Joe Mason

City Flashback - 2012 | Turner and Mason on target at the Riverside

History
As City travel to Middlesbrough on Wednesday evening, we take a look back at a fantastic victory at the Riverside Stadium back in 2012.

The Bluebirds were on the hunt for a Play-Off finish, and came into the contest sitting in eighth position in the Championship table. City were enjoying a four-game unbeaten run, having played out a goalless stalemate against Millwall in the previous fixture.

Boro were one place above the Bluebirds in seventh position, with two points separating the sides before kick-off. A key clash in the race for a top six spot, City recorded a vital away win, with two quick-fire goals in the first half making the difference.

Ben Turner put the Bluebirds ahead after just 11 minutes, as the central defender met Liam Lawrence's corner with a fine downward header into the bottom corner.

Eight minutes later, City doubled their lead through Joe Mason, who had been introduced as a sixth-minute substitute due to an early injury to Kenny Miller. 

The striker received a defence-splitting pass from Peter Whittingham and embarked on a weaving run through the Boro defence, before smartly firing into the bottom corner.

Turner

The valuable victory saw City rise from eighth to sixth, getting a foothold in the top six ahead of the final few weeks of the campaign. The Bluebirds finished the season brilliantly to secure sixth spot, winning three of the final five fixtures, including a 2-1 triumph at Crystal Palace on the final day.

City’s reward for reaching the Play-Offs was a tie against a strong West Ham United side, who went on to be promoted back to the Premier League with a victory over Blackpool at Wembley.

It was also a memorable campaign for the Bluebirds in the League Cup, with a fantastic run to the Final against Premier League giants Liverpool.

After victories over Oxford United, Huddersfield Town, Leicