CHAMPIONSHIP at ROOTS HALL, not as posh as it sounds
SOUTHEND UNITED (0) 0
CARDIFF CITY (2) 3
Purse 10
Scimeca 45
Francis 65 (o.g.) (seems to be credited to Joe Ledley)
THE ATTENDANCE:
7,901
THE AWAY SUPPORT:
600
THE WEATHER:
Balmy warm day on the Essex coast and for those watching on tv down the local or home.
THE ‘You're The Man' AWARD:
It's now routine but entirely valid to praise a fantastic all round team effort but special mentions for.
Darren Purse - made Freddie Eastwood look like Clint Eastwood ... as he is now!
Scimeca and McPhail - a quality contribution from two different players who compliment each other so well
Thompson and Chopra - same as the midfield duo. Thommo's strength hurt Southend's defence, Chopra's pace and movement which made two goals did likewise.
THE “You're Not Very Good” BOOT goes to:
Southend fans. When the only time they're heard is booing the ref and singing "you don't know what you're doing" when he rightly ruled fouls on Cardiff players, it's a legitimate back-pass if McNaughton send the ball to Alexander deliberately on his knee and their striker is offside when he nets, you know they've had a bad day and don't really know what they're doing themselves!
THE ATMOSPHERE:
Brilliant, tv on full volume but it did feel a bit strange in my house chanting and singing at the tv! Please shoot me if I ever become an armchair fan!! Coming from the tv however were non-stop singing from the City ensemble.
THE TEAMS:
CARDIFF- With no injuries or suspensions, then it was a predictable line-up of Alexander, Gilbert-Purse-Loovens-McNaughton, Parry-Svimeca-McPhail-Ledley, Thompson and Chopra. The bench, again with no goalkeeper, were Campbell, Flood, Glombard, Johnson, Kamara.
SARFEND - It must exceed any Essex boy's wildest and wettest dream but two successive promotions (last year as League One champions) and a solid start in the Championship is what Steve Tilson's men have achieved. Awaydays from Roots Hall have brought just a solitary point in 4 games but that was last week at West Brom and got Bryan Robson the sack - well done for that boys! They were, however, unbeaten at Roots Hall triumphing over Stoke (1-0) and Sunderland (3-1) and drawing the last two with Sheff Weds (0-0) and Norwich (3-3, 12 days ago) both City came to town. Their last two matches saw The Shrimpers turn defeat into draws with late equalisers.
Former Bluebird (Frank) Spencer Prior proved his favourite tipple is a whine by overlooking his error-strewn time at NP and slamming us in the papers this week claiming we didn't like him as he was English making him a complete clown off the pitch too! The 35 yr old veteran was injured and knew he wouldn't be on show today. To think, this website (myself included) sponsored him whilst at Cardiff. Thanks Spencer! Last season's Bluebird loan striker, Michael Ricketts, is yet to play for them, the same attributes he often displayed on the pitch for City! He was recovered from pre-season injury and on the bench.
The home side were Flahavan, Francis-Clarke-Barrett-Hammell, Campbell-Ryce-Maher-Hunt- Gower, Paynter-Eastwood. . Freddie Eastwood was the obvious threat, Billy Paynter can be a handful and Mark Gower is a good wideman but most praise so far has gone to their midfield. McPhail, Scimeca and co seemed to make them go missing for the afternoon.
THE MATCH:
After watching other leading sides stumble and stay Top of the League without kicking a ball on Saturday, Cardiff City capitalised with a commanding Sunday lunchtime 3-0 stroll at Southend, impressing watching Sky tv cameras and viewers not tuned over for the Ryder Cup, to send us three points clear of the rest after 9 games. It truly is amazing.
