On a brilliant night, memories were evoked of THAT famous FA Cup win as Cardiff City - that's the squad of players unbelievably backed by 15,000 voices and pairs of hands - bounced back from an awkward first half to storm and wrestle a shell-shocked Leeds United into two falls, submission and defeat. EASY, EASY, EASY, EASY!
It had it all. High drama, powerful passion, good play, strong passing and movement, supreme moments, game turning occasions, intensity and thrills and was one of those games of two halves. Leeds United were calm, confident, in control, almost cocky and looked very good value for an interval 1-0 lead. At that point, I genuinely feared for City but how they turned it around as they pushed up, applied themselves, forced pressure and forced Leeds to wilt in the NP cauldron but it needed a moment of majesty form Jason Koumas to score with his first touches, just 2 minutes after his substitution debut and then Darren Purse's unstoppable penalty to floor Leeds. Epic stuff.
After weekend defeat, this was a big game and it brought out a big crowd. It took me almost an hour to get to Ninian Park from Barry, sod's law that lorry would break down on the Culverhouse Cross by-pass so the pre-match bevvy was abandoned and then more havoc as Parc Nin's car park was full to overflowing which meant the game was 2 minutes old before I got into the ground.
It could have been worse. At that point, there was still a 200 yard long queue snaking outside the ground into Sloper Road with "pay on the nighters". With fewer season ticket holders this term, if we're going to be successful and have big crowds, it means more fans turning up on the day and it must be better handled than one portakabin. The club have to accept not everyone will buy in advance. We can't fill our ground anyway so we cannot mess around with support. It's not good enough. Sort it out City.
Team news and, with a certain amount of surprise, Cardiff were unchanged. I think most expected the 4-4-1-1 experiment with Parry playing behind Jerome to be abandoned having caused Ipswich so few problems and looking so ineffective in the final third but DJ stuck with it. So it was Alexander, Darlington-Cox-Purse (Captain)-Barker, Ardley-Boland-Whitley-Cooper and Parry playing behind Jerome as a lone striker. A noticeable bench change though as Jason Koumas was available having recovered sufficiently from a minor groin injury and knocked Weston into the stands so it was Warner-Koumas-Lee-Loovens-Mulryne.
If it's been all change at Cardiff, the Leeds dressing room must have a revolving door as they trade players like Top Trumps. In fact, 32 different players have had Leeds debuts since the start of last season. With Ken Bates now in charge, season ticket prices increased by a staggering 50% in many areas and a strong support, they are straying to flew their muscles. They opened the season with a 2-1 home win over Millwall and were looking for another good result tonight.
Their side are undoubtedly strong with Neil Sullivan in goals - a defence of Gary Kelly - the man mountain of Paul Butler - madman Shaun Derry - and Dan Harding (ex-Brighton). Midfield had quality with American Eddie Lewis (ex-Preston) - Erik Bakke - Sean Gregan and Jermaine Wright and it was rounded off strongly up front with Robbie Blake back in the Championship after a brief stint at Birmingham and David Healy. That is a good side. The bench were keeper Ian Bennett - Einarsson - Kilgannon - Richardson - Ricketts.
The key action (for City anyway) came in the 2nd period so let's keep first half talk brief! City started brightly, Paul Parry making space on the left and finding Kevin Cooper but his shot was hit at Neil Sullivan in the opening 2 minutes but although City showed strongly early on, a pattern was forming with Leeds will a step ahead of The Bluebirds with their passing, movement and ability to find and make space. Leeds got better as the half progressed.
City were more workmanlike and perhaps, one dimensional, and again struggled to make a true impact in the final third. When they got forward, the quality of the crossing or final ball left a lot to be desired. Most crosses were fired in high and without pace, food and drink to the Chaos Bros central defence due of Derry and the impressive Butler. Corners and free kicks came to nothing.
Leeds first moment of danger came on 12 minutes as a diagonal ball behind Darlington in the penalty area wasn't quite brought down correctly, Robbie Blake swept onto it but Darlo recovered enough to deflect his angled shot which still frayed nerves as it looped just over and just wide.
On 22 minutes, Cardiff were caught cold as Leeds opened the scoring with a simple but well-worked work goal. City were attacking but the fell loose on Leeds right. Hunting in packs, Kelly was quickly closed by two blue shirts but the shock was when he hit a 50 yard ball along the touchline, David Healy found himself in acres of space with the back four not having worked things out. No centre half went with Healy, Barker was out of position. Healy had all the time to get wide into City's area and then roll a ball across the face of goal where ROBBIE BLAKE was ahead of Cox and turned it home at the far post.
