... sorry Fitness First Stadium ... but for the second time in this season's competition needed extra-time and penalties to do it as the game's fortunes swung back and fore.
The game was a thriller, a gem of a cup tie during which fortunes swung back and fore.
The game was a thriller, a gem of a cup tie during which fortunes swung back and fore.
It was 2-2 in normal-time after City fought back from an early deficit and torrid first half. However after taking the lead and control of the game, City failed to convert a number of chances to kill the game off and The Cherries forced extra-time with an equaliser in the dying moments.
Extra-time was deja vu, City had a poor first period but survived before going aahead in the dying period and, once more, failed to convert enough chances to have won two or three chances before allowing the home side to level again in the last moments.
Then the penalties, a time for heroes and City had the unluckiest ever. Having been somewhat of a villain for allowing a last minute free-kick to squirm inside his near post which took the issue to penalties, Neil Alexander maintained his reputation for awfulness facing spot-kicks by diving the exact opposite way to four of the first five then standing still and being hit by the ball and City were through 5-4.
Add in trouble at the pre-game pub, a delayed kick-off, a sending-off, 120 minutes of full-blooded action plus penalties, 15 goals and the game not finishing until 10:45pm, what a night and what value we had for our £16!
Bournemouth is 110 miles from Cardiff and without decent direct roads, a bitch of a journey. Coaches took around four hours to do it, we did it by car in little more than two hours thanks to taking the country road routes and knowing a couple of short cuts that can save almost an hour.
Entering the town, there were major traffic snarl ups and an accident just outside too. The crowd was over 8,500 with around 750 City, the home parts of the ground were a near sell-out though so it was a large crowd for The Cherries and kick-off was delayed by 15 minutes to allow everyone to get to the ground.
Most City fans arrived about 90 minutes before kick-off and congregated at Queen's Park pub, a friendly watering hole used by Bluebirds for many years. As usual, the atmosphere was excellent, the place packed. Loads of fans inside and at least as many, myself included, drinking outside on a dry, mild evening and then mayhem as fans poured out, others went in to see what was happening, loads of running about, confusion everywhere.
Those inside, most of them long-standing genuine fans, swear testimony to a group of men who just started chanting "England", then "I'm forever Blowing Bubbles" before one of them threw a bottle at Cardiff fans and chaos ensued. A few of them will be regretting their actions today as they were on the receiving end but a couple of Cardiff fans needed treatment for major injuries too.
Trouble continued outside as they kicked down a wall and City fans came under a hail of bricks, another supporter looked a complete mess in the ground having been struck full in the face with a bottle and looking as if he had a broken jaw too.
Once it had all simmered, police were commentating that a cell of 20 to 25 Londoners had turned up just looking for trouble. The chanting suggested they were West Ham, or wanted us to believe they were, but nobody was sure whether they had come specifically to cause a disturbance and just happened to be in the area, it is a coastal resort and a holiday period after all, and were chancers. Why mention it in a match report? Because if news talk is about Cardiff causing trouble again, this may just redress the balance. Thankfully, the rest of the night was uneventful on that front and we could settle down to the game and what a game.
The clubs are a division apart but, in effect, just 7 places separate Bournemouth and City presently. The home side were in ominous form too having scalped Premiership Blackburn at Ewood Park in the last round facing us on the back of 4 successive league wins. However climbing the Championship table is City's current priority so Lennie changed half the side around with two 17 year olds in midfield, one making a debut, and his options also slightly affected by loanees Williams and O'Neill not being allowed to play in the cup. So we started with Alexander starting for City for the first time in 7 months, Weston-Vidmar-Collins-Barker, Bullock-Fish-Kavanagh-Ledley, Lee-Thorne.
The Cherries line-up were Moss, Maher-Broadhurst-Howe-Young, Spicer-O'Connor-Stock-Elliott, Hayter-Fletcher. Not many household names but the man mountain Steve Fletcher is always tough to play against, Hayter has been in free-scoring form and, as we were about to find out, they were a pacy side and that Wade Elliott looks like some player.
Bournemouth opened at a blistering pace and took the game to City. They overloaded us on the left hand side with Elliott looking fantastic and Hayter moved over to join him time after time, doubling upon Chris Barker. We never deal with it until half-time and it caused us endless trouble and gave them cross after cross. When Elliott nutmegged three City players on one mazy run, it was deeply worrying and the fears became reality when they went ahead on 7 minutes with a bad goal to give-away.
A long ball forward caught out hesitant City defenders, Elliott blocked and squared to HAYTER who placed it high into the net past Alexander from 10 yards. It nearly got worse as more hesitant defending saw a back pass to Alexander whose clearance was blocked and scooped into the air which he fortunately caught under his bar.
Bournemouth were a major threat but the chances swung City's way. First we were once more denied a "stonewaller" of a penalty as Bullock sent Thorne clear, Moss the keeper charged out and played the man, not the ball. Thorne scooped it over but it was cleared but the ref game play on, wrong decision but the first of many he made all night. One of those refs who was bad and inconsistent to both teams. After that chance, Lee somehow placed a header wide from 6 yards in the centre of goal meeting a free-kick but he made up for that with an equaliser on 25.
