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The Stokies didn't play badly but this was a night when City excelled and put in their best 90 minute display of the season so far. Every blue shirt played well but the key difference was that Stoke's defence couldn't cope with City attacks, our back line had few problems marshalling Stoke's. It was joyous, City fans could large it and didn't we just?
Door-to-door, Cardiff City to Stoke City is just under 150 miles of mostly motorway and would be easy if we didn't have to encounter the M5/M6 fiasco in Birmingham and Black County rush hour. It was at a standstill when we got there, the tailback lengthy so we diverted 20 miles out of the way to near the NEC and headed back in the right direction via the much quieter M6 toll road.
It may not have been too much quicker but we kept moving and stopped in Stone, 10 miles before Stoke, for 45 minutes in the world's worst pub with the world's most impossible to understand fruit machine. I still don't understand how one go on it lasted 5 minutes, we took one of the best features, it showed a decent payout but we had nothing to show for it.
We've visited Britannia many times, the ground visible from distance on a hillside overlooking Stoke, four large stands with three of the corners open, it's impressive. The crowd was down though, just 12,240, their smallest home crowd of the season by a couple of thousand. "No fans, sh*t ground" City sang with some irony..
Team news was easy, City named the same players for the 4th successive Championship game having not always impressed in the unbeaten run but there's few obvious candidates to call up and why tinker with something that is working? Once again, it was Alexander, Weston-Purse,Loovens-Barker, Cooper-Ledley-Whitley-Koumas, Jerome-Ricketts. Subs were Margetson-Ardley-Cox-Lee-Parry.
Under Dutchman Johan Boskmap - following Tony Pulis' summer dismissal with some talk it had a lot to do with him not bringing in enough cheap foreigners - Stoke started the evening in a play-off spot but were only 4 points ahead of City having played a game more.
They are inconsistent and haven't got it right at home where they'd beaten Luton and Norwich early in the season but had soundly lost their last two at Britannia 3-0 to Watford and 3-1 to Wolves just last Saturday. On the road, successive away wins at Hull and Preston a fortnight ago shot them to their lofty position but have been well beaten at Leicester and Palace and were knocked out of the Carling Cup at Mansfield.
Stoke lined up with Simonsen, Buxton-Hoefkens-Duberry-Broomes, Chadwick-Mbuyi- Russell-Harper, Gallagher-Sidibe. Subs included veteran keeper Ed De Goey.
Simonsen earned some good notices at Everton but at 26, he's only just started his 100th league game. More well known in defence were Michael Duberry who looked poor against Ricketts and Cameron and got some stick off City fans. The pug ugly Luke Chadwick, wanted by Lennie last season, is on loan from West Ham and another Lennie target, Paul Gallagher, was on loan from Blackburn and was their best player, he's good and very lively. Alongside him was the hopeless ex-Jack Mamady Sidibe who endured the usual array of taunts over his Swansea connections.
Kevin Cooper signalled strong intentions by firing over within 30 seconds and Ricketts had the ball in the net in the first 5 minutes but an offside flag had appeared a while before but it was a very quiet start. No problem going for a leak then ... wrong! Underneath the stand, a muffled roar was clear as was the unmistakable sound of a mass jumping up and down. Bloody hell, I missed it.
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Any thoughts I'd missed all the goalscoring action was dismissed less than two minutes later and City amazingly doubled their lead inside 11 minutes. Jerome was bursting away again and was brought down on the wide angle of the area, Koumas whipped a ball into the area, a City player nudged it on in the crowd at the other end of the pitch and it flew into the bottom corner with Simonsen comically kicking the back of his net in frustration.
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With Stoke in shellshock and frustrated, Russell showing it most with a crude challenge on Ledley. Chants of "We want six" had already started and when Cameron broke through Stoke's defence again before 15 minutes only to be denied by a Simonsen stop, it was looking possible.
The game was open and entertaining and Stoke had their moments too. A penalty was denied as Rhys Weston got in a clumsy challenge, shots were wide and over and Neil Alexander did brilliantly to charge out of goal one on one with Sidibe, put his hands in the way of his boots, win a punch and clear away, great goalkeeping. Most of all though, City's defence was excellent with Loovens and particularly Purse absolute rocks, Weston was playing really well and so was Barker.
Cardiff however counter-attacked with real menace and threatened to score and slice open The Potters every time they got out. Koumas looked sublime, Ricketts and Jerome could not be contained and all other players were supporting well. Another brilliant lightning fast move had Stoke reeling, Ricketts flashed a ball across the face of goal that players narrowly failed to connect with but it was 3-0 two minutes before the interval.
This time, Jeff Whitley with a pass that pieced Stoke's central defenders put JEROME away, one touch to control, one touch to take it wide of Simonsen and one touch to roll it into the back of net. For the second time in 6 months, Jerome was seeking a hat-trick at Stoke.
Inevitably it was time to large it. Large numbers of Stoke fans were disappearing under the stands to waves of "cheerio" and "time to go", City fans were gleeful with "you might as well go home" and I bet a few did and their anthem, Delilah, was converted into "Why, why, WHY, d'you bother?".
