Report by Mark Denham, from Cardiff City Stadium

Snapshot

Two Jay Bothroyd strikes sent City on their way to an exciting 3-2 victory over Sheffield Wednesday at Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday.

The visitors took the lead on fifteen minutes, slightly against the run of play. Marcus Tudgay found space on the edge of the right of the area to play across the most inviting of crosses for Jermaine Johnson to tap home with ease to the delight of the travelling support.

But their joy was short lived, as from the very next attack, City were level. Peter Whittingham ran at the heart of the Owls defence before being tripped by Darren Purse. Whittingham took his own free-kick, and curled home a superb left footed effort past a flailing Lee Grant.

It took the Bluebirds just nine minutes after the interval to take the lead. With the Owls defence seemingly sleeping, Stephen McPhail played the simplest and most direct of balls through the centre for Bothroyd to control and tuck home past Grant with ease.

Wednesday equalised with twelve minutes remaining through Tudgay. The attacker pulled away from Kevin McNaughton at the far post before striking home past a helpless Marshall. It gave the Wednesday fans hope that a great escape could still be mustered.

But just two minutes later and City were back in front. With their defence retreating again, Bothroyd ran in from the far right touchline before striking, un-challenged past Grant for his second of the game. Substitute Etienne Esajas struck the post with virtually the last kick of the game, but City would survive the scare to take the points.

Chronological Report

The Bluebirds kicked off in the glorious spring sunshine in front of a well visited Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Former City skipper Darren Purse captained the visiting Sheffield Wednesday and received an excellent round of applause from his former supporters, but the Wednesday defence, Purse included, were under immediate pressure from the promotion chasing Bluebirds.

Joe Ledley had the first opportunity of the game, forcing Wednesday 'keeper Lee Grant into an early diving save. Darcy Blake won the ball on the edge of the Owls area, allowing Ledley to test Grant with a curling right foot shot. From the resulting corner, Blake again found Bothroyd, though the striker was denied by Grant once more who pushed away a stinging drive.

But the visitors came within a lick of paint of opening the scoring on fourteen minutes. Darren Potter's free-kick on the edge of the area struck the end of the Cardiff wall, forcing David Marshall into making a superb save towards the top left corner of his goal; Marcus Tudgay struck the rebound across the face of goal, but no Wednesday attacker was there to tuck it home.

The effort seemed to buoy the visitors and on fifteen minutes, the man who broke Bluebirds hearts last season, Jermaine Johnson, was on hand to tuck home the easiest of finishes from a superb Tudgay cross. It was perhaps a little against the run of play, but the pass and finish were perfect.

GOAL: CARDIFF CITY 0-1 SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY (Johnson, 15).

But from the very next attack, the Bluebirds were level. Peter Whittingham ran at the retreating Wednesday defence, forcing Purse into tripping the midfielder and thus give away a free-kick on the edge of the area. Whittingham stepped up, and curled the perfect left-footed free-kick past the helpless crowd to silence the formerly bouncing away support.

GOAL: CARDIFF CITY 1-1 SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY (Whittingham, 17).

After a frantic period of play, the game began to centre around the middle of the park, Stephen McPhail and Joe Ledley in particular winning the early tactical battle with Darren Potter and James O'Connor. Either side exchanged corners and Wednesday did come close when Purse tested Marshall at his near post, though the goalmouth action at either end was minimal as the game drifted towards the half hour mark.

A superb McPhail ball from inside the centre circle allowed Chopra to outpace Purse on thirty-five minutes. The striker bustled his way on through before forcing Grant in to a save with a deft header; although the 'keeper did well to divert the ball from goal, Chopra played the rebound into the centre but Whittingham could only shoot over from a great position.

City were having all of the play and possession as the game approached half time, but it was Wednesday's Johnson who had the opportunity to give his side a lead at the interval. The striker latched onto some loose City defending to beat McNaughton on the left flank, but could only striker wide of Marshall's goal from a tight angle.

The final action of the half came when Bothroyd was fouled thirty-yards from goal. The striker took his own free-kick, but Grant parried it around the post. It was the fitting end to a frantic first-half.

HALF TIME: CARDIFF CITY 1-1 SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY

Substitution Sheffield Wednesday: Leon Clarke on for Jermaine Johnson (45 mins).

Substitution Cardiff City: Mark Hudson on for Darcy Blake (45 mins).

The Bluebirds went straight at the Wednesday defence from the kick-off, Bothroyd running with the ball from midfield before striking just over inside the penalty area under pressure from the desperately retreating Owls defenders.

Kelvin Etuhu picked up the ball on the right touchline on fifty-three minutes and had a superb chance to double the scores. Unfortunately for the winger, following a superb run and cut inside, his effort was blocked by Mark Beevers.

But City were ahead just a minute later. The Owls defence seemed to go to sleep, as McPhail picked up a loose ball in the middle of the park and played the easiest of lofted chips through the centre for Bothroyd to control and tuck home past Grant with plenty of time and without any pressure.

GOAL: CARDIFF CITY 2-1 SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY (Bothroyd, 54).

Substitution Cardiff City: Chris Burke on for Kelvin Etuhu (59 mins).

The goal seemed to rattle the visitors and, with the introduction of Chris Burke, they continued to be on the back foot as the game went into the final half hour.

Substitution Sheffield Wednesday: Francis Jeffers on for Tom Soares (63 mins).

Substitution Cardiff City: Aaron Wildig on for Stephen McPhail (66 mins).

Substitution Sheffield Wednesday: Etienne Esajas on for Luke Varney (68mins).

Substitute Etienne Esajas almost equalised for the Owls with his first involvement of the game. After an influential performance in the reverse league fixture at Hillsborough back in the autumn, the midifielder picked up the ball on the right touchline before cutting inside and striking a shot that left Marshall rooted to the spot. Fortunately for City, his effort went just the wrong side of the post.

With twelve minutes remaining, Wednesday found an equaliser. Following some unconvincing defending by the Bluebirds, James O'Connor chipped over the head of Kevin McNaughton at the far post to stroke home a clever finish past a helpless Marshall.

GOAL: CARDIFF CITY 2-2 SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY (Tudgay, 78 mins).

But the Bluebirds were back ahead just two minutes later. Wednesday's midfield and defence allowed Bothroyd to run at them with the ball, all the way to the centre of the penalty area before striking low and hard past Grant who couldn't get a strong enough palm on the ball.

GOAL: CARDIFF CITY 3-2 SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY (Bothroyd, 80 mins).

The third goal seemed to flatten the visitors, and it was City who looked most likely to add a fourth. Francis Jeffers did have a fairly decent pot shot at Marshall as the clock ticked towards ninety minutes, but the Scottish stopper saved comfortably.

But just when everybody though the game was done, substitute Etienne Esajas came within an inch of levelling the scores. The midfielder struck a sumptuous effort from twenty-five yards out; again he left Marshall helpless, but his effort rebounded off the post and across the face of goal to safety. It was the last action of a fantastic afternoon of football.

FULL TIME: CARDIFF CITY 3-2 SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY