Championship match report: CARDIFF CITY 4 Doncaster Rovers 0

As debuts and hysteria events go, this was one that met and surpassed the dreams. Cardiff City fans, still revelling in true fantasy football as Craig Bellamy returns home, had to pinch themselves again as Doncaster were demolished 4-0. City’s last signing of such extraordinary magnitude, the legendary John Charles, scored a 70 yard free-kick to crown his debt, Captain Bellamy made it a day never to be forgotten either creating 2 (one of them a 60 yard assist with a pass from near a corner flag as City defended) then striking the most stunning 35 yard free-kick late on. City’s other goals were by Jay Bothroyd (2) and Chris Burke.

To put his result into context, it was Doncaster’s biggest defeat since being in the Championship and their first four goal loss in the league since beating beaten at home by the same margin in January 2008 League One ironically by … Swansea.

Yet there were few signs of this outcome in a first half that Doncaster edged on points for a sizeable period while Cardiff battled for the right to play their football and City also had to cope with the loss through injury of both Michael Chopra and Kevin McNaughton inside the first half hour.

After a week of what felt like unprecedented drama and fervour (and that alone takes some doing with the soap opera that is Cardiff City) which also grabbed national and international attention, it felt a relief to be going to watch football instead of talking about it. It also felt surreal to believe Craig Bellamy, a Premiership superstar at the height of his powers, had elected to come home but he certainly had as thousands of extra shirt and season ticket sales plus a home sell out crowd showed only too well.

The difference was also noticeable in Canton bars. Opening home game, I walked into a half empty Admiral Napier and was served instantly. Today, I had to barge my way through the crowd … that was just to get inside from the street. I’d also never seen the pubs empty quite so early either, everyone wanted to be there to see the moment Bellamy led out the team but not just that, it was also to pay their respects to Bluebirds legend Brian Clark.

The sights and sounds were spine tingling as the teams were led out with Bellers at the front. The crowd was 24,027 and the poignancy of the occasion was heightened again as the club paid full tribute to my boyhood idol, true legend and all round nice guy Brian Clark who sadly passed away recently after illness. He will never be forgotten for scoring the goal that beat Real Madrid, surely the greatest night in club history, but I will always remember him for far more that that. That minute’s applause and chants of there’s only one Brian Clark with both teams and former team-mates Bobby Woodruff, Don Murray, Steve Derrett and Gary Bell on the pitch with the big screen showing some magical memories was very fitting … even if Dave Jones wearing his black armband over his white shirt did look slightly, and very unintentionally, Nazi.

Darcy Blake was injured warming up having rolled on his ankle so swiftly replaced by Adam Matthews but, with all other players available including Kevin McNaughton after his concussion/hospital trauma last weekend, the questions were who would Bellamy replace and what formation would City deploy?

It was the unfortunate Chris Burke, last week’s match winner, who found himself on the bench as City stayed 4-4-2 with Bellers on the left and Peter Whittingham switched to the right. Such has been City’s activity in the market that they went from 4 subs only in the league opener a fortnight ago to what must be City’s strongest bench ever.

CARDIFF: Marshall; Matthews-Blake-Hudson-Gyepes-McNaughton; Whittingham-Olifinjana-Drinkwater-Bellamy; Bothroyd-Chopra. The subs were Heaton-Gerrard-McCormack-Rae-Koumas-Burke-Naylor.

Doncaster are of one the Championship’s least fashionable but most likeable clubs. They play football as it should be – their passing and movement is often exceptional as Cardiff found out last season getting beaten away but having a lucky last minute home win at CCS. Some fancy Donny as this season’s Blackpool as they started well enough with a comfortable opening day win at Preston but they needed an added time penalty to avoid home defeat to the hapless Wurzels last week.

So to the game and after all that build up, Bellamy could. Maybe should, have opened inside 2 minutes as City’s first slick move saw Chopra taken out by an horrendous Thomas flying studs in challenge but play moved so fast, few saw it as the ball was worked by Jay to Bellamy who hooked over as O’Sullivan ran out to block.

