THE YOUNG GUNS FIRE BLUEBIRDS COMEBACK VICTORY
ADRAMATIC second-half comeback from Cardiff City saw the Bluebirds beat QPR 2-1 courtesy of goals from academy products Isaak Davies and Rubin Colwill.
City fell behind in the first half after some sloppy defending afforded Andre Gray a simple chance in the middle of the area.
But Cardiff showed fantastic resolve to turn the game on its head in the space of five second-half minutes.
The first came through Davies, who scored a sublime goal thanks to a fine solo effort, before Colwill smashed home a free-kick in front of the travelling supporters to claim all three points.
It was an even start to proceedings in west London, with both sides troubling the opposition goalkeepers.
The first major chance fell to Jordan Hugill after he was slyly slotted in by a Rubin Colwill pass. The striker took the ball in his stride and, on the angle, blasted a shot across goal, but former Bluebird David Marshall’s strong right hand denied him the opener.
Alex Smithies had to have his wits about him, too, especially when Gray latched on to a cross to the near post. The Rs frontman tried to poke home but City’s shot-stopper got down low to parry it wide of the mark.
The game settled into a rhythm thereafter. QPR looked to control the ball but Cardiff had their moments on the breakaway.
But Cardiff’s Achilles heel in recent weeks once again proved their undoing seven minutes before the break. Moses Odubajo cut inside Alfie Doughty, whom he had the better of all afternoon, before sending in a leftfooted cross into a dangerous area. Perry Ng got a tame right foot on it but knocked it into the danger zone - the middle of the box, eight yards out - which Gray gleefully latched on to
before he dispatched it beyond Smithies.
Cardiff were dazed and looked certain to concede a second just a minute later when Ilias Chair cleverly played in Lee Wallace down the left.
The Rs wing-back smacked his effort across goal but Smithies, like Marhsall earlier, stuck out a strong arm and stopped it and ensured the deficit remained at only one goal heading into the break.
Cardiff struggled to create their own openings after the break. The only one chance they did have was when Will Vaulks looped one of the hosts’ defence and Hugill got in behind.
But the defenders got back at him and forced him to take his shot from range, but it flew over the bar.
Steve Morison rang the changes. Joel Bagan and Isaak Davies were introduced in order to boost the energy and attacking edge to the visitors’ play and, boy, did it work.
Cardiff looked far more threatening and it was indeed the youngster Davies who made the telling contribution.
He was played in down the left by Joel Bagan before muscling Rob Dickie to the ground.
He picked the ball up and drove into the box before employing a couple of stepovers to trick his opposite number.
He did just that before hammering it at Marshall, who looked to have saved it as the ball spooned over his head.
The ball bounced just before the line, though, and then over as referee Michael Salisbury pointed to his watch to indicate the ball had crossed the line.
The away end had barely stopped singing before Davies was causing trouble again just minutes later, winning a free-kick 20 yards from goal.
Up stepped Rubin Colwill and, bang, his crisply-struck free-kick was rifled into the top corner to completely tip the game on its head within the space of five minutes.
The almost 1,500 travelling fans erupted into singsong euphoria.