Championship match report: Barnsley 1 CARDIFF CITY 2

Barnsley suffered their first home defeat of the season as Craig Bellamy and Cardiff City rode into town and left with all 3 points to remain in 2^nd spot after a battle but a curious encounter.

I almost made the trip but domestic chores and finances won the day this time, I was gutted to miss out.

Brian Flynn and Wales have already chosen not to select Craig Bellamy for next week’s Euro clashes after missing the whole of September but he was back and put in a full 90 minute shift, providing the spark for victory. It was Andy Keogh who dropped to the bench and he was joined by Jason Koumas, both completely ineffective in City’s midweek blank at home to Crystal Palace. Darcy Blake was promoted to midfield and Gabor Gyepes was back alongside Mark Hudson after missing out in the previous two games.

City: Heaton; McNaughton-Gyepes-Hudson-Naylor; Whittingham-Blake-Olinfinjana-Burke; Bothroyd-Bellamy.

Barnsley recorded a double over City last season but they tend to make up the numbers in the Championship’s reckoning and went into the clash as the perfect average side – 9 games, 3 won, 3 drawn, 3 lost, 13 scored, 13 conceded. Their highlight was a recent shock 5-2 thrashing of Leeds.

The first half was truly dreadful, neither side able to put a move together, the ball going into touch more than an egg chasing game, quality was desperate. However Cardiff then carved a superb 42^nd minute opener completely out of context with everything beforehand.

Jay Bothroyd looked up and swept a pass to Peter Whittingham deep inside the far corner of the penalty area, he took the ball down and laid it back superbly for BELLAMY and his finish was class personified as he passed the ball around keeper Steele, may Championship players would have gone for a hit and hope option.

H/T: Barnsley 0 City 1

If the first half lack action, the 2^nd half more than made up for it starting with Bothroyd being denied from distance by Steele, Whittingham almost scoring direct from a corner and the next one being headed goalwards by Gyepes, turned in by Bothroyd but it was ruled out for offside with City celebrating.

City’s defence has looked suspect this season and they narrowly survived one silly goalmouth scramble but, no lessons learned, paid for it as 5 or 6 attempts to clear were all fluffed, Hudson miscontrolled and Shackell sent the loose ball home. It was schoolboy stuff all round.

That was on 63 minutes and it felt ominous for Cardiff but back they came. Three minutes later, Foster handled from a corner under pressure from Hudson only for Peter Whittingham to miss his second penalty of the week and still wait for his first goal of the season. He powered the ball but it hit Steele’s legs.

The resulting corner want close but the next put City back in front as it dropped for Whittingham, his shot was going in anyway but OLIFINJANA made sure from a couple of feet.

Oli almost killed the game off altogether hitting the post from another set piece and how City almost paid the price as Darcy Blake earned a second yellow card and Cardiff had to play the final 14 minutes with 10 men. Despite being far from their best, the 900 City fans there will tell of their determination and focus to see it out, they showed their bottle but it still needed one super Tom Heaton save late on to preserve the win.

Cardiff – despite missing 5 key players recently and not playing well – head into the two week international break still in 2^nd spot. With everyone due back next game against Bristol City (now bottom of the league – ha ha ha Wurzels), everyone will surely take heart.