Report: Ashley James

15 minutes of highlights from this match will be on Player at 21:00 on Wednesday.

Snapshot: The Bluebirds completed a three-one win away at Plymouth thanks to a superb hat-trick from the talismanic Michael Chopra on Tuesday night.

The Cardiff number eight was off and running for the night early on as he opened the scoring after just four minutes when he collected a neat inside pass from strike-partner Bothroyd and lifted a glorious finish over Romain Larrieu.

Although dominating the early exchanges Cardiff were actually second best for some of the first and much of the second half and were fortunate to still be level when Chopra grabbed his second of the night and fifth of the season - pouncing on Chris Burke's intelligent lobbed pass to sneak in behind a static defence and round the stranded 'keeper.

The influential Burke was again involved late on to ensure the Bluebirds lead was unassailable as he drew a foul from Marcel Seip in the box and allowed Chopra to complete his hat-trick with an uber-confident spot-kick.

Despite this there was late drama, as there always seems to be in our clashes at Home Park actually, when former Pilgrim Tony Capaldi was dismissed for a hand-ball in the box, allowing new Plymouth signing Alan Gow to convert from the penalty spot and at least give the home fans something to cheer.

Team News: Cardiff made three changes from Saturday's draw at Blackpool with injuries getting the better of a trio of influential figures. Ross McCormack's hamstring problem meant a first start of the season for fellow Scottish wide man Chris Burke, while at the back Paul Quinn became City's third full-back casualty of the season and was replaced by seventeen year old prodigy Adam Matthews who made his first ever first team start.

The third change occurred in midfield where Stephen McPhail failed to overcome the knock that forced him off at Bloomfield Road, meaning Gavin Rae deputised in the centre of the park. The City team included former Pilgrim Tony Capaldi at left-back, yet on the flip side former Bluebird striker Stephen MacLean dropped out of the Plymouth match-day eighteen as a result of Paul Sturrock's re-shuffle.

Chronological Report: Cardiff hadn't enjoyed the best of records at Home Park over the last few seasons and they looked in eager mood to rectify that statistic on a true summer's evening on the south coast. As an opening gambit Peter Whittingham forced a save from Romain Larrieu as he turned on the edge of the area and struck a low shot across goal.

If that was a warning sign, the next passage of play was a full blown alarm as Jay Bothroyd got down the right channel taking two defenders with him. With no-one tracking the run of Michael Chopra inside his strike-partner found him with a simple square ball and allowed the red-hot number eight to lift the finish over the committed Plymouth 'keeper for the opener.

GOAL: Plymouth Argyle 0 - 1 CARDIFF CITY (Michael Chopra 4mins)

Our hosts responded positively though and could have been level within minutes when the City defence failed to clear a corner well, which allowed Gary Sawyer to swing the ball back in and pick out Jamie Mackie at the near post who had drifted in between Jay and Mark Hudson.

Luckily for Cardiff David Marshall was in the same defiant mood as he had been at Blackpool on Saturday and reacted well to tip the header wide. From the resulting corner a confused looking Tony Capaldi rose to meet the ball, but only succeeded in glancing it backwards towards the Cardiff goal, though luckily it floated just wide of the back post.

Cardiff were looking extremely dangerous on the break and time after time exploited the pacy outlets of Chopra and Chris Burke. The latter combined well with Bothroyd after eight minutes wide on the right freeing the winger to skip past his marker and pick out Jay near the penalty box. Bothroyd had to stoop to head and that allowed Krisztian Timar to nod the bouncing effort away.

Our hosts were still posing a threat though and Marshall was again called into action at the ten minute mark when an awkward Alan Judge effort dipped viciously in front of him forcing the pink-clad City stopper to push the ball behind.

Chopra was looking like the Michael Chopra that graced a Cardiff jersey in his first stint at the club and was combining ominously well with Jay Bothroyd. It was he who held the ball up powerfully under pressure from two defenders before laying the ball off intelligently to Chopra, who shifted the ball outside Sawyer only for the full-back to recover well and deflect the shot over.

The first booking arrived on the nineteen minute mark when Anthony Gerrard saw yellow for a foot up challenge on Cillian Sheridan as they competed for a bouncing ball in midfield. Gerrard seemed to get a portion of the ball, however the newly recruited Pilgrim required treatment and was soon after replaced.

The Cardiff centre-back wasn't the only one attracting the attention of the referee either as Whittingham and Jamie Mackie both escaped cautions after what can only be described as a spat at the near touchline.

Plymouth Argyle Substitution: Alan Gow for Cillian Sheridan (25mins)

Gary Sawyer soon made his way into Mr Booth's little black book for a cynical foul on Burke near the right corner flag, scything down the diminutive Scot following a strong run from Adam Matthews.

