointed not to see Neil Alexander in goals as 2 of just 8 goals in well over 200 league games came when Alexander refused to challenge him at far post crosses at Barnsley last season - the first time I can recall the faults now in his game costing City. His centre-half partner, Robert Page, needed no introduction to City or Wales followers. Stuart McCall still motors about in midfield and is an influence which does not tell you that he is 40 years old at the end of this season whilst City would be wary of Peter Ndlovu after his hat-trick and inspirartion to the Blades against us in that 5-3 win.
The crowd of 13,666 was City's lowest of the season but perhaps to be expected with a rugby international in town in the afternoon guaranteed to keep some of the more fairweather fans away and inevitably causing transport problems, the game live on Sky and Sheffield bringing the second lowest visiting support of the season - only Wigan brought fewer. The weather was mild and the pitch was excellent. Sky tv cameras always seem to bring a bit more atmosphere too, we like to be seen and heard on tv.
The opening minutes were promising but frustrating because of the officiating. City won an early throw which the linesman in front of the Grandstand signalled to us but ref Tony Leake overuled him. It seemed to affect the linesman. Alan Lee took off on an electrifying 60 yard run to win a corner, the linesman unbelievably gave a goal-kick than Richard Langley won a throw which the same lino gave the other way. The ref and linesman were getting boos and chants of, "you don't know what you're doing" and "same old English, always cheating".
However City looked good and were full of skill, energy and passion comfortably in charge at the back, midfield performing well and Lee with Earnie carrying far more threat than Sheffield's counter-parts. However the good start nearly went out of the window as Tonge won the ball and skipped past Langley a little too easily, got by Vidmar and skidded over a low ball which Lester turned into the near side netting, some seeing the net bulge and thinking that it had gone in.
It seemed to click City into another gear as they took the game to the visitors and looked rampant. Croft and Vidmar were bombing forward in support, Whalley and Boland were working hard in midfield with Langley and Robinson full of touches and invention whilst Lee and Earnie were buzzing. Decisions still weren't falling our way but none were more costly that when big Alan Lee, rampaging away and charging into Sheffield's defence with relish, won another free-kick. Whalley flighted a left-footed inswinger and Lee powered a header past Kenny amongst the crowd. Ref Leeke rightly ruled there was a hand involved but nobody realised at the time, it incensed the crowd and fired up the players even more.
From the resulting free-kick, Richard Langley three himself at the ball and opposition players three times, winning it every time, and a throw for Cardiff to wild cheers until the ref and linesman infuriated us again by giving a free-kick the other way and then their big striker Gray pit a boot on Langley's face as he fell to the floor after his last challenge. Gray could have seen straight red, the ref awarded yellow, the crowd booed, the free-kick was switched to City which riled Sheffield. I never knew free-kicks could be switched around?
City were now on top of the game, Willie Boland giving everything but, surprisingly, he was being matched all the way by Gareth Whalley who additionally was sending over crosses. Most were cut out but one was close to being an own goal byStuart McCall. Ninian were baying City on, the was singing in every area of the ground but disaster struck on 25 minutes as, sod's law, Sheffield got out just once, hit one effort at goal and scored.
It was simple but effective. An inswinging corner came into the centre of goal, Tony Vidmar made sure it was first and nodded out but. predator-like, PETER NDLOVU showed his class by hitting a half-volley back with interest before it bounced (Mousebreaker style for those of you playing that game!) which whistled through the crowd and past Margetson who had no chance. Great finishing for Ndlovu's 9th of the season - four of them against us!
Cardiff deserve all the praise and credit for not letting it affect them as they spent the rest of the half taking the game to Sheffield whose only outlet seem to be balls hammered away or the odd run by their powerful peroxide right-back Simon Francis, a very strong defender. Other than that it was one way traffic, City's football was clever, lively and inventive although sometimes they over-complicated and over-played their football. They also never quite found the big breakthrough.
Chances came though were Lee twice testing Kenny with a low drive and a higher one, both different tests but both straight at him. John Robinson - involved with everything and pleasing to see Langley and him often switching sides which, I believe, bothers opposition teams - twisted and turned inside the box before spinning and letting volley with a rising volley that Kenny managed at the second attempt. A couple of foot either side and he was beaten.