Leeds fans were celebrating and enjoying the opportunity to take the pee. "Easy, easy, easy" soon went up followed by "1-0 in your cup final" and then "Risdale, Risdale, what's the score?", directed at Peter Risdale widely blamed in Yorkshire for their turmoil of the past few years - all coming after City beat them in THAT Cup game when they were top of the Premiership and City were in League One.
The next chance came from City and should have been an equaliser. Kevin Cooper put over a high outswinging ball to the far post, Neil Ardley excellently outjumoped a man and, of all players, it fell to Willie Boland 6 yards out but he failed to out direction or power on a header as the ball bounced up and sent it straight at Sullivan on his line. It fell to the wrong man but credit to Willie for being there.
Shortly after, skipper Butler got booked after being fouled either for dissent but maybe it was the first yellow card we've seen for the new refereeing directive to book players for excessive swearing or intimidation towards refs. Ref Tanner was pointing out that whatever he did, it had happened a few times.
The rest of the half was frustrating as Cardiff moves broke down, some passes went astray, the ref seemed to be having an intimate love affair with his whistle and Leeds were controlling possession with some ease. Blake had a chance to double their lead right on half-time but fired over from close range. Cardiff certainly needed the interval more than the visitors and there were genuine fears by many around me that Leeds could go onto record a comfortable win.
Half-time: CITY 0 LEEDS 1
The new halfway line supporters shot at goal competition didn't happen tonight but entertainment on the tannoy as Ali played The Clash's "I fought the law and the law won" and an old soul number, "Please Mr Jailer, set my man free". Couldn't possibly connected to incidents regarding Leeds fans at Elland Road last January, could it?
Both sides came back but there was a significant loss for Leeds as Paul Butler who was running the entire show at the back must have been injured and replaced by Kilgannon. They just didn't look as imposing.
The first shot of the half went to Cameron Jerome who wasn't too far away with a 20 yard drive but it was so nearly game over moments later. Jermaine Wright played a superb ball behind Darlington, Lewis burst into the area and cut back to Healy who looked certain to score. Darren Purse performed heroics to throw his body in the way and block the effort but the ball fell to Wright who put a foot wide from 10 yards. He should have scored, he knew it.
It was decisive. City seemed fired up and starting forcing themselves onto Leeds and pushing them back. There was suddenly momentum and life with them. The crowd realised it too as the atmosphere was suddenly building and there was a brilliant noise echoing around the old ground from all sides of the ground.
As seen at Elland Road, Leeds resorted to some cynical time wasting tactics to spoil the game and take the sting out of City. Throw ins were being handed to different players but, once again, the worst culprit was keeper Neil Sullivan who suddenly missed or "accidentally" deflected balls thrown to him by ball boys to waste time, took his kicks from the opposite side of goal to where he picked up the ball and took an eternity to prepare himself for a kick. I actually looked at the clock on the big screen as it happened and saw three kicks of his took between 30-45 seconds to restart the game taking almost two minutes out of the match.
City came close with some great play and one-twos dissecting Leeds through the heart of their defence but Jerome couldn't quite get power to his shot and was snuffed.
It was building but DJ decided it also needed something different and threw Jason Koumas into the action just 10 minutes after the restart - that's the sort of change Lennie Lawrence wouldn't have considered until 10 minutes remained in a previous City life. And what an inspired decision, what a dynamite introduction. Koumas had one of the loudest roars I've ever heard for a sub coming on but even that was eclipsed.
Within 4 minutes and with his first touches, the ball came to Koumas 40 yards out. He ran at the heart of Leeds defence and they seemed mesmerised, either standing off or parting. A couple of touches later and 25 yards out, KOUMAS let fly a low curling left footer that comprehensively beat the flying Sullivan and arrow-like found the bottom corner. The roar that greeted that was like nothing else in ages, spine-tingling stuff. Koumas ran to celebrate with the Grange and ayatollahed as the game restarted. The buzz from that lasted to the end of the game.
All momentum was now with City and powering forward, Leeds were being battered. The pace, the movement, the width, the possession and the territory was all with Cardiff. They were rampant, unstoppable and wouldn't be denied.
Six minutes later, City were ahead. Kelly brought down Jerome wide right, Ardley sent a free-kick over and Kilgannon attacked the ball with his arm. Penalty, not everyone realised immediately but it didn't take long. Skipper Darren Purse strode forward, collected the ball and left everyone in no doubt who was taking it.
The suspense was immense but the penalty could not have been more emphatic. Sullivan went the right way and full length too but PURSE's effort was far too good. He was beaten for power and direction.
