Report: Ashley James

Snapshot: A stunning free-kick from Peter Whittingham coupled with a brilliant performance from Ross McCormack saw off League One outfit, MK Dons at Ninian Park. Whittingham's long range belter in the 59th minute deservedly doubled Cardiff's lead after McCormack had scored a penalty in first-half injury time. In a fiercely one-sided affair Cardiff really should have pushed home their dominance to put the visitors out of sight; McCormack in particular squandering a hat-full of chances, but the two goals proved enough to see the Bluebirds safely into Round Three and allow attention to turn to Sheffield United on Saturday.

Team News: Fresh from International duty with the USA on-loan Eddie Johnson made his first appearance for the Bluebirds starting upfront alongside Ross McCormack who had netted three times in the previous two matches. Elsewhere Tony Capaldi had fully recovered from summer surgery to make his season bow in place of Mark Kennedy at left-back. In midfield Peter Whittingham came in for Paul Parry on the right-hand side.

Chronological Report: There's something about Carling Cup matches under the floodlights at Ninian Park that don't exactly have City fans frothing at the mouth. Maybe it's the fact that we took extremely late goals to squeeze past both Leyton Orient and Brighton at home in rounds one and two last year. Actually I'd say that's the exact reason but, things could had been very different, very early this time around.

The Dons failed to deal with the simplest of Tom Heaton punt's up-field and headed the ball straight to Ross McCormack, clearly brimming with confidence after his weekend scoring exploits, the diminutive Scot looked to take on his marker inside the box, but Shaun Cummings marshalled him well to halt the advance and steal possession. Cardiff dominated the opening exchanges though and with the visitors unable to retrieve any possession the Bluebirds continually poured forward down the left through Capaldi and Joe Ledley, only for the Dons back four to hold firm under some intense pressure and keep the stalemate.

When the visitors eventually did manage to get a hold of the ball they proved exactly why they must be considered dangerous opposition with a rapid breakaway as Craig Dobson tore up-field and into the Cardiff area. However, Darcy Blake matched his man stride for stride and shepherded him away from goal and safe.

Cardiff continued to bombard their visitors and on eight minutes a Whittingham free-kick from the right was nodded down by Roger Johnson but, a stretching McCormack just couldn't quite get to the ball and former Swansea 'keeper Willy Gueret smothered the first real half-chance of the game. Tony Capaldi's return to first team action lasted all of ten minutes when he limped off following an innoxious looking collision on the edge of the City box.

Cardiff Substitution: Manuel Commingues for Tony Capaldi (11mins)

Peter Whittingham produced a moment of individual brilliance to pluck an angled cross out of the air, race away down the right hand touchline and then leave Dean Lewington for dead near the corner flag following a scandalous turn. Unfortunately after doing all the hard work his low cross is disappointing and allowed the Dons to clear their lines and escape a dangerous situation far too easily.

In the 20th minute our visitors produced another reminder of just how dangerous they can be when a brilliant turn and reverse pass from Alan Navarro found Shaun Baldock racing through - yet once again Blake matched the striker for pace and snuffed out the chance. This proved to be Darcy's last contribution as he was immediately replaced, hobbling off for Paul Parry to take his place and cause a reshuffle in the Cardiff ranks with Comminges switching over to cover at right-back and Ledley dropping in to play at left-back.

Cardiff Substitution: Paul Parry for Darcy Blake (20mins)

On twenty-two minutes it was McCormack's turn to try and outdo Whittingham in the skills stakes as he skinned Jude Sterling in the corner before striding into the box. Looking up he waited for Eddie Johnson to make a run that didn't materialise and instead dinked a ball to Parry on the far corner of the area. The trajectory of the pass allowed the Dons to recover though and the chance went begging. Minutes later Whittingahm was back in the limelight when he collected following some neat interplay between McPhail and Scimeca, he checked onto his left foot and blasted a shot from 25-yards that whistled past the post with Gueret scrambling...at least it seemed to from my angle.

Then came the breathless, flurry of excitement; Ledley outdid all with a stunning piece of skill turning and laying off a wonderful disguised pass for the overlapping McCormack. His low cross found Eddie Johnson who had made a great run across his marker at the near post and his flicked effort was tipped into the air by Gueret who watched helplessly as it dropped back onto the bar and fell safely behind for a corner. Purse rose well at the corner and as all and sundry were claiming handball against Lewington, Scimeca pounced to swipe at the rebound only to be felled by one many a swinging leg amongst the melee.

This time Mr Shoebridge did point to the spot as Riccy writhed around in agony. Eventually the stretcher was called for and with Scimeca clutching perilously close to the Achilles region, all must be hoping that it isn't a repeat of the injury that forced the veteran to miss the whole of last season. After an age McCormack finally stepped up and smashed the penalty straight down the middle to ripple the net and send the Grange End into relieved raptures.

CARDIFF CITY 1 - 0 MK Dons (Ross McCormack (pen) 45+mins)

Cardiff Substitution: Aaron Morris for Riccardo Scimeca (45+ mins)

HALF-TIME: CARDIFF CITY 1 - 0 MK Dons

Our visitors were the quickest out of the blocks in the second-half, or Navarro was at least as he jinked his way past Darren Purse in the opening seconds before smashing an ugly shot low and wide. This didn't manage to spark a Dons resurgence though and Cardiff maintained their dominance quickly, very nearly earning a second penalty in the process. A long ball up-field allowed McCormack to chest on the edge of the area, the very edge, and Sterling who must be twice the size of Ross clambered all over him to give away a free-kick and earn himself a booking at the same time. With what looked like the whole team stood around the ball, Whittingham eventually won the argument and his left footed effort curled just wide of the far corner.

Whitts will surely claim that was just a tasty range finder, as in the 59th minute he doubled Cardiff's lead with a fantastically audacious goal. He stepped up to a free-kick fully 35-yards out and dipped a shot over the wall and into the bottom corner of the near post with Gueret scampering across his line in vain.

CARDIFF CITY 2 - 0 MK DONS (Peter Whittingham 59mins)

MK Dons Substitutions: Sean O'Hanlon and David King for Dean Lewington and Jude Sterling

In the 71st minute McCormack again sprung into life when he pounced on some defensive offside confusion in the Dons ranks. Roger Johnson pumped a ball down the left-hand channel and as Paul Parry trotted back down the line off the pitch Ross McCormack raced past him in play and onto the ball, he checked onto his right, cut inside three defenders and with a goal looking certain he smashed an incredible drive that cleared the roof of the Canton Stand.

Mere two minutes later the visitors pulled themselves back into matters much against the run of play; Paul Mitchell lofted in a free kick from the left which was met by O'Hanlon amongst a sea of Bluebirds markers and flew past Heaton who had slipped trying to stop the header.

Cardiff City 2 - 1 MK DONS (Sean O'Hanlon 73mins)

Cardiff looked to fire back immediately and McCormack looked a man on a mission as he turned away from two tacklers on the left of the area and lifted the ball over the grounded Gueret only to see the effort ping back off the near post. Minutes later the Scot curled a free-kick nicely over the wall from the left of the area, but Gueret again reacted well to snatch the ball out the air. Cardiff continued to fire forward and McCormack continued to throw himself into goal scoring positions as an Eddie Johnson knock down fell to Parry and he lifted a glorious ball over the last defender for Ross to run onto, his headed first touch took the ball perfectly into his path but as he bared down on Gueret and goal he blasted a shot high and wide.

The last chance fell to Cardiff new boy Eddie Johnson however the unsuspecting American couldn't react quickly enough to a perfect Ledley cross that dropped just over the head of O'Hanlon and it drifted safe for a goal kick.

FULL TIME: Cardiff 2 - 1 MK Dons

Cardiff City: Heaton, Capaldi (Commingues 10mins), Purse, R. Johnson, Blake (Parry 20mins), Whittingham, Scimeca (Morris 45+mins), McPhail, Ledley, McCormack, E. Johnson. Subs not used: Enckelman, Dennehy, Bothroyd, Thompson. Goals: McCormack (Pen), Whittingham

MK Dons: Gueret, Lewington (O'Hanlon 63mins), Stirling (King 63mins), Diallo, Cummings, Mitchell, Navarro, Dobson, Chicksen, Johnson, Baldock. Subs not used: Abbey, Regan, Leven, Belson, Wright. Booking: Stirling. Goal: O'Hanlon.

Referee: R L Shoebridge. Attendance: 6,334