Disbelievingly, City walked off 3-0 ahead with a standing ovation and to sort of look from City fans wondering if they had been dreaming this. Everyone checked their clothes to remember what they had on for a good luck omen to wear next time while those with me have vowed to take gummibear sweets. After we all took the pee out of my brother for having them. although we all helped him eat them!, we decided they were the good luck charm.
Half-time: STOKE 0 CITY 3
After an awesome first half like that, please spare a thought for the Bridgend coach that broke down before getting out of South Wales, many of the boys were back at home instead of being here. Or the City fan who travelled from Essex, got there late due to traffic and had been locked outside and had missed it all.
The second half could never match the first half but, again, much credit should go to City for their approach. They only defended deep and in numbers for Stoke set pieces, they played most of the half high upfield, kept their shape and composure and only had few moments of danger and worry.
The closest coming 10 minutes after the restart when Stoke were awarded a free kick bang on the edge of the area, Gallagher's execution was near perfect as he sent it over the wall, always curling away from Alexander who had to mostly cover his near post but it smacked the far post and bounced kindly away. It was our night.
Stoke were numb and silent. Time to finish them off then by taking their 'anthem', Delilah, taunting them with it by completely outsinging them. Mind you, it did wake them for a few minutes but it never inspired their team.
City came close several times to extending their lead. Michael Ricketts headed just over meeting a Koumas free kick in front of goal, Jerome was sent clear on goal by a brilliant Koumas flick but the ball spun briefly out of control and the moment went.
There was a controversial moment when Jerome latched onto a careless back pass and was away on goal again but, let down by a poor touch, he was forced to go around Simonsen too wide and whilst undoubtedly playing for a penalty, he was caught by the keeper. His fall was perhaps too theatrical and he was booked instead of getting the spot kick, it caused a minor flashpoint between several players.
More chances came with Alan Lee, on as sub for Ricketts, making Simonsen save well with a low 20 yarder and then flashing a shot inches past his post, Paul Parry in his first touches as sub for Kevin Cooper beating two men, his goalbound shot just being finger-tipped around the post by Simonsen.
The chanting was non-stop. The Alan Lee chant was in full cry and there's now one for Darren Purse. It sounded tuneless but was KC & The Sunshine Band's Give It Up re-worked to na,na na na, nan na na, na na na Darren Darren Purse, Darren Purse, Darren Darren Purse and with everyone on a high, there was even chants for Leo Fortune-West and "There's Only One Andy Campbell".
Dave Jones Barmy Army was in full cry too but the last ten minutes were spent bidding farewell to Stokies pouring out of the ground early. "Is there any ****er left?" City sang at the Stoke stands.
What a brilliant, brilliant night. Alexander is in great form and confidence, Rhys played very well, Loovens and Purse again outstanding (who's missing Gabbs and Ginge?? :>) ). Midfield still isn't right but had their best showing so far, everyone doing their bit and noticeably, Cooper and Koumas swapped sides, City looked better for it. Up front, Ricketts and Jerome resumed normal service after an off day at The New Den.
So it's now 8 unbeaten, 4 consecutive clean sheets and, incredibly, we're in 9th place with a game in hand over many and just a point away from the play-offs. Unbelievable!
We had to celebrate a night like this, we were back in Stone until closing time, roadworks didn't help but we did enjoy taking the mick out of the Plymouth team coach at Strensham and telling them about City's win. Their striker Mickey Evans looked very unimpressed.
I didn't get home and to bed until almost 2:30am but who minds that when it's after nights like this?
The Cost of Being A City Fan:
Ticket: £20
Petrol share: £15
M6 Toll: £ 3.50
Car Parking: £5
Programme: £2.50
Food/drink: £14
Total Cost: £59
Cost for season to date: £754
Report from FootyMad
Stoke City's home slump continued as visitors Cardiff City and impressive youngster Cameron Jerome found no problem in tearing apart a poor Potters back line.
Stoke fell behind after only ten minutes when a comical display of defending allowed Joe Ledley to slip a ball through for Jerome who coolly slotted into Steve Simonsen's bottom left corner.
A second followed only two minutes later when a 30-yard Jason Koumas free-kick was met by a crowd of heads but Darren Purse climbed the highest to flick past the helpless goalkeeper.
Luke Chadwick's darting run inside the area looked to have given Stoke a way back when he was brought to ground by a Rhys Weston tackle, but the referee turned down any penalty shouts.
More slack defending by the home team in the 43rd minute was punished when Ledley threaded the ball for Jerome once again who simply sidestepped Simonsen and slotted in an empty net from 14 yards.
Stoke were unlucky not to claw a goal back seven minutes after the break when Paul Gallagher's 20-yard free-kick crashed back off Neil Alexander's crossbar.
Gallagher continued to plug away but to no avail when he attempted a 25-yard drive but his shot never troubled Neil Alexander, clearing the crossbar.
In search of his hat-trick, Jerome pounced on a failed back pass by Junior, but after touching the ball too far the striker went looking for a penalty with a theatrical dive that gained him a booking.
Substitute Paul Parry almost furthered his side's massive lead on 81 minutes when his drive across the face of goal had to be turned around the post by the slightest touch of Simonsen's glove.
The addition of Martin Kolar in the 84th minute proved too little, too late as the Bluebirds claimed their third win in four games.
External reports
Stoke Sentinel