Well there you go, that was the story of the night.
The only critisism of City in the first half was why they were not 4 - 0 up. Port Vale defended from the start and allowed Cardiff the freedom of the park. Neil Alexander did not have one effort to concern himself with in the first half. City were able to pass and move and they created several chances that included Kav free kick against the post and a couple of efforts that hit the cross bar. Gavin Gordon played with a hunger that City have been lacking of late and he was rewarded when he timed his run to perfection to bundle in a Kav free kick.
Brian Horton must have given Vale a right rollicking at half time as they were a different team at the start of the second half. It was Cardiff that was being forced onto the back foot but the Vale attack was not hurting City and the back line was defending well. City broke and earned a right sided corner which Kav took. For once it was perfect, the ball curled delicately away from the six yard line where Peter Thorne rose unchallenged for a classic centre forward header into the bottom corner.
City fans were ecstatic and by then the news had reached just about everyone that Crewe were losing to a first half Nathan Ellington strike. Crewe were also down to 10 men with Sodje sent off and to cap a miserable night for the Railwaymen their striker, Jones was stretchered off.
That was all icing on the cake to City who withheld the weakish Vale threat and apart from one Alexander save late on the City goal was not challenged (the stand behind the goal was as three or four shots flew high and wide), but not the goal.
Wigan now lead Crewe by 12 points and Cardiff by 14. Cardiff have a game in hand on both teams, a win would see City go second. We do not actually play that game until April 15th against Peterborough and we will have to postpone our game v Wycombe at the end of March as well as it clased with Wales v Azerbaijan.
Credit to all the players tonight. There was a hunger in them, Bonner and Boland worked hard. Kav was unlucky with his free kick that hit the post and he set up both City goals. Gordon and Thorne did their part with a goal while Earnie kept the defenders busy.
A picky ref booked Gavin Gordon for being kicked? We couldn't work that out either and he booked Rhys Weston for time wasting, Rhys is now on 9 cautions, 1 more and Steve Jenkins gets his chance as Rhys will have to miss two games. Chris Barker was yellow carded for reacting to a foul on him by kicking out. It could have been worse but his 4th caution of the season means he's one booking away from a 1 game ban.
Now the pressure ride moves on to Saturday. Cardiff are away at Stockport, Crewe are at home to Peterborough. Then on Tuesday Cardiff are away again at Brentford while Crewe are at home again this time to Wycombe. It's simple, Cardiff have to keep winning now.