It looked like one of those halves when we would spend the interval scratching our heads and wondering how City were losing it when a major turn point and luck but deserved luck finally came our way. In the final action of the one minute's added time, Alan Lee won another free-kick, what a nightmare he has to be to play against. This was 35 yards out and to the right of goal as you faced it.
City loaded the area but Richard Langley lined up and seemed interested in shooting although it looked too far out. Ironically, a Sheffield defender anticipated Langley was thing of shooting - he did, after all - score from a similar position at Bramall Lane and stood on the line at the near post but was sent back out. As he did, Langley did his free-kick dance routine where he stands on his front of his feet like an egg chaser lines up a rugby penalty, advanced and struck a free-kick over and around the wall but without great power, direction and height. It swung towards Kenny who got his body behind the ball but the rest was pure farce as he dived forward, let the ball slip through his arms, deflect off his body and squirm into the corner of goal - exactly where his defender had stood moments before. LANGLEY's 5th of the season.
It was the least that City deserved. Paddy Kenny got plenty of stick as he trudged off with "dodgy keeper" ringing in his ears. What goes around comes around, the portly keeper has goaded City a few times playing for his former club, Bury, and Sheffield before now. It really set things up for the 2nd half.
Half-time: CITY 1 SHEFFIELD UNITED 1
Cardiff had to re-adjust as Willie Boland's hamstring had inflamed enough to ensure he couldn't continue so Lee Bullock was sent on to replace him. Sheffield United knew it was a game they had to win if they harboured any outside hopes of automatic promotion and tried to get at City early in the half but, to a man, City held firm. There were numerous contenders for man of the match, John Robinson got the Sky award although there were also justifiable claims for Croft, Vidmar, Gabbidon, Whalley, Langley and Lee but I would have plumped for James Collins who stood out as a powerful and magnificent defender repelling everything that came his way and always playing his way out of trouble too.
He put his head, body and anything else he could on the line for City. He didn't miss a single header or challenge all evening and was a complete rock. The big, ugly, no nonsense and imposing centre-half that City have been missing. Lennie will never admit it but I am sure he knows one of his big mistakes this season was leaving Collins completely out of favour since, ironically, that 5-3 defeat at Sheffield (where he wasn't to blame for the goals which all came from the sides) until last week, a period when he also preferred the outgoing Spencer Prior in the first team or on the bench when the need arose. I am sure he'll never make that mistake again, it's now upto Collins to stay there. Mind you, I wished he's stop mimicking his mate Gabbidon with his socks over his knees! Gabbidon's stay up, every time Collins cleared, he would pause to pull his socks over his knees again.
Sheffield sent a couple of efforts wide and a Ndlovu looping header just cleared the bar but they never looked like finding a way through. Earnie tested Kenny, Langley hit the wall with a free-kick and City put several entertaining moves together. The better, more telling football all night always came from us.
The game was won and lost as Sheffield failed to convert their best chance other than their goal and 69 minutes and 20 seconds later, saw themselves behind to a quality goal with City breaking at their best to send Ninian Park into complete mayhem. Sheffield worked the ball down City's left and won a corner. Tonge never caught it properly but it somehow still travelled low through the crowd to Robert Page standing in front of the penalty spot. With the goal yawning, he mishit his effort and sent it towards Croft and the rest was fantastic football.
Crofty switched it inside to Langley who turned and came away before playing it back outside to Croft. He got past a defender and sent over a superb ball delivered for the onrushing Lee and a Sheffield defender. Their challenge saw the ball skid off the top of them but straight into the path of JOHN ROBINSON who angled his body and boot to send the ball low back across goal. It took the merest of deflections of a Sheffield boot, beat Kenny's dive and nestled inside his far post - great technique sending the ball back from where it came. ROBBO's 1st ever City goal and it set them up for a big win. The roar was immense and so were the Oh Johnny Johnny, Johnny Johnny Johnny Johnny Robin-son chants. ROBBO being quiet and unassuming (as if!) charged to the corner of Bob Bank and Grange End and fell to his knees. No more popular goal or goalscorer all season. Nearly brought a tear to my eye!
The rest was all about City closing out the game. Sheffield tried to hit us but never came close, they looked very disappointing in fact but that's a tribute to us. Cardiff never gave them the space or chance to play, we closed them down, always won the ball eventually and never panicked with it. Margetson only had one save to make all half, comfortably taking a Francis drive.
