Cardiff City, when it mattered most, found a big display to humiliate Premiership play-offs chasers from the not-so-Royal(s) Reading to thrill a passionate home crowd and secure a fantastic, comprehensive and surprisingly comfortable 2-0 win courtesy of first half goals form our maligned strikers of Peter Thorne and Cameron Jerome in a clash they dominated and experienced very few problems.
It was one of those days where City looked like a play-off side, oh so poor Reading resembled a team fighting relegation. The visiting fans must have been shocked to see their side lack the bottle, never and fight at the stage of the season when it’s needed like no other time.
It was such a big win for Cardiff. It brought up the 50 point target, the landmark at which it is believed sides are safe from the drop. Given that City were the only winners in the entire bottom half of the Championship, it looks more likely than ever. In fact, City find themselves in as healthy a position since the season started.
With 2 games to go, City climbed to 17th, it guarantees Forest cannot catch us and we’re three above Brighton who remain in the final relegation berth. With City’s vastly superior goal difference worth an extra point too, it’s odds on we will stay up. The reactions of players at final whistle, the ecstatic cheering and the broad relieved smiles from thousands exiting onto Sloper Road underlined it all.
Steve Coppell’s Reading came to town in 6th place, the final play-off spot. Defeat sent them crashing out of it. On a day when their performance was truly worse than Cardiff’s finances, they’ll do well to get back in there. Reading were battered, outplayed and out-performed in every single area of the pitch. Whilst it once more confirmed what a low quality Championship it is, Cardiff deserve all the credit and plaudits today.
Frankly, who cares about Reading? City matter!
No doubt, The Royals fancied it in advance. With 1 defeat in their previous 10 games - a sharp contrast to City winning just 1 of our previous 8 - their last away outing produced a great win at Sunderland, their ginge goal getter Dave Kitson was shooting from the lip of how he would punish Lennie and City for not buying him (why? You had a lucky escape Mr Kitson!) and their good side (on paper) provided the toughest test in midfield especially with ex-City loanee James Harper and Steve Sidwell, possibly the best midfielder outside the Premiership, pitted against Boland and Langley but, like the rest of their side, Sidwell and Harper were left overwhelmed and embarrassed with their efforts.
Coppell’s side were Hannemann, Murty-Sonko-Keown-Shorey, Newman-Haprer-Sidwell-Brooker, Kitson-Forster. Martin Keown was made to look old enough to go on a Saga holiday this summer by Cameron Jerome and he could be joined by Les Ferdinand, (un)officially owner of the biggest arse in the Championship, given his 2nd half substitute outing.
City, to nobody’s surprise really, were unchanged. We can all argue for Williams in place of Vidmar, midfield adjustments and maybe Thorne or Jerome being rested for Lennie but I doubt that Lennie even considered it. It was Alexander, Vidmar-Collins-Gabbidon-Barker, Ardley-Boland-Langley-McAnuff, Thorne-Jerome. Subs were Margetson-Ledley-Lee-Parry-Williams.
Reading were backed, quietly very quietly, by 1,500 travelling fans, the stands were near capacity and only spaces seemed to exist in Bob Bank terrace which was itself busier than usual. In short, it only looked slightly less than 17,151 who watched the Wigan game a fortnight ago (which many thought was understated). This time, they announced 14,821. Wry smiles from all around me trying to work out where they could have possibly fitted another 7,000 had it been a full house. A chant of "14,000, you're'aving a laugh" made a better statement.
Heavy overnight and morning rain produced a greasy surface which players, Reading’s especially, struggled to adapt with, most players slipped over at least once in the opening period. It did however mean the ball could move at pace as it skidded on contact with the grass but needed to be played to feet. It was a bright start by both sides with Reading particularly prominent and they appeared to overload their right, appearing to have identified the out of sorts, out of position and soon out of the club Tony Vidmar the weak point of our back four as were throwing over crosses from that side alone but City had the first shot with Langers hitting wide meeting a misdirected Jerome header.
Reading carried the biggest threat but City stayed solid and no chances arrived for all the decent play by the visitors. City however looked dangerous coming forward with Ardley and McAnuff prominent, Thorney was winning a battle with Keown and Jerome was running riot. Reading’s central defence were creaking and looking uncomfortable.