For the second week running, Darren Purse scored in the 10th minute but Chopra, instead of scoring another double, set up two instead fro Scimeca on half-time and a Francis o.g. that may yet officially be awarded to Joe Ledley on 65 minutes. Southend huffed and puffed but their hard work was outdone by City's harder work and they couldn't match us for quality. Dangerman Freddie Eastwood was completely snuffed by Darren Purse - I hope he let him out of his pocket before he set back to South Wales - and City won the game all over the park. It was the most powerful statement of intent possible.
The game was live on Sky Sports. With other weekend commitments, that was enough to make me settle for an afternoon in front of the box and avoiding the 450 mile round trip. Credit to each and every one of the 600 not just for being there but also making all the noise too.
The opening phases were battling and end to end but with early signs of City's greater quality. Paul Parry, twice, nearly burst through but there was a warning too when Billy Paynter looped a header on top on the bar meeting a good cross from Gower. One minute later, City were ahead. That quality told when City won a free-kick on the angle of the area after handball. McPhail looked up, spotted Purse charging while others were still taking position, and delivered an early pinpoint ball, which DARREN PURSE squeezed home sandwiched between two defenders. The party had started. "That's why we're top of the league, that's why we're top of the league" sounded lovely on my telly.
In front, Cardiff ran the show all over the park with Southend having no sight of City's goal until half-hour had passed. In-between, Gilbert, Parry, Chopra all went close before a brilliant block from Clarke prevented what looked a certain Chopra goal after Gilbert back-heeled and turned a defender inside the box to set him up.
The home fans were frustrated and reduced to booing the ref for making correct decisions which only added to the enjoyment really but they had some encouragement as Hunt made Alexander save low (comfortably) , then Gower, an Eastwood drive go over the roof of City's bicycle shed away end and then Paynter headed home but was rightly ruled offside which made the home fans boo them all over again. Even funnier.
One of football's annoying rules is that Loovens became injured with a hard challenge, the home side won a corner but Loovens was made to go off the pitch after treatment and not be there to help out. It came to no avail for Southend but almost did for City as we won a free-kick, McPhail almost beating the keeping at his near post and he quickly hit it again spotting him stranded at the far one. It was a light reprieve as bang on half-time, it was just about game over as City's masterful display, passing, movement and control all showed again as we doubled our lead.
Riccy Scimeca was firstly denied after being set up by one touch passes in and around the box, Flahavan actually missing the save to his edge of area low shot but the ball bounced off his shoulder for a corner. From that, Purse met the ball, there was a minor scramble before it ran across the 6 yard box to Michael Chopra who, in two touches, sucked in three defenders and then back-heeled to SCIMECA who passed home past Flahavan. Brilliance.
Half-time: Southend 0 City 2
Cardiff were in control of the scoreline and showed they were a class apart from their opponents as they came back, stroked and moved the ball around always on the deck and at their own pace, and left the home side floundering.
Mick McCarthy (manager of Wolves our next home opponents) and Peter Taylor (of Crystal Palace, our next away opponents) were sitting next to each other in the stands, hopefully, with toilet roll and is would have been required seeing how impressive we were. Commentators and analysts alike were drooling over Steve McPhail, who was very impressive, and talked about stopping him to stop Cardiff. He is pivotal but we are a team and anyone can turn it on. Paul Parry had a quiet match but he was our star last week, Joe Ledley had a poor first half but showed what he was about later.
Eastwood getting nowhere in the box was now showing his frustration outside it. He made Alexander save comfortably at the near post but was being blocked by Purse, made to run wide or shot off-balance from distance. Loovens was booked for going through him. Anytime he had the ball, we were there on him. We're a great team to watch but our work off the ball is as good as what we do with it.
At the other end, Gilbert was inches away on another probing run with brilliant interplay with Scimeca and McPhail, McPhail was just over and so was Ledley after more great set up work,
On 65 minutes, it was beyond doubt (we weren't going to do a Plymouth again) in Route One style as a Purse long ball spotted Chopra making a wide burst, he carried the ball and sent it across the face of goal to meet Joe Ledley, the ball was turned home. TV replays showed the defender FRANCIS got the final touch but if he hadn't, Joe would have scored anyway. We can pass though them and around them but we can also hit sides with devastating pace on the break.
