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Snapshot

Craig Bellamy's 84th minute wonder-strike put the icing on the cake for the Bluebirds, to cap a comprehensive 4-0 victory over Doncaster.

Jay Bothroyd put 'City ahead ten minutes before half time with a well placed finish following some slack defening.

But Cardiff really came alive after the interval, and at times their passing was sublime. Bothroyd got his second when he headed home a perfect Chris Burke cross, and Burke made it three on sixty-five minutes when he ran onto a fantastic Bellamy long pass.

What everybody in Cardiff City Stadium was waiting for however came six minutes from time. Bothroyd was fouled thirty yards from goal following a cynical challenge by Matthew Lockwood and from the set piece, Bellamy hit a Premier class swerving shot that flew into the back of the net.

by Chris Nokes, from Cardiff City Stadium

Chronological Report

In anticipation of this historic game, it appeared that even the gods had approved of events with the pre-match rain replaced by rays of sunshine upon kick off at Cardiff City Stadium. All the pre-match talk was dominated by the arrival of Craig Bellamy, and the sell out crowd were nearly rewarded with the perfect start after just three minutes. It came about via a neat one-two between Bellamy and Michael Chopra that left the former Manchester City man one-on-one with Neil Sullivan in the Doncaster goal. Although the Wales captain did manage to chip the ball past Sullivan, it also cleared the net to the disappointment of the home crowd.

This early chance set a precedent for the match as the game began at a high tempo, with Donny looking just as dangerous as the Bluebirds in the opening exchanges. Their chances were restricted to long range however, as a Billy Sharp effort stung the palms of David Marshall from distance after ten minutes. The next clear cut chance of the match fell to the home side when Chopra was once more let in by the Rovers defence, however, his lob over Sullivan did not quite have the required loft and the former Wimbledon goalkeeper used all of his height to tip the ball away for a corner.

Just coming up to the midway point of the first half, Cardiff were once again presented with an excellent chance to break the deadlock. Some lovely build up play on the left hand side involving Bellamy and Daniel Drinkwater resulted in stinging effort from Peter Whittingham on the left hand corner of the penalty area, but Sullivan was up to the task and got down well to palm the ball clear of the far post for a corner.

Substitution - (Cardiff City) - OFF Kevin McNaughton, ON Lee Naylor - 18 minutes

The enforced substitution of Kevin McNaughton brought about a debut appearance for new left back Lee Naylor, who immediately found himself busy dealing with the trickery of James Coppinger. It was from this section of the pitch that a real heart in mouth moment came for the home side, when Coppinger whipped a ball in that found Billy Sharp at the far post. Sharp directed his header back across the goal and it looked for all the world to be leading to a tap in for a Doncaster forward, however, Gabor Gyepes was able to smash the ball clear and avert the danger for the Bluebirds.

Substitution - (Cardiff City) - OFF Michael Chopra ON Chris Burke - 30 mins

It was at this time that the home side were looking the most vulnerable thanks to the quick passing style of Doncaster, but it was Cardiff who were to break the deadlock on thirty-five minutes. The Rovers defence went all to sea for a moment and Jay Bothroyd capitalised on a lucky deflection off Wayne Thomas to calmly slot the ball past Sullivan from just inside the penalty area.

GOAL - Cardiff City 1-0 Doncaster Rovers - Jay Bothroyd - 35 mins

The goal put the Bluebirds firmly in the ascendancy and the scoreline was nearly doubled five minutes later. A sloppy touch from Doncaster skipper Brian Stock in the centre of the park let in substitute Chris Burke on the right hand side, his storming run resulting in a shot and save from Sullivan that Peter Whittingham couldn't quite convert on the rebound. Two minutes later and it seemed to be a case of déjà vu, as Burke was once more let in on the right hand side. His shot, from a cuter angle than the first dragged wide though, and the Bluebirds could only go into the break holding a one goal advantage.

HALF TIME - CARDIFF CITY 1-0 DONCASTER ROVERS

The second half began in very different circumstances to the first, with the game struggling to get going. The action really restarted on fifty three minutes though when Coppinger hit what looked to be a swirling cross from wide on the right. However, the effort deceived the whole stadium when it dropped on top of the crossbar and bounced clear, to the relief of David Marshall.

Substitution - (Doncaster Rovers) OFF Ryan Mason ON Dean Shiels - 60 mins

With the game heading into the last half hour, the 24,027 crowd eagerly awaited that all important second goal. Gratefully for the majority of the crowd, it came about on sixty-one minutes. A chipped Burke cross from the right hand side of the penalty area found Bothroyd in space from a couple of yards out, and the striker nodded home expertly for his second of the game.

GOAL - Cardiff City 2-0 Doncaster Rovers - Jay Bothroyd - 62 mins

The visitors were forced to take chances following the setback, as they chased the game looking for a way back into the contest. It was this kind of gamble that backfired on Donny five minutes later, as a direct ball from Bellamy from the left-back position founds it's way through to the breaking Burke. The former Rangers winger darted forward and did well to keep the ball under close control, before putting it past Sullivan for 'City's third.

GOAL - Cardiff City 3-0 Doncaster Rovers - Chris Burke - 68 mins

Cardiff were playing 'ole' football at this point, with the home fans gleefully cheering their side's every pass. But Bothroyd meant business as he looked for his first Cardiff City hat trick, and came close with quickfire efforts with ten minutes remaining that were both well parried by Sullivan.

Substitution - (Doncaster Rovers) OFF George Friend ON Mustapha Dumbuya - 80 mins

Substitution - (Doncaster Rovers) OFF Simon Gillette ON Steve Brooker - 80 mins

Then the moment came. Eighty three minutes into his Cardiff City debut, Bellamy was presented with free kick thirty five yards out after Bothroyd was felled. The captain stepped up and duly smashed a stunner of a free kick past the despairing Sullivan to put the finishing touches on a dream day for the home side.

GOAL - Cardiff City 4-0 Doncaster Rovers - Craig Bellamy - 84 mins

Substitution - (Cardiff City) - OFF Craig BellamyON Jason Koumas - 87 mins

Although the away side managed to enjoy a sustained amount of pressure on the Bluebirds' goal for the remaining ten minutes of the game, it couldn't take away the shine off a magnificent afternoon for the Bluebirds and Craig Bellamy.

FULL TIME: CARDIFF CITY 4-0 DONCASTER ROVERS

See highlights of today's game on Cardiff City Player later on Saturday, plus reaction from Dave Jones, Craig Bellamy, Jay Bothroyd & Chris Burke.

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