On 12 minutes, Ninian went absolutely mental as City took the lead with the easiest goal we’ll score in a long while and rank bad defending. Having won a free-kick 25 yards out, nearly level with the right angle of the Reading penalty area, Ardley swung a ball to the far post. However every Reading player had gone near or to the middle covering Collins, Gabbs, got themselves into a comical mess running out for offside then lost flight of the ball as it passed them all,
It left PETER THORNE and two other City shirts in the clear. Thorney had all the time in the world ... and more ... to chest the ball down, wait for the bounce and then delightfully half volley past a static Hannemann into his top right corner.
“Easy, easy, easy” City fans teased and how right they were. A handful of Reading fans were dressed as knights in armour for St George's Day, how we laughed at them being slayed by the Dragon. Their helmets probably hid their embarrassment. But it was the 78th anniversary of Cardiff City’s F.A. Cup win and, as we all know, that’s far more important. The lads of ‘27 would have been proud of City today.
With the goal, City’s confidence lifted, Reading’s were in a state of chaos, wilting and having no answers under pressure. They had the look of rabbits in headlights about them, they were p*ssing themselves more in public than Paula Radcliffe on a marathon run. It was fantastic to see City get amongst them, in their faces and then control the game almost at will. James Harper, with schoolboy socks like his mate Rhys Weston, looked a schoolboy as Willie Boland shackled him and Richard Langley put on his best display in central midfield. City fans loved it, singing boomed around the ground.
City almost doubled their advantage straight from the kick-off as Ardley, who was become inspirational to City’s cause in a week, burst past Reading players and was denied as he was about to shoot. Midway through the half came a change as Darren Williams replaced Tony Vidmar. Was it tactical as some believe as did Vidmar have some sort of injury that didn’t appear obvious? Whatever, it made City better than stronger.
Williams settled in immediately, had an instant rapport with Neil Ardley and City had a balance on the right that they'd been missing for weeks with Vidmar there. Not Vids fault, he was used out of position but Lennie had stood by and justified his decision but it was shown how wrong it was. Williams may be unspectacular but he is solid and right now, that’s exactly what City needed.
On half-hour, it was 2-0 and we were all in Bluebird heaven, fears lifted. After feeling on the road to nowhere or even oblivion for a while, we could put all that to one side as we felt we’d arrived on Safety Street. The second goal was coming and it duly arrived as, once more, Reading’s defence collapsed.
Ardley was giving them trouble from corners, Keown had a curious approach to them as he never watched the ball but stared at, and tried to force away, City’s players instead. One corner swung over, Reading lost the ball, it fell for Peter Thorne whose effort into the ground bounced over the diving Hanemann but was cleared off the line by Shorey.
With the crowd baying, the ball came over, Keown again not watching it, Collins won it and headed back across, it deflected off Keown to CAMERON JEROME free and he swept it home from 8 yards through Hanemann’s legs. I don’t know if he shouted Nuts or Megs as the roar from the terraces must have registered on the richter scale.
Before the interval, it was almost 3-0 as Jerome who was now finding space with his pace and movement burst into the area, his shot hit the net and sent many into raptures until they realised it was side netting.
The interval whistle blew with City marching off to ecstatic applause. They could reflect on two halves of football which had saved themselves, the season, City's Championship status and maybe, the very future of the club. At half-time in Leicester in midweek, we were down and out, the pressure had got to them. Fans were calling Samaritans, we had little hope. Somehow, they boys turned it around and grabbed a draw, the lift gave them confidence that they carried into this game. What a transformation.
Half-time: CITY 2 Reading 0
In a crisis, Reading had to hit back and fast. They came out for the second half, City kept them waiting. Nice one.
When they returned, Sir Lesley of Ferdinand was on the pitch for them probably having spent the 15 minute interval trying to squeeze his backside into his shorts. As it turned out, it was hardly worth the effort. Strutting around like a prima donna moaning and complaining at decisions going against him or being beaten by Gabbs and Collins time after time and with City fans taunting him endlessly with “you’re not famous anymore”, he probably couldn't wait to jump on the bus home.
Within 5 minutes of the restart, he was joined by Glen Little as Reading pressed three, sometimes, four men forward but City’s defence were firm and brilliant and when chances arrived, they were all for Cardiff. Reading were pumping balls forward and got nothing, our defence and players are far too good for that.
