Cardiff City 4 - 1 Derby County. Website reaction

Last updated : 25 August 2003 By Michael Morris
In the pub before hand NigelBlues was telling me to get the headline "After the Lord Mayors show" ready for the usual deflating result and performance that follows a great win such as we had at the City Ground on Saturday.

Not this time though, Rams Raided, Ramtastic, Cardiff are back, would all be far more appropriate.

It's a special time at the moment, after 1 point from the first 6 available there was a slight worry it may be a strggle this season but we have clicked in the last two games.

James Collins started in place of the injured Daniel Gabbidon, Spencer Prior was on the bench.

Tonight was a game that had it all. City opened the scoring through Alan Lee, his first goal for the club. Lee was wide right and crossed high into the box, all had given the ball up, it had goal kick written all over it but amazingly the ball dropped into the top corner of the goal, there was a strange moment as it took a second for fans and players alike to realise we'd scored.

The lead was doubled 10 mins later when John Robinson was felled in the box. Graham Kavanagh immediately took charge of the ball and despite some intimidation from the Derby players he fired an unstoppable kick into the net.

Derby looked to have thrown the towel in when Costa kicked out at Richard Langley, the ref pulled out the red card and there looked to be no way back for the Rams.

Deby caused a scare at the start of the second half, Svensson, on loan from Charlton, scored his second goal in two games. Taylor was allowed to run when he should have been challenged and he was able to pass to Svensson who stroked the ball past Alexander.

City came back though with another bizarre goial. A challenge in midfield saw the ball balloon over the Derby rearguard with Alan Lee and Rob Earnshaw some 10 feet or so offside. It appears though the referee saw that the final contact in the midfield clash came from a Derby player and he waved play on. Lee unselfishly squard to Earnie who put the ball into the roof of the empty net.

So far Derby had been done by a fluke, a penalty and a controversial decision and it was to get worse.

Richard Langley took a corner from the left, James Collins rose to place a super header on goal. Taylor was acrobatic to clear the ball off the line but the linesman waved his flag and signalled that the ball had crossed the line. It was a great reward for Collins who was excellent cover for Gabbidon but a cruel blow for the visitors.

A very noisy 15,000 or so made for a great atmosphere and to walk out of Ninian Park to find out we have moved upto 6th place was another moment in itself.

Those watching live on Sky certainly got their money's worth.

Heady days indeed.