by Ashley James and Mark Denham

Snapshot: The Bluebirds scored three goals for the second time in a week at Ninian Park to move back up to fourth in the Championship. Michael Chopra opened the scoring after ten minutes when he knocked home from the centre of the area following good build up play down the right hand touchline by Darcy Blake and Peter Whittingham. A superb strike from outside the area from the returning Jay Bothroyd doubled the Bluebirds lead on the half hour mark as Doncaster struggled to get in to the game.

The visitors offered little more after the interval and City got their third goal from the most popular of outlets on the hour mark. Eddie Johnson's first goal in a City shirt delighted the vocal Ninian Park crowd as the popular American celebrated with his team-mates after striking home a sweet shot from outside the area in to the Canton End net. Despite injuries during the game to Chopra, Bothroyd and Mark Kennedy, Saturday's game was a thoroughly satisfying one for Cardiff's players and fans alike.

Team News: Cardiff made only the one change as despite a man of the match performance against Barnsley last time out Eddie Johnson was unfortunate to drop out once more and make way for the fit again Jay Bothroyd. He returned to partner Michael Chopra up top after three matches out through injury which meant Quincy Owusu-Abeyie, Ross McCormack and Eddie Johnson were all kept back on the bench.

Lineups

Cardiff City: Konstantopoulos, Blake, Kennedy, R.Johnson, Gyepes, Whittingham, Parry, Rae, Ledley, Bothroyd, Chopra. Subs: E.Johnson, Owusu-Abeyie, Scimeca, Comminges, McCormack.

Doncaster Rovers: Sullivan, Chambers, Wellens, Mills, Stock, Coppinger, Hird, Woods, Price, Roberts, Spicer. Subs: Lockwood, Wilson, Shiels, Hayter, Letheran.

Chronological Report: A heavy downpour in the hours leading up to kick-off had relegated playing conditions to hardly ideal yet despite this Cardiff started brightly and after the win against Barnsley earlier in the week, seemingly had the confidence to play football from the off. It was good football that very nearly gave them an early lead after only four minutes when Rovers 'keeper Neil Sullivan slapped away a cross from the left Gavin Rae turned the ball neatly back inside to Gabor Gyepes who bundled his way into the area. Once there he looked to have been pushed over from behind by Gareth Roberts - it certainly wasn't clear cut but I've certainly seen them given and from my vantage point it looked like a good shout, referee Mr Hegley didn't agree however.

Six minutes later Cardiff were ahead though as a Paul Parry cross from the left was only cleared as far as Gavin Rae on the edge of the area, he looked to have time to shoot but instead opted to drift down the right of the box. From there he lifted a lovely delicate ball to Michael Chopra at the back post who amidst some static defending squeezed a miss-hit shot inside the upright.

CARDIFF CITY 1 - 0 Doncaster Rovers (Michael Chopra 10mins)

Cardiff were dominating the early exchanges and so far had the beating of the difficult conditions also. After twenty minutes Gavin Rae had a great chance to add a second and what would have been his first of the season. Darcy Blake won a header at full-back which allowed Jay Bothroyd to chest the ball down perfectly to Joe Ledley, his simple pass played in Rae who dropped a shoulder to glide past Sam Hird, awkwardly shift the ball onto his left foot at the edge of the area and scuff an off balance shot that Sullivan tipped wide down to his right.

Doncaster's only real chance of the first half arrived two minutes later when Mark Kennedy for forced to concede a corner at the back post after a fine sweeping move by the visitors. Matthew Mills won a header off the corner that was floating towards the near corner and Jason Price looking to finish off the chance popped up yards from goal but nodded over with a cushioned back header of his 'fro.

Cardiff City Substitution: Miguel Comminges for Mark Kennedy (26mins)

Darcy Blake crossed from the right which Mills won just in front of Bothroyd, the knockdown fell to Ledley who volleyed low first time but Hird was perfectly position to side-foot the effort of the line. A minute later Cardiff had their two goal advantage and in pretty spectacular fashion. He chested the ball down, turned and shot all in one movement from twenty-yards plus which beat Sullivan's outstretched right hand like a bullet as it flew into the far corner.

CARDIFF CITY 2 - 0 Doncaster Rovers (Jay Bothroyd 29mins)

Doncaster Rovers Substitution: Mark Wilson for Brian Stock (33mins)

Cardiff City Substitution: Eddie Johnson for Jay Bothroyd (36mins)

Despite being two down early and having just lost their captain early the Doncaster fans continued to encourage their team with great support both in terms of numbers and volume.

Doncaster looked more than happy to get into the dressing room there and then at just the two down and really escaped conceding a third on two occasions as time expired. Firstly, Peter Whittingham drilled in a free-kick waist high from the left which allowed Roger Johnson to ghost in amongst some statuesque marking and side foot an effort straight at Sullivan from no more than four yards out. Then Cardiff won a free-kick slightly to the left of the D, Chopra's stance was purposeful as he prepared to strike, his execution was not so though as he lifted his shot into the Grange End.

Half Time: CARDIFF CITY 2 - 0 Doncaster Rovers

The second half started with a bang quite literally as Eddie Johnson was sent tumbling by Mills, running at the Rovers back four with menace and was unceremoniously hacked down from behind for which the Doncaster centre-half was duly booked.

The first chance of the second half fell to City and to Eddie Johnson with good football again the catalyst. Roger Johnson threaded through Chopra with a delightful firm pass who himself played in Eddie with a first touch pass. Running across the ball inside the right of the box Eddie elected to strike it early and drilled a decent shot just wide.

On the hour mark the match produced two moments of drama you only get at Ninian Park. Firstly after five minutes of ignoring the Grange Ends call to "Do the Ayatollah", Dimi Konstantopoulos finally responds and immediately apologises after being metaphorically prodded by substitute Riccy Scimeca who was screaming instructions from the sideline.

Then seconds later the moment arrived that every Cardiff fan had been waiting for - Eddie Johnson picked up the ball on the right, cut inside and rifled a left footed across Sullivan and into the far bottom corner. Eddie was clearly relieved, his fellow players delighted and every Bluebird fan ecstatic as the American finally grabbed his first Cardiff goal.

CARDIFF CITY 3 - 0 Doncaster Rovers (Eddie Johnson 60mins)

Doncaster Rovers Substitutions: James Hayter and Dean Shiels for and Jason Price.

Cardiff City Substitution: Ross McCormack for Michael Chopra (62mins)

Doncaster were having a very bad day at the office indeed and their one and only chance of the second half saw substitute Dean Shiels hit a snap shot from the edge of the area which Dimi saved well to his left. This only delighted the Grange End further who were in fine voice all afternoon and had a new object of affection in the Greek 'keeper.

The rest of the game passed in rather subdued fashion and minus any major incident apart from a City fan excitedly performing the Ayatollah in front of the adoring Grandstand as he was stretchered out of the ground by paramedics.

It was as comfortable an afternoon as City would have hoped for as they claimed a three goal haul for the second time in a week, a feat they had yet to achieve all season before last Tuesday. A minor blemish will be the three injuries sustained to key players and all fingers will be crossed that all are available midweek when City's promotion push continues at Norwich.

Full Time: CARDIFF CITY 3 - 0 Doncaster Rovers

Cardiff City: Konstantopoulos, Kennedy (Comminges 26), R. Johnson, Gyepes, Blake, Parry, Rae, Ledley, Whittingham, Bothroyd (E. Johnson 36), Chopra (McCormack 62).

Subs not used: Scimeca, Quincy Owusu-Abeyie.

Goals: Chopra, Bothroyd, E. Johnson.

Doncaster Rovers: Sullivan, Mills, Hird, Chambers,

Referee: M Hagley

Attendance: 17,821