In fact, all the chances continued falling City's way. Boland fired over in good position, Thorney headed over then put another wide, then hit the outside of the post with Hanemann helpless, Ardley saw a shot cleared off the line by Keown, Gabbidon tried a set piece that dipped a foot wide.
City remained calm and in total control. It had become their best home display of the season. Lennie purred afterwards with pride about how it was City's first win over a Top 6 side this term. At his age, memory loss sets in. Someone will remind that we won at Derby on New Year's Day.
It was an epic City performance from every player. Willie played the holding role and harried everywhere as only he does, it allowed Langers to express himself as he did it very well but it also ensured that Reading's much vaunted midfield duo were never in it. Thorne and Jerome thrived on service, they switched second half with Jerome embarrassing Keown time after time, fantastic stuff.
Ardley has burst through as a natural leader for City and a captain if he stays around for next season if, as expected, Gabbs moves on. McAnuff's pace and skill was a joy as always.
The back four were fantastic. There is no way Vidmar can play in front of Williams again, maybe we've now seen the last of him as he departs this summer. Chris Barker did everything that he's shown all season and which later earned him Player of the Year accolades. Collins won the battle of the ginges by a mile, was Kitson even there?
Gabbs however had an enormous game at the rear. Most eyes may have concentrated on Ginge v Ginge but Gabbidon was at his very best in all he did.
That leaves Neil Alexander who had nothing much to do but his kicking was excellent and he came for several crosses, taking them all. In the last couple of minutes, Ferdinand finally got his head on the ball with a diving header that bounced off the top of the ball and then Kitson got in front of Ginge for the only time all day with a firm downward header that was in all the way until he was denied by astonishing Alexander reflexes to get down and beat it away.
It was probably save of the season, unbelievable stuff. The ball found its way back to Alexander a few seconds later and the ground stood as one to applaud him and hail him as "Scotland's No 1". It was City's first clean sheet in 9, both he and the team deserved that,
The celebrations at final whistle were as if we'd won promotion but staying up in this awful, awful season felt like that to us and the players. A few of them danced on the pitch, some hailed the crowd, Ginge Collins fell to the ground to be joined by Gabbs and then Alexander piled on top for a love in. They were great scenes - a mix of celebration and relief, "The Blues are Staying Up" was chanted was belief and didn't it feel good?
It paved the way for a fantastic Player of the Year night later and one thought. Every time City have Player of the Year night, they always produce a big display and get a result as if they realise they have to meet us later. Perhaps we should have one every home game?
Report from FootyMad
Cardiff City took a major step towards Championship survival with a crucial 2-0 victory over play-off chasing Reading.
Peter Thorne and Cameron Jerome grabbed the goals, both in the first half, to send the Bluebirds three points clear of the drop with two games remaining.
The defeat means that the Royals' Premiership dreams are again in the balance as they dropped out of the play-off places behind West Ham.
But Cardiff will not care one bit as they leaped to 17th place - their highest position in the Championship since August.
Both of City's goals came courtesy of the dead ball precision of Neal Ardley whose delivery was matched by the deadly finishing of Thorne and Jerome.
The 32-year-old has already tasted the bitterness of relegation with Wimbledon from the Premiership in 2000 and set about crafting a victory that would see Cardiff survive their relegation battle.
Ardley's pinpoint free-kick from the right hand side drifted over the Reading defence to find Thorne unmarked on the edge of the box.
City's top marksman needed no second invitation to pick his spot and smashed in his 12th goal of the season beyond the helpless Marcus Hahnemann after only 12 minutes.
The goal settled home nerves but only served to unsettle the Reading defence despite the presence of 43-times capped ex-England defender Martin Keown.
Thorne came close to grabbing his second only to see his looping shot cleared off the line by Nicky Shorey after half an hour.
Ardley's subsequent corner caused all sorts of problems in the Reading box. Keown managed to block an effort from James Collins only for the ball to fall invitingly to Jerome who drove the ball between Hahnemann's legs for the Bluebirds' second.
Thorne almost extended that lead twice early in the second half as Cardiff took control. The in-form striker glanced a header from Ardley's cross over the bar before smashing a right-foot drive onto the post minutes later.
Half-time replacement Les Ferdinand came closest to breaking Reading's duck when he hit the bar late on but it was too little to stop Cardiff giving their survival hopes a massive boost.
External reports
Hob Nob Anyone (Reading)
Wales on Sunday
South Wales Echo