December
Newsfile

Newsfile Archive

Where do you start? I am trying to write about the greatest victory in the lifetime of many City fans.

The media will undoubtedly highlight the events off the pitch as the game drew to a close. It was a sad sight to see items being thrown onto the pitch and I do not condone it and I am saddened that football fans stoop to such low levels.

What must not be overlooked is the fact that Cardiff City outplayed and beat the leaders of the Premiership. The result was no fluke, in fact Leeds only scored from a defensive error. Viduka took his goal well but Spencer Prior will long remember the appalling pass that helped put Viduka in.

Viduka strikes. Its 1 - 0 to Leeds

But it only took 10 minutes and Cardiff were level. City were playing great football, plenty of passing and it was a joy to watch, the Leeds goal was a hammer blow and thoughts of floodgates opening did cross ones mind but Andy Legg twisted and turned and was fouled 5 or 6 yards outside the box. Graham Kavanagh stepped up and left England goalkeeper Nigel Martyn grasping at thin air as his free kick smashed into the back of the net.

Kavanagh lets fly. Its 1 - 1

To be honest it was all Cardiff City, the movement, the passing the chances all went for City. Leeds were always a danger, you don't lead the Premiership without always having a sense that you can score but it never came off for them.

At half time the crowd of 22,009 was buzzing. It was a cup tie for sure. Two goals, great football and an incident just seconds before half time that will keep the Sports News channels talking about for ages. Alan Smith was tussling Andy Legg and it was obvious that Smith was pulling at Leggs shirt then up came Smiths arm and Legg went down. Andy D'Urso had no hesitation and sent Smith off for the "elbow". I've seen it a few times on TV now and the ref was technically correct, Smith raised his elbow and connected with Legg, I think it was a silly challenge rather than out and out aggression. Still Leeds were down to 10 men.

They had suffered earlier in the game, after only 8 mins Gavin Gordon made a hard challenge on Rio Ferdinand and the England defenders game was over, again seeing the TV replay I though Gordon went in and just nicked the ball, it was a hard challenge but Gordon was fired up for todays game and though he never went close to scoring ran his socks off.

So half time, bars and stands buzzing. Would City drop away after half time? They have done before.

Well not this time. I thought the second half was scrappier than the first but the classic FA Cup ingredient was there, passion from the underdogs. City continued to restrict Leeds and although there were fewer chances in the second half it was still City who were the more committed.

Leeds were always a threat, we are talking Viduka, Fowler, Bowyer, etc here. It was heart in mouth time as Viduka sprung the offside trap with 10 mins to go. He was offside, as was Fowler on 7 or 8 occasions, but this time Viduka broke free and was waved on, he'd already scored once when in on goal and as he cocked his leg back to fire in the winner Scott Young ghosted in like Superman and hooked the ball away. It was breathtaking. If Woodgate, Ferdinand, Hypia, Stam, Adams etc etc had done that it would have been replayed to justify their high value. This time it was Scott and he went on to profit even further.

As the game approached the 90 minute mark City won a corner. We'd been a threat all game from out set pieces, Martyn had been under pressure from many corners, crosses and Leggs long throws. This time the ball eluded the Leeds keeper, Leo got a head on it and guided it towards goal it was blocked and sat up ripe and ready for Scott Young to blast it into the back of the net and score the goal that has marked City again in the history books.

Scott (centre) starts to run away after scoring

Talk about ballistic, the crowd went wild. I jumped and shouted for what seemed like hours. Then came the nervy stuff. The 4th official put up the board. 3 mins to go.

Leeds had a corner in that time and some crosses, I died three times over but then D'Urso blew the whistle and the world stopped. For just one second no one knew what to do, then it errupted. City had beaten the Premiership leaders and didn't they deserve it.

TV pictures afterwards showed Sam being drenched in Champagne. After taunting Leeds saying we were bigger he had his moment. Sam went to the Leeds fans before the game and received a warm ovation from them.

There will be repercussions after the bottle / coin throwing but the football was incredible and Cardiff were worthy winners. I hope the national media give the football team the credit they deserve.