Report: Ashley James
Photo: Michael Cunningham
Snapshot: Paul Parry staked his claim for a regular starting place with a two-goal first-half display that put Cardiff in early and complete control at Dean Court. The Bluebirds then conspired to make their passage into the Second Round frustratingly difficult for themselves by allowing the home side back into the match mid-way through the first-half before holding firm under some strong pressure during the second 45 minutes. Truth be told the Cherries never showed enough quality to really test City stopper Tom Heaton and put the win in any serious doubt, but did put City under enough pressure to make the encounter far more than an early season run out against lower league opposition and instead one that more than warranted Dave Jones' strong team selection.
Match Setting: Well we've made it, no thanks to our Sat Nav system ("They've really revolutionised transport you know!") which seemed intent on directing us to a housing estate instead. Anyway we're here now which is the important thing and it's sunny…no it's not it's raining…no it's not it's stopped again, let's hope the football is more consistent than the weather!
Team News: Despite a trip to the fourth round last year and that valiant display away at Liverpool we had to endure a couple of early scares against Brighton and Leyton Orient along the way, and the less said about Barnet the season before the better for all concerned so with that in mind perhaps it's a little less surprising to see Dave Jones opting for an extremely strong starting XI. The only changes from the opening day victory over Southampton came up-front where Saturday's substitutes strikers Jay Bothroyd and Paul Parry were paired together in place of Thompson and McCormack. The seven bench rule enforced in the League Cup also meant Riccy Scimeca and Darcy Blake got the opportunity to pull on a track-suit for the first time this campaign.
Chronological Report: Less than a minute old and the game's first effort fell to the home team when Mark Kennedy needlessly gave the ball away with a loose pass that allowed the ball to be worked out wide on the right to Marvin Bartley whose driven cross was met by Jo Kuffour who couldn't direct his awkward effort on target.
Bothroyd was involved early and often on his first start and was instrumental in giving Cardiff a 7th minute lead. His neat lay-off around midfield found Whittingham who had wandered in from the right flank and his through ball found Paul Parry on a wonderfully timed arching run in behind the Cherries back-four. Everyone associated with Bournemouth were shouting for offside however the linesman disagreed and kept his flag down, Parry's heavy first touch looked to have given Shwan Jalal the opportunity to snuff out the chance but for Parry's blistering pace which got him to the ball first and allowed him to slide the ball under the out-rushing 'keeper.
Bournemouth 0 - 1 CARDIFF CITY (Paul Parry 7mins)
Five minutes later and the Bluebirds had doubled their lead thanks to last seasons to scorer and with more than a little help from some suspect Cherries defending. Warren Cummings sold Jalal short with a horrendously skewed back-header, this allowed Parry to nip in and loop a header over the stranded 'keeper from the right off the box and into the back of the net despite the best efforts of Jason Pearce who raced back to clear the ball off the line only to hook it into the roof of his own net.
Bournemouth 0 - 2 CARDIFF CITY (Paul Parry 12mins)
Cardiff were now in complete control and looked to be fully enjoying their pursuit of yet more goals. Firstly a strong Bothroyd run opened up space in-front of Whittingham and never one to pass up a shooting chance he unleashed from 25 yards out only for Shaun Copper's back to take the full force of the effort and block it out for a corner. From the set piece Jalal's unfortunate evening nearly went from bad to worse as he dropped Kennedy's cross right at Roger Johnson's feet but his point-blank volley was deflected again deflected over and safe.
Cardiff were testing their sights from all over as McPhail twice clattered the advertising hoardings behind the goal before Whittingham got far too much air under a attempted chip from fully 30 yards sending it sailing clean over the bar. On twenty-one minutes Gavin Rae switched play out to the left with a glorious pass that Ledley managed to flick-on to Bothroyd who controlled well and strike an early shot that was deflected over for another corner. This time Ledley's cross flew through heavy traffic in the box and out to Whittigham at the right hand corner of the box who swivelled and struck a controlled half-volley that forced Jalal into a decent save down to his left.
