City keep home fires burning with a complete display
CARDIFF City turned on their most complete performance of the season to dispose of QPR in the Welsh capital last night.
Goals from Sean Morrison, Marlon Pack and a late thunderbolt from Callum Paterson ensured the Bluebirds’ unbeaten league run extended to seven games.
But it won’t only be the result that pleases manager Neil Warnock, it was the manner in which they did it.
In attack, they were clinical and they were just as ruthless in defence, which they needed to be against a spirited and dangerous QPR side.
Ahead of the game, the Cardiff City line-up looked the most attacking we had seen for some time.
Warnock might have had his hand forced, with Joe Ralls having played through injury in the past few weeks, but he handed Lee Tomlin his first start since August and straight away it looked a more creative side.
Josh Murphy was also reinstated on the left-hand side to add yet more pace in front of a formidable holding-midfield pairing of Leandro Bacuna and Marlon Pack.
One glance at the visitors’ team sheet and the big takeaway was Nahki Wells, who was fit enough only for the bench.
Mark Warburton handed a Championship debut to 23-year-old goalkeeper Liam Kelly to boot.
So, at least ahead of the game, it all looked positive for the Bluebirds.
But no-one told Bright Osayi-Samuel that. The winger, just five minutes in, turned Joe Bennett, which would become a theme throughout the night, and unleashed a venomous shot at goal. Alex Smithies was forced into action and made a tremendous save to keep the QPR man at bay.
The Cardiff City faithful roared their players into action and the Bluebirds responded.
Tomlin was at his dazzling best in the opening exchanges. He was hacked to the ground no less than four times in the opening 10 minutes, the last of which he made count.
He lifted in a delightful ball to the back post and Aden Flint won his duel in the air, nodding it back across goal before Morrison nodded home the first with just 11 minutes on the clock.
But the visitors were not going to just sit there and take it, they got a foothold in the game and Cardiff, for a period, looked worried.
Ryan Manning, Eberechi Eze and Osayi-Samuel looked a threat whenever they were afforded the chance and the hosts had to call on their defence on more than one occasion.
Eze came the closest, receiving the ball just outside the box before sending a bending effort into the upright.
But, credit where it’s due, the Bluebirds’ defence was not breached and on the stroke of half-time they hit the visitors with a body blow.
Gavin Whyte was found with a short corner before he drilled a cross across the face of goal and Pack tapped home to double the lead before the break.
QPR picked up in the second half the way they played most of the first. Their passing was neat and the Bluebirds were forced to sit deep.
The visitors’ best chance of the second half fell to Manning, whose leftfooted effort clattered into the post before the rebound was skewed wide by Josh Scowen.
Paterson was then introduced, presumably to shore up the midfield, and he made a telling impact.
The ball bobbled to him 20 yards from goal and he unleashed a thunderbolt of a volley which almost broke the back of Kelly’s net.
Cardiff City: Smithies; Peltier, Flint, Morrison, Bennett; Bacuna, Pack; Whyte (Hoilett 87), Tomlin (Paterson 65’), Murphy; Glatzel (Ward 82). Subs not used: Etheridge, Coxe, Nelson, Mendez-Laing
QPR: Kelly; Rangel (Kane 68), Cameron, Leistner, Manning; Ball (Wells 63), Chair (Pugh 80), Scowen, Eze; Osayi-Samuel, Hugill. Subs not used: Lumley, Wallace, Mlakar, Masterson
Referee: Matt Donohue
Attendance: 21,387