City raided the left hand side, switched play to the far post where the once-more impressive Ledley got the ball over at the second attempt, Thorne headed back and LEE placed an excellent downward header inch-perfect inside the far post, Moss' despairing dive could not get there.
Now City had equalised, the game and chances swung back to Bournemouth again and we were very lucky when more defensive uncertainties and then Kav failing to kick the ball away saw him intercepted, Elliott crossed and Fletcher sent a looping header over Alexander but it was ruled out for offside.
The rest of the half saw the home side rampant, always with Hayter and Elliott doubling up on Barker. Elliott was also always shown inside by City players but always allowed to cross to. The teams were level at the interval but we were admittedly lucky to be that way overall.
Half-time: BOURNEMOUTH 1 CITY 1
Talk about a game of two halves. City's adjusted the team and tactics and we now bossed proceedings. Fish with his floppy fair hair spent the first half looking like a Little Leggy in appearance but not in his play, he struggled, like one out of water ...boom, boom. Off he went to be replaced by Parry as City doubled up the left to deal with the home team's only real threat and outlet. With Ledley playing just ahead of Barker and just behind Parry, Bournemouth and Elliott were quelled and we could now play our game.
On 47 minutes, we were ahead as Parry produced a sparkling run, got behind the last man but and his cut back across goal found Ledley but his goalbound shot was denied by a desperate lunge. The resulting corner saw BULLOCK ghost clear and glance a header across goal and inside the far post. What a knack and talent that man has, he played very well tonight too.
Now ahead, it was all City. Bournemouth were now being handled very easily and some of our passing, play and counter- attacking was a delight to see. The midfield with Parry and Ledley probing, Kav back to his very best form as well as Bullock had control. We needed the killer third goal but failed to take a number of excellent chances through good saves, misses and some resolute defending. One of the funniest saves I've seen in a while as Kav unleashed a missile that Moss seemed to scared to save and turned girlie style on it but somehow managed to push it away. Kav was a fraction away with a free-kick, Lee and Thorne were close.
Bournemouth had a last throw of the dice and three on all three subs in the final 10 minutes and City used our last two as Weston went off injured again, he seemed to get cramp in the second half judging by the way he stretched when play stopped, then got injured making a tackle. He was replaced by Byron Anthony then Thorne was replaced by Cameron Jerome who was unfairly booked for rushing to stop a cross coming over. More frustrating because of the number of tackles and fouls the ref let go. The worst tackle of the night when a Bournemouth player went through Kav from behind hardly got him a talking but home fans were also venting their frustrations at some decisions.
City looked home but in the final minute of normal time. the ball broke left for Bournemouth and a diagonal pass caught City out and found Spicer in acres of space, all compounded as HAYTER, one of the smallest players on the pitch, got up to deflect a header past Alexander from 6 yards. The home side went mad, and we could see loads of their fans who had walked out for their cars turn and run back to the ground. Irony of ironies too as they then chanted "you're not singing anymore". This from a crowd who watched the second half in near silence, resigned to their team's fate.
Full-time: BOURNEMOUTH 2 CITY 2 (extra-time required)
Quite a few fans noted how Lennie walked around players having a quiet word with his hands behind his back, Terry Burton got in the middle of them bellowing out instructions and words of motivation. Some wondered whether the half-time tactical change was Burton's or Sam's or Lennie's or a committee choice.
Cardiff got through the first period of extra-time which was quiet after all that had gone before but Bournemouth had got slightly on top again with three major openings. However their attempts at goal all flew wide or over after they did all the work to create excellent openings.
The second period however was all City again as we retook the lead with a fantastic goal. 108 minutes and Kav engineered a ball into space on Bournemouth's left, CAMERON JEROME took up the challenge and he raced onto it quicker than Darren Campbell would have, won it, showed strength to advance and hold off a challenge and then maturity well beyond his years and experience as he lifted the ball over Moss who charged out and dived at him and 3-2 it was. Complete joy, brilliant goal and surely one that will now keep Jerome ahead of Andy Campbell in the pecking order too.
How City never killed the game again, I will never know but we showed once again however that we lack that instinct. Ledley made the keeper save twice, Parry fired wide, Lee failed yet again when clear on goal in a one on one allowing Moss to smother him before he was denied what looked like another decent penalty shout as he was clattered when just about to shoot.
Having failed to finish it once more, we were punished yet again, the 4th time in 4 days that we could not hang onto a lead. Just 2 minutes remained as Bournemouth forged at the heart of the Cardiff defence, Hayter was ready to shoot outside the area when Vidmar touched him from behind. A free-kick, yes, another yellow card was unbelievable though considering the challenges he let go without showing cards throughout the game.
Vidmar was off and, understandably, showed his frustration and anger, Kav had to escort him away and he will now be banned for the weekend clash with Leicester although Collins played better than him so maybe deserves to link up with Gabbs anyway.