The final 25 minutes was a procession. Joe and Thommo had efforts on goal, Joe's straight at Flahavan and Thommo's making him bring out a smart save. Flood on as a late sub was a fraction wide in added time.
Michael Ricketts came on as a sub to a big ovation from Southend but only got more boos for the ref as he lost his first ball challenging Joe Ledley who got there first in a 20 yard chase with Ricketts having 10 yards start!
Southend looked for a consolation and had two late efforts bringing saves out of Alexander but he, and his defence, deserved a clean sheet, a fitting reward for their hard work and almost total control.
Nine games, 20 points, +10 goal difference, 18 goals scored, a gap at the top, the only defeat of the season partially due to having to play 80 minutes with 10 men, putting winning runs together and bouncing back from setbacks. Absolutely there on merit and, by some margin, the best football side so far.
Still very early but there's never been a better or prouder time to be a Bluebird. Last time we were this good, the first ever VCR (video recorder) was being produced, records were on vinyl, decimalised currency was about to be introduced, Dirty Harry was the big film, Clive Dunn singing Grandad was No 1, Space Hoppers and Klackers (those balls you banged together) and you were nobody unless you wore a tank top and tied a City scarf to your wrist. ..
It's been a long time coming but it's good to be back!!!
THE COSTS:
Tickets: £FREE
Travel: None needed for a 450 mile round trip
Programme: None on sale at the house
Food/Drink: £6
Total: £6
Report from FootyMad
Cardiff City moved three points clear at the top of the Championship table as they ended Southend's five-match unbeaten run at Roots Hall.
First-half goals from skipper Darren Purse and Riccardo Scimeca gave the visitors a cushion before Joe Ledley made sure of the win just after the hour mark.
An open first few minutes ended with Southend creating the first chance when Mark Gower's cross from the left was headed onto the crossbar by Billy Paynter after nine minutes.
Two minutes later the league leaders were in front when Stephen McPhail's free-kick from the left byline flashed across the Southend six-yard box.
Blues defender Adam Barrett got a touch but the ball fell to skipper Purse, who bundled it home for his second goal of the season.
Centre-back Peter Clarke made a number of decent interventions for Southend and blocked six-goal top scorer Michael Chopra's goal-bound shot after he'd been set up by Kerrea Gilbert on 30 minutes.
Southend responded with Lewis Hunt forcing a save from Cardiff keeper Neil Alexander, before the custodian denied winger Gower.
The Shrimpers did get the ball in the net but Paynter's header was ruled out for offside on 42 minutes.
City punished that error in first-half stoppage time when Southend keeper Darryl Flahavan turned Scimeca's shot out for a corner.
Paul Parry's flag-kick was not cleared by the home defence and Scimeca stabbed the ball home.
Southend started the second half on the up and Freddy Eastwood was denied by Alexander after 51 minutes.
But the Shrimpers were having trouble getting into the final third, leaving Eastwood to shoot wide from distance on the hour, before McPhail's 25-yard effort flew inches over the Blues' crossbar.
Cardiff had confidently contained their hosts and put the game beyond Southend on 65 minutes.
Purse launched a long ball upfield which let Chopra get in behind the Blues defence. His cross found Ledley, whose shot took a deflection off Simon Francis and beyond Flahavan.
Southend boss Steve Tilson brought on Gary Hooper and handed Michael Ricketts his Blues debut to add some impetus going forward.
But it was City who nearly extended their lead when Steven Thompson's shot was turned wide by Flahavan before Ledley shot straight into the keeper's arms.
Hooper nearly grabbed a consolation goal in stoppage time but his shot was turned away by Alexander.
External Reports
The Independent
Western Mail
The Guardian
The Telegraph