Comedy villain Capaldi was the next to earn himself a seemingly coveted yellow card, and rightly so after a dangerous tackle on Mackie right in front of the Cardiff dugout. The petulant victim again escaped any retrospective punishment himself however, despite clearly kicking out at the Cardiff left-back in anger.

Cardiff's early dominance had long since faded and just past the half hour mark the home side really should have pulled level. A Carl Fletcher shot from the edge of the area was deflected straight to the feet of Mackie just eight yards out, he was allowed to turn in between some watchful defending, but somehow steered his shot wide of the post as everyone in the ground waited to watch the net ripple.

Booking number four of an increasingly feisty affair was awarded to debutant Matthews after thirty-six minutes for a tackle on the influential looking Alan Judge near the far corner flag.

The remainder of the first half saw both sides exchange chances - Cardiff's coming when Bothroyd lifted a delightful ball over to Burke who got in behind the misjudged jump of Sawyer on the right of the area, chested the ball down and forced a good save down low from Larrieu.

HALF TIME: Plymouth Argyle 0 - 1 CARDIFF CITY

Plymouth looked to have solved some of the problems that dogged them in the first half, particularly allowing the City wide men so much freedom in possession. On top of that they actually created the first chance of the second half when a deep cross from the right found Rory Fallon peeling away at the back post and his instinctive header back across goal caught everyone unawares as it dropped agonisingly on top of the woodwork and to safety.

The Pilgrims were very much in the ascendancy and it wouldn't be unjust to suggest that an equaliser was in the air. In fact that statement was nearly prophetic as a speculative Sawyer cross from the left very nearly dropped in under the crossbar, only for Marshall to brilliantly tip the ball over under intense pressure from a gaggle of green jerseys and a back-pedalling Mark Hudson.

One the hour mark, and despite being a clear second best, Cardiff squandered a glorious chance to double their lead. A Hudson volley from the back caught the home defence on their heels and allowed Chopra to steal in, Larrieu reacted to close down his space and Chops lobbed attempt fell wide of the near post.

Plymouth were piling on the aerial bombardment and it very nearly paid dividends around the seventy-minute mark when Timar rose unmarked from a corner but watched as his headed rebounded back off the crossbar.

Plymouth Argyle Substitution: Craig Noone for Alan Judge (74mins)

As the final ten minutes drew in Cardiff seemed to find a second wind, and importantly a clinical edge. Jay and Chopra exchanged passes on the edge of the area and following some patient build-up the ball broke to Ledley on the left of the area, twenty yards out who struck the bar with a beautiful chip.

If Cardiff fans were cursing their luck, moments later it mattered not. Burke lifted a pass from the right hand side that was brilliantly left by Jay and allowed Chops to race in behind the bewildered Pilgrims back-line and round the stranded Larrieu. It was hardly a deserved goal based on the balance of play, yet was greatly appreciated by the Cardiff faithful behind the gaol with whom five-goal Chopra celebrated with glee.

Plymouth Argyle 0 - 2 CARDIFF CITY (Michael Chopra 80mins)

The pace and movement of Burke was again proving invaluable against tired legs and it was this that led to City's third minutes later. He danced in from the right touchline and drew a stray boot from Seip in the box. With ball in hand designated penalty taker Peter Whittingham looked all set to take finish the match off before tossing the ball to Chopra to complete his hat-trick. He did so in empathic fashion, coolly side-footing the ball home into the bottom corner.

Plymouth Argyle 0 - 3 CARDIFF CITY (Michael Chopra - Penalty 85mins)

Cardiff City Substitution: Josh Magennis for Jay Bothroyd (88mins)

With Cardiff now seemingly safe the inevitable happened as Plymouth were awarded a penalty and Capaldi issued his marching orders. Sawyer swung over a cross from the left and when Capaldi and Fallon rose together at the back post the former handled the ball drawing the wrath of the referee. He earned himself a second yellow, an early shower and our hosts a penalty which Alan Gow dispatched with ease.

RED CARD: Tony Capaldi ( Hand Ball - 88mins)

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 1 - 3 Cardiff City (Alan Gow - Penalty 89mins)

Cardiff City Substitution: Miguel Comminges for Michael Chopra (90mins)

FULL TIME: Plymouth Argyle 1 - 3 CARDIFF CITY

Cardiff City: Marshall, Capaldi (Sent Off 88mins), Hudson, Gerrard, Matthews, Burke, Rae, Ledley, Whittingham, Bothroyd (Magennis 88mins), Chopra (Comminges 89mins). Subs not used: Enckelman, Gyepes, Blake, Wildig, Morris.

Goals: Chopra (3)

Plymouth Argyle: Larrieu, Sawyer, Timar, Seip, McNamee, Mackie, Fletcher, Paterson, Judge (Noone 74mins), Sheridan (Gow 25mins), Fallon. Subs not used: Letheran, Duguid, Arnason, Summerfield, Johnson.

Goals: Gow