VAULKS IS SPOT ON AS BLUEBIRDS END THEIR POOR RUN
WILL Vaulks hammered home a late penalty to arrest Cardiff City’s losing streak as the Bluebirds earned a 1-1 draw with Birmingham City in their final home game of the season.
The Bluebirds fell behind in an even contest to Jeremie Bela’s first-half strike, but the home side continued to apply pressure after the break and it looked only a matter of time before the Blues’ defence would be breached.
And it took a combination of two substitutes to finally get City back on terms.
Max Watters did well to win the penalty before Vaulks, whose contract is up after the final match against Derby County, emphatically smashed home from 12 yards to ensure City’s fourmatch losing streak came to an end.
There was another little shake-up to Steve Morison’s side as he attempts to glean more insight into what his squad will look like next term.
Mark Harris was given a chance from the off, replacing Watters alongside Jordan Hugill, while there was room in the midfield for Eli King.
There was an intriguing sparring battle in the opening exchanges, however there was an end-of-season air to proceedings which cannot be denied.
Still, there was enough intrigue in the chances created by both sides to keep it semi-entertaining at least.
The first big chance which fell Cardiff’s way came after 18 minutes, when a little bit of trickery from Tommy Doyle on the edge of the box opened up a bit of space for Perry Ng, of all people.
The wing-back shifted the ball onto his left and sent a low shot towards the bottom corner, but it trickled the wrong side of the post.
Minutes later, though, Cardiff were behind.
Doyle’s poor free-kick allowed the Blues to hit City on the break through a lovely through ball from Juninho Bacuna, brother of Cardiff’s Leandro, which flew past King and into Bela’s stride.
The forward, to his credit, had a lot of work to do as he fended off Ng’s tackle and drilled a low shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.
It was a familiar feeling and the life was sucked out of Cardiff City Stadium. The Bluebirds did attempt to regain some impetus, though, when just minutes later, Mark Harris fed Cody Drameh in the box and the wing-back belted an outside-of-the-foot shot from a tight angle, but former Bluebird Neil Etheridge stood firm.
Dillon Phillips, at the other end, was kept on his toes, too.
He had to make two saves in quick succession from Lyle Taylor and Bela shots as the game opened up deep in the first half. But the closest Cardiff came to a leveller before half time was a rasping Doyle free-kick from 30 yards, which he struck wonderfully but, unfortunately for the home fans, straight at Etheridge.
The second half started with a horror challenge from Mark McGuinness, who hacked down Onel Hernandez with an ugly tackle from behind. #
The away fans were calling for a red, however a yellow was brandished. It did, though, serve to add a bit of spark to proceedings.
The visitors’ first big chance of the half came when Bacuna clipped in a corner to the back post, where Gary Gardner was waiting. The Blues skipper sent a bullet header towards goal, but it was just wide of the mark.
Straight down the other end, Cardiff thought they had scored, but Hugill smashed the ball past Etheridge only to see the official with his flag in the air.
The spice level had certainly ratcheted up and it almost came to a head when Cody Drameh, who was on a yellow card, barged Etheridge into the advertising hoardings after the ball had run out of play.
It was naughty and calculated and the away fans were right to feel aggrieved when referee John Busby only gave the youngster a talking to, rather than produce a red card.
But there always felt like there was going to be another goal in it and, with 10 minutes from time, the flashpoint came. Ng floated a ball into the box and Watters nicked in front of Etheridge, who hauled the striker down.
Oddly, Cardiff were the only team in the Championship not to have been awarded a penalty all season.
Vaulks, who may well have been playing in front of a home Cardiff crowd for the last time, stepped up and emphatically belted the ball into the back of the net. Given the venom with which he struck the ball, it was a surprise it didn’t fly through the net.
Huge celebrations ensued and rightly so, too, given it may very well be his final goal in a Cardiff shirt.