City always looked like they would score again before Sheffield ever did and came closest too with Kenny almost fumbling in a second time from a John Robinson hit - cue more dodgy keeper chants - Earnie should have done better with another slick three man move sending him clear but he lacked composure shooting an hit it low and straight to Kenny but the keeper showed his abilities as another superb sweeping move saw Langley take on ball 30 yards out on the right and hit a rasping, rising volley that Kenny just finger-tipped over his bar.
The singing from City was fantastic and the ground was bouncing, Men of Harlech and chants of City, seemed to go on and on and on with Canton Stand, Grange End, Bob Bank and Grandstand all singing as one. Brilliant stuff.
Sheffield responded by throwing on Paul Shaw (an ex-City loan player) and big Ian McLeod but their arrival had no impact. With 10 minutes remaining, Lennie surprised everyone by bringing on Campbell for Earnie. Earnie obviously wasn't happy and stood there motionless for several seconds and going off to the slowest walk off ever. I could have walked home to Barry in the time it took him to get from penalty area to dugout.
As City won, you have to say the substitution worked but even though Earnie wasn't playing well, he fully occupied two defenders on his own, you can't under-estimate the value of that. Campbell never got a meaningful touch until into added time. With 5 to go, Chris Barker replaced John Robinson as City sought to close out their win which they did very comfortably, every touch, flick and clearance being wildly cheered. In truth, we never looked in any trouble whatsoever but my heart missed a beat as Wayne Allison, ancient but he always scores against us, came on late too - fortunately, too late.
Final whistle brought a standing ovation, celebrations that made you wonder if we had won promotion. Having been dumped out of the FA Cup twice in a couple of years and beaten at Bramall Lane this season, it meant something to the fans. The big win, and the emphatic style in which it was earned, seemed to finally confirm how we've arrived in Division One and are learning. Next problem to solve, despite some renewing talk of a play-off challenge is finding consistency as we have just about successively won and lost every game in the last 6 weeks. Encouragingly however, this completed our first back-to-back league victories since Rotherham and Bradford were put away in early January.
Tom Hark helped us wave goodbye, with various styles of gesture, to the meagre numbers of Yorkshire-ites in the away section and had the roads and pubs nearby buzzing. I ended up getting a train home with the Barry Boys and one more celebratory bevvy in Barry Dockers club near Cadoxton Station. If you think the Lansdowne is a City drinking shrine then think again.
The bar is decked out in City colours and so are the walls, complete with City wallpaper borders and the floor is too - a huge Bluebird painted into it. Then there's the dartboard area surrounded with a huge St David's Cross style scoring blackboard. The ceiling is covered in City shirts through the years and the walls are plastered in City photos, posters and programmes. The jukebox had punk and rock aplenty and Brain's Dark on draught too, great finish to a fantastic memorable day. Now that's a City drinking den! Great finish to a fantastic day.
Report from FootyMad
A howler from Blades keeper Paddy Kenny gifted Cardiff City an equaliser and they went on to claim a deserved victory.
There looked little danger in first-half injury-time when Richard Langley hit a free-kick from 35 yards, but Kenny somehow fumbled the ball into the net off his near post.
United had taken the lead when Peter Ndlovu crashed a shot into the net when the Bluebirds defence failed to clear a 25th minute corner.
Both sides went for the win in the second half but it was the home side who scored the decisive goal in the 63rd minute.
Once again it was a cross into the box that caused the trouble and when the ball was cleared it went straight to John Robinson who steered the ball back across Kenny and into the corner of the net for his first goal for the club.
City boss Lennie Lawrence was delighted with his side's performance.
"I'm very proud of the way we played as they are a difficult side to beat and I am pleased that we came from a goal behind to win," he said.
"We showed a great defensive quality and were superior in both penalty areas. Our second goal was quality and overall we shaded it.
"They have beaten us twice this season but it was our turn tonight. I'm not thinking about reaching the play-offs but there are no easy games at this club and we will keep going until the end of the season and I will see then where we finish."Blades manager Neil Warnock was very unhappy about his side's defeat.
"We didn't deserve to lose but goals change games," he moaned. "I was very disappointed today as the Cardiff players seemed to get away with everything while we were always pulled up.
"Even so, we had chances in the second half just before they scored.
"Our keeper made a mistake but these things happen and it has cost us dearly. That equaliser gave them a lift and it was a kick in the teeth for us right on half-time."
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