Chops needed prolonged treatment and also limped off for more later while the game was in play but in between came so close to opening the scoring as he latched onto Jay’s flick on, tried to lob veteran keeper Neil O’Sullivan whose reflexes belied a player who turned 40 last season.

However it was Donny who opened up the better with the game being played at a furious pace that was never going to last. Passing and moving the ball as they can, they were exposing Cardiff and creating plenty of problems, one shot missing by a whisker and Marshall having to be at full stretch to turn away two other efforts.

Cardiff’s problems increased as Kevin McNaughton limped off inside 20 minutes followed by Chopra who could not recover from his knock (and may now be out for up to 6 weeks) but City’s bench showed its power as they were replaced by debutant Lee Naylor producing a very pleasing debut and Chris Burke showing how to respond to being dropped with, arguably, a man of the match display. Cardiff also matched up Donny’s 4-5-1 with Peter Whittingham tucking in and running the show and the tide turned with it.

Within 4 minutes, Cardiff were ahead. Danny Drinkwater fed Craig Bellamy and his first time daisy cutter across the box from the edge of the area found BOTHROYD whose flick took a lucky deflection off Donny’s Thomas and left him one on one with O’Sullivan to finish coolly stroking the ball wide of him.

Half-time: CITY 1 DONNY 0

The proverbial game of two halves, City were now able to open up and show their mighty attacking quality. I personally felt Donny had worked so hard in the first half, they had run their legs off to a certain extent and while Cardiff could go up a gear, the visitors could not respond. However they so nearly levelled it as a fluke Coppinger cross deceived Marshall and bounced off his crossbar.

It was a sideshow to what were three stunning second half goals. Donny can question their defending but no denying each goal was a classic in its own right.

The second and decisive goal on 62 minutes was almost a tribute to Brian Clark. Chris Burke, back to his very best, got the ball wide, ran at defenders, dummied past one and got to the by-line before crossing to the far post for BOTHROYD to send a towering header back across goal into the top corner. Clarkie would have been smiling looking down at that. It was Jay’s 4^th of the season as he sets about beating last season’s 13.

Any thoughts Donny could still make a game of it were banished 6 minutes later and in incredible style. Bellamy won the ball by the corner flag with City defending. As he belted it up field, it looked like a clearance but the ball cleared Donny’s defence and sent CHRIS BURKE clear. He would never be caught and finished with real aplomb as he fired home high from just inside the box leaving O’Sullivan motionless. CCS was now truly rocking.

Job done, game over, the contest looked now resembled a training match but had one moment of humour as City put together 20 or more passes before nearly scoring with each pass greeted with an ole only for Donny to get the ball and do their best to replicate with their beleaguered support doing the same, volume 50 times quieter.

Bellers is a long way from match fitness and blowing frequently but came alive on the ball but his afternoon finished in amazing style. Winning a free-kick 35 yards out on the left side of goal, BELLAMY let fly with the ball seemingly accelerating en route to beat O’Sullivan and hammer in off his far post. It was truly an extraordinary moment, the noise and celebrations in the crowd simply fantastic.

Before he departed for a standing ovation, he got booked for dissent (I think the ref just wanted his name in the book) but that still left time for Jason Koumas to show how devastatingly good he can be with some superb touches and passes.

However this was a team display where every player performed really well, apart from those already mentioned, I was especially impressed by Olifinjana in midfield who only plays 25 yards either side of halfway and doesn’t veer too far left or right but the game can’t pass him by there and he is an anchor, the type of general the side have been missing for too long.

The frightening thing is that you suspect this side will only get better. They are still working on their shape, they are still getting to know each other. Even the City pessimists are optimistic!

As Lou Reed sings, it’s such a perfect, I’m glad I spent it with you. Final whistle saw the heavens open and the mother of all downpours, City fans left CCS truly singing and dancing in the rain. What a day, it will never be forgotten by anyone there.