The free-kick was soul destroying. Nothing special about Stock's effort, low and to City's near post but it got around the wall too easily and then despite Alexander getting down, it squirmed in between him and the post. Unbelievable stuff and once more there was the sight of Bournemouth fans who had walked out turning back and running back to the stadium whilst their once-more quiet support chanted "you're not singing anymore".
Being perfectly honest, it greeted fans with absolute horror that we were facing penalties anyway in a game that we should have won twice over but had failed to do but, now,we faced a penalty competition with Neil Alexander in goals for City.
You all know the story. In 4 years at City, he's never yet dived the right way for a penalty. One was missed against him and even then he dived the wrong way. The only one he has ever saved (at Walsall) was hit straight at him and Walsall scored from the rebound. There cannot be anyone with a worse record and we didn't know whether to laugh or cry at what we were about to face.
The penalty shoot out will go into City folklore. Kav stepped up for the first one, taken in front of Bournemouth fans and away from us (has a penalty shoot out ever happened in front of away supporters?), he put power and direction on it but denied by a brilliant Moss save. Kav didn't deserve that, the feeling was that if Alexander now had to save tow penalties, we may as well go home now!
Up stepped Neil, looking like the Karate Kid with his arms waving above his head as he bounced up and down trying to psyche out the taker. True to form, Neil dived to his left so the kick was inevitably heading in the opposite direction but divine intervention was witnessed as it struck the inside of the post, rolled along the line and stayed out. Neil could not have been further away from it if he had tried but what great entertainment.
The next 8 kicks were all perfect. Alexander went the wrong way three out of four times, one beat him as it flew into the top corner. City's kicks were exemplary as Collins, Lee, Anthony and Parry slotted home. Byron Anthony's the pick of a high quality bunch as he smashed it high into the roof of the net and then ran along the goalline and then side of the pitch pumping his arm to all the home fans. Great stuff.
That made it 4-4 after 5 kicks and now sudden death. Barker was next up. However Moss seemed to be catching Alexander Disease as he was now diving the wrong way every time.
And so it came to pass, Alexander only went and saved a penalty and became an instant hero, would you have ever believed that? Alexander The Great indeed, a man with a 100% penalty saving record - from his last 1 penalty faced anyway.
Marcus Browning, ex-Wurzel (makes it sweeter for me) strode up, The Karate Kid posed and bounced away, probably saying "wax on, wax off" under his breath. Browning tried to hit it straight down the middle, Alexander forgot to dive and stayed there so ball met keeper, ball hit keeper, ball stayed out, City win, Bournemouth out, City in last 16 and maybe a big Premiership= let's go effing mental! Paaaaaaaaaarty!!!
The players mobbed Alexander, I think they were as disbelieving as the rest of us, Alexander was feted like a Lord and given a standing ovation by City. Rumour has it that Berti Vogts heard he made a save and willrecall him for Scotland as well. In truth,he had just redeemed himself for that extra-time equaliser but who cared now? The rest of the players were applauded off too.
Fantastic game, brilliant entertainment and two very good sides. Bournemouth look a side who could make the step up, despite programme suggestions that they have some major financial worries, good luck to them.
But City won and it was brilliant, well worth the journey and not getting home to Barry until 2am but I bet that was still a couple of hours before many coach travellers. Now please give us a big draw and what a buzz there will be about the club again.
Report from FootyMAD:
Goalkeeper Neil Alexander emerged as Cardiff's hero as they booked their place in the Carling Cup fourth round draw with the victory over Bournemouth on a night of high tension on the south coast.
Bournemouth, who beat Blackburn on penalties in the previous round, twice brought themselves back from the brink of defeat to force another shootout thanks to late goals from James Hayter and Brian Stock.
The home side's luck finally ran out after 120 minutes of end-to-end action. When Alexander moved to his right to save Marcus Browning's attempt from the spot - the 12th penalty to be taken.
Defeat was hard on Bournemouth who took the lead as early as the eighth minute through the impressive Hayter's 12th goal of the season.
The striker seized on a poor back pass from Chris Barker to round Alexander and unleash a left foot shot into the roof of the net.
Striker partner Steve Fletcher had a goal disallowed for pushing, but Cardiff recovered well from their early setback and looked to be on their way to a comfortable victory after taking the lead through goals from Alan Lee and Lee Bullock.
Lee levelled the scores after 23 minutes with a looping header, before Bullock gave Cardiff the lead three minutes after the interval with a well-placed effort from Joe Ledley's corner.
Bournemouth looked to be heading out of the competition, but Hayter had other ideas as he equalised in the final minute of normal play, easily beating Alexander from eight yards with a header as Cardiff sat back.
Substitute Cameron Jerome restored the visitors' lead in the 108th minute with his first senior goal, and his strike looked to have settled proceeding until Stock's late intervention.
Defender Tony Vidmar was shown the red card for hauling down Hayter on the edge of the area and Stock stepped up to curl a shot inside the right hand post and ensure there was more drama to come.