Just before the half-hour mark it was Cardiff's turn for a defensive lapse as Loovens fluffed a volleyed clearance straight to Kuffour, he shifted the ball across Johnson and onto his left foot before dispatching a low shot back across Heaton and into the bottom corner to put the Cherries back into a match that seconds before all but over.
Cardiff City 1 - 2 BOURNEMOUTH (Jo Kuffour 28mins)
The goal re-energised the previously flat Bournemouth both on the field and in the stands and in the 38th minute Ledley gave the home support even more to cheer about when he clean missed the ball with an audacious overhead kick and ended up on his back infront of the now rowdy Key Stand. They had even more to applaud moments later as Jalal made a spectacular save to deny Bothroyd his first City goal. McPhail swung over a perfect cross from the left that found the former Wolves man all alone in the area but his well directed header from centre of goal, 10yards out was tipped around the far post by Jalal at full stretch. On half-time Jalal repeated his heroics to keep Bournemouth in the match as he saved from a Johnson header in identical fashion, this time though the ball was palmed to the feet of Bothroyd who somehow put the chance over from mere yards out and with an empty net at his mercy. I'd love to say the tight angle made it tricky for the new signing, but I cant…it was a fantastic miss.
HALF-TIME: Bournemouth 1 - 2 Cardiff City
Despite Bournemouth being right back in the match the second period was somehow a far less frenetic affair than the first as it took either team a full 10 minutes to craft an opening. Bothroyd showed his strength down the left and squared a low cross towards Parry in the six-yard box who stretching just couldn't get there before his marker, when the ball was only half-cleared Whittingham struck a firm shot from the edge of the box and Jalal's inconsistent night continued as he fumbled the simple save forcing Pearce to deal with it instead.
Bournemouth were showing plenty of industry in midfield and put Loovens and Johnson in particular under intense pressure but, without ever really looking likely to snatch an equaliser. This was a trend that continued late into the second-half of a more than competitive affair when Cardiff suddenly sprung into life once more. The Bluebirds stroked the ball around beautifully down the left-hand flank but struggled to find a decisive cross to sufficiently worry the home back-four which resulted in yet more pot shots form in and around the edge of the area.
Cardiff Substitution: Ross McCormack for Peter Whittingham (62mins)
Bournemouth Substitution: Ricky Sappleton for Lee Bradbury (71mins)
The introduction of McCormack pushed Parry over to play on the right of midfield and the two linked up well on more than one occasion; firstly two-goal Parry showed some silky skill on the flank to beat his man and find McCormack in the box who in turn could only find Jalal with a weak flicked effort then the young Motherwell acquisition returned the favour by playing in Parry on the right of the box but Jalal was again alert and quashed the hat-trick chance with a good smothering save.
Cardiff Substitution: Manuel Commingues for Paul Parry (82mins)
Cardiff Substitution: Steve Thompson for Jay Bothroyd (84mins)
Bournemouth Substitution: Carl Pettefer for Marvin Bartley (84mins)
Bournemouth Substitution: Josh McQuoid for Jo Kuffour (88mins)
The final chance fell to Cardiff City and Manuel Commingues whose injury-time opportunity could have sealed their second round place. City worked the ball well across the midfield and a killer pass from Ledley found Commingues on a great run inside the opposite full-back, his first-touch put him in a superb position bearing down on goal but again Jalal did well to smother the chance and keep the score at a deservedly respectable two goals to one.
FULL-TIME: Bournemouth 1 - 2 Cardiff City
Cardiff City: Heaton, McNaughton, Johnson, Loovens, Kennedy, Whittingham (McCormack 62mins), Rae, McPhail, Ledley, Bothroyd (Thompson 84mins), Parry (Commingues 82mins). Subs Not Used: Enckelman, Purse, Blake, Scimeca. Goals: Parry 7mins, 13mins
Attendance: 3,399
