Report by Ashley James
For the second time this season Cardiff squandered a late two-goal lead away from home to leave themselves with decidedly mixed feelings over the outcome. Surely buoyed by the fact that they have now scored 7 goals against the league leaders in two away meetings this season, yet they must also be bitterly disappointed at not leaving the Black Country with all three points having outplayed the Baggies for large periods of a thrilling game packed with football of the very highest order.
Just like the Carling Cup encounter earlier this season Cardiff made a flying start at the Hawthorns and had the lead within 30 seconds of the opening; after a series of smooth passing Paul Parry was fed the ball at the edge of the area and out of nowhere his stunningly deft chip found its way over the head of Dean Kiely and nestled itself into the back of the Albion net.
West BromwichAlbion 0 - 1 CARDIFF CITY (Parry 1min)
The great start for the visitors coupled with the Albion midfield's inability to keep hold of possession had the home crowd frustrated from the off however an Ishmael Miller surge in the seventh minute livened up proceedings. The on-loan Manchester City forward outpaced and out-muscled Glenn Loovens who had been pulled over to the right flank and fought his way to the by-line only to see his floated cross towards the back post evade everyone. In fact that was to be Millers only involvement in the game as soon after he limped off following a heavy challenge by Loovens.
WBA Substitution: Roman Bednar for Ishmael Miller (12mins)
On the quarter of an hour mark West Brom finally produced some of the flowing football that has carried them magnificently to the top of the Championship this season; Filipe Teixeira played a through ball up to Kevin Phillips, the veteran Striker was patient in possession and when the ball was worked to back to Teixeira at the edge of the area his beautiful turn took him past Loovens only for Roger Johnson to cover across and make the all important block.
Cardiff responded well and looked continually dangerous on the break; Gavin Rae found himself in space out side on the right and sent a testing ball in for Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink cleverly left in for Joe Ledley arriving behind him, unfortunately the ball skipped off the slippery surface and out for a goal-kick. The Bluebirds continued to press and find success in behind the Albion back-four. A Parry through ball sprang Ledley who failed to take the pass in his stride, when he did collect his cross was well defended by Pele and was followed up with an even better piece of defending from John Greening who blocked Gavin Rae's intended strike after a heavy first touch from the Scot.
West Brom had seldom looked threatening however, 16-goal Kevin Phillips very nearly levelled things up in the 24th minute; a free-kick, centre-field, 30-yards out was quickly taken to Phillips who struck a thunderous shot goal-wards that was beaten away to his right by a diving Michael Oakes. This eventually seemed to spark the Baggies into life as a cross-field pass by Chris Brunt was magically controlled by Robert Koren on the right as his first touch took him inside Tony Capaldi, Koren squared the ball across the edge of the area towards substitute Bednar and his shot was bravely blocked by Kevin McNaughton who injured himself in the process, this caused a lengthy delay to the game and resulted in him having to leave the game.
Cardiff Substitution: Darcy Blake for Kevin McNaughton (31mins)
Any questions over the youngster's capability at full-back, the position he playes for the Wales U-21's, were quelled immediately when his first touch led to Cardiff's second goal. Under pressure from Bednar in his own corner, Blake turner the Striker then delivered a long ball up field and right on to the head of Hasselbaink, his flick on again found Parry in behind, he shaped to cut in on his favoured left foot before turning Pele inside and out and calmly prodding the ball past Kiely from a narrow angle on the right.
West BromwichAlbion 0 - 2 CARDIFF CITY (Parry 32mins)
Beleaguered and bewildered the Albion managed a response immediately to demonstrate their credentials, a Pele free-kick from the middle of the park was floated to the back post where it was met by Bednar who powered a header back across goal and into the left hand corner.
WEST BROMWICHALBION 1 - 2 CardiffCity (Bednar 34mins)
Cardiff charged right back at the Baggies and Ledley played in Roger Johnson on the left hand of the box; his cross was blocked at full stretch by Leon Barnett and with his arm according to the Cardiff players, referee Mr Friend disagreed and awarded a corner. Six minutes of injury time were announced and that could have been enough for Cardiff to score twice more. Firstly Peter Whittingham collected a long ball and held the ball up well againstthe far larger Barnett, support eventually arrived through Paul Parry but he side-footed over from 12 yards. Then Parry again caught the two Albion centre halves at sixes and sevens and a blistering run from the Welshman ended with him dragging a shot wide from the edge of the box.
HALF TIME: West BromwichAlbion 1 - 2 CARDIFFCITY
Cardiff began the second half strongly and while they didn't score as quickly as they had in the first period it took only five minutes to stretch their lead. A West Brom free-kick deep in Cardiff territory was well defended and allowed City to break quickly and decisively; Parry freed Ledley on the left, he tormented Pele before squaring the ball across the edge of the area, that was blocked and when it was recollected by Ledley he struck it firmly into the bottom left hand corner.
West BromwichAlbion 1 - 3 CARDIFFCITY (Ledley 50mins)
West Brom Substitution: Zoltan Gera for Rober Koren and James Morrison for Pele (51mins)
Just pastthe hour mark West Brom thought that they had played themselves back into the match when Carl Hoefkens in-swinging cross was flicked home by the head of Bednar, however their joy was short lived when the goal was ruled out for offside. Seconds later an identical chance fell to the Czech but this time he headed wide. Bednar's physical presence caused Cardiff no end of problems in the air and when another chanced fell to him later he was incensed with himself that he couldn't direct the effort goal-wards.
West Brom's shift to 3-5-2 began to prove effective by strangling Cardiff of possession and this mounting pressure finally paid off with a goal to give themselves a fighting chance. Martin Albrechtsen stooped to head a James Morrison cross only for Oakes to tip the header away superbly, the ball was not cleared however and when it was put back in again the Dane was again there to head the ball against the underside of the bar and in despite the best efforts of Ledley on the line.
WEST BROMWICHALBION 2 - 3 CardiffCity (Martin Albrechtsen 71mins)
Cardiff Substitution: Steven Thompson for Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (73mins)
Cardiff again responded well with Ledley heavily involved throughout and it was neat interplay between him and Steve Thompson that brought about a scoring chance for Gavin Rae; with the ball deep in the corner Ledley managed to pick out a cross that Rae shaped to volley but instead opted to control and strike only for the ball to become stuck in his feet. The introduction of Thompson also proved effective with the Scot holding the ball up well against a struggling Albion defence and when he combined with Whittingham down the right it allowed Rae to be played into space and blaze over from 20-yards out.
West Brom threw everything forward in search of an equaliser and it nearly arrived through the head of Gera however his header off Brunt's cross was directed straight at a grateful Oakes at the back post. The pressure of defending a lead proved too much for Cardiff though as within a minute West Brom were level; Gera drove the ball into the box and Johnson's attempted clearance looped off his left boot and up and over a stranded Oakes.
WEST BROMWICHALBION 3 - 3 Cardiff City (Roger Johnson O.G. 87mins)
With the league leaders on the ascendancy and the noise now deafening in the Hawthorns if there was going to be a last gasp winner it looked like coming for the Baggies. Just like the first-half the fourth officials board was raised and six minutes were indicated, a length of injury time that produced a winning chance for both teams. For Cardiff Leon Barnett's back header sold Kiely short, allowed Ledley to nip in on the left of the box and lift an effort agonisingly overt the bar. Then up the other end a James Morrison cross from the right was flicked away by Roger Johnson only to fall to Gera at the back post whose vicious strike back across goal went inches wide.
West Brom: Kiely, Hoefkens, Barnett, Pele (Morrison 51mins), Albrechtsen, Koren (Gera 51mins), Teixeira, Greening, Brunt, Miller (Bednar 34mins), Phillips.
Subs Not Used: Steele, Hodgekiss
Goals: Bednar, Albrechtsen
CardiffCity: Oakes, McNaughton (Blake 31mins), Loovens, Johnson, Capaldi, Whittingham, Rae, McPhail, Ledley, Parry, Hasselbaink (Thompson 73mins)
Subs Not Used: Enckelman, Purse, Ramsey
Goals: Parry (2), Ledley