It was now full on fiesta time. The whole ground was bouncing and we could turn the tables on Leeds with everyone chanting, "There's only one Peter Risdale", the man himself standing to acknowledge it. It was soon followed by, "you're not famous anymore". Ali announced the officially declared crowd and said Peter Risdale would like to thank all Cardiff fans for their support which brought out another huge cheer. Leeds fans must have been riled, can't have enough of that! The sight of the whole ground clapping hands doing "Easy, easy, easy" was visually awesome too. Cameron was a few inches from finishing it altogether with a 25 yard drive that looped over Sullivan but his bar too.
As time ticked away, Leeds were always going to make a fist of it and they showed that they are a strong side who certainly look as if they will be in the reckoning this term. City get lucky with a couple of clearances, a header ot two that flashed wide and a shot that went narrowly wide. City conceding a number of free-kicks outside the box didn't help the nerves or hearts either. However they stayed strong and organised and every clearance was greeted as if it was the best piece of football seen in the world ever!
Time ran out for Leeds and Ardley almost finished it in style with a 30 yarder that was inches over. Instead, we had a comic book finish as Leeds' last attack saw Harding play the ball to far ahead for Derry, Jerome cleared but Derry clearly left studs out to catch him. Then he got up and squared up to Harding, his own player, putting his head against him. Apparently, all of that only deserves a yellow card, lucky boy.
Alan Lee was on as sub and winding up Leeds players as well. The Leeds bench weren't happy to see City standing up for themselves and giving it back, complaining to the 4th official. How we loved it when DJ pulled him away and made muppet gestures to the Leeds bench telling them to shut up and stared them out with a look that you could feel from 50 yards away.
Final whistle brought a huge euphoric cheer and celebration. What a night, what a truly brilliant second half of passion, grit and determination. All that from a team still gelling!
There were excellent displays all round from City. Neil Alexander was decisive at the back tonight, commanding his six yard box and coming for crosses. Darlington had a couple of dodgy moments but always seems to make up for his mistakes and looks far better than Weston on current form for that role. Purse is a real leader, a rock. Cox wasn't far behind but almost fatally hesitated a couple of times but got away with it. Barker recovered from a poorish first half to be fantastic after the interval.
Cooper played very well but Ardley did better and it was good to see them changing over and mixing things up. Whitley is everywhere and is a real asset. Paul Parry gave Leeds hell in the second half running from deep and wide whilst Jerome wasn't quite at his best and didn't always make the right decisions but battled and worked for every scrap of possession and how that was needed. Help is on the way for him, then we'll see his best. Koumas got sponsors man of the match without doing much else. He'll probably be embarrassed about that but goals change games and in one moment of brilliance, he turned that match completely on its head.
Next game - Watford home 7:45pm Friday, tickets on sale now. If it's like this one, how could you consider being anywhere else??
The Cost of Being A City Fan
Match Tickets (took the family tonight): £57
Travel to/from home and coach pick up: £3
Car Park: £3
Programme: Sold Out (again!)
Food and Drink: £12
Total cost today: £75
Cost for season to date: £255
Report from FootyMad
A superb second-half fightback following with the introduction of Jason Koumas allowed Cardiff City to snatch a victory that looked highly unlikely during the opening period.
Within four minutes of going on to the Ninian Park turf for the first time just before the hour mark, Koumas turned the match on its head.
Collecting a pass from Jermaine Darlington he drove a low shot into the far corner of the net beyond the diving Neil Sullivan in the Leeds goal.
Six minutes later Cardiff took the lead when the referee signalled a penalty following a handball by Leeds substitute Matthew Kilgallon.
Up stepped skipper Darren Purse to drill the penalty beyond Sullivan and suddenly the Bluebirds were ahead after looking likely to be heading for a second defeat in a row.
City boss Dave Jones kept face with the side beaten 1-0 at Ipswich on Saturday, but Koumas was now fit enough for a place on the bench.
Leeds almost made a goal out of nothing in the ninth minute when Eirik Bakke flicked a shot across the goalmouth from a wide position which drifted agonisingly close to Neil Alexander's far post.
Leeds did made the breakthrough in the 22nd minute when Gary Kelly launched a ball down the right flank to David Healy. His low cross into the danger area was met by Robbie Blake who ran the ball into the empty net.
In a rare City attack, Willie Boland sent a point-blank header straight at Sullivan from a Kevin Cooper cross, but generally Leeds were on top and looking more dangerous than a Bluebirds side still bedding in a number of new players.
Right on the interval Healy blazed a half chance high and wide when well placed.
When the second half started there was little sign of the drama about to follow as Leeds continued to hold the upper hand.
Wales International Koumas ran on to a tremendous reception from the Ninian Park faithful and immediately there was a spring in the Cardiff players' steps.
Once they were ahead there was no way back for the Leeds outfit who were suddenly demoralised and unable to match their form of the first half.
External reports
Western Mail
The Times
Leeds Utd Life
Leeds Official Website
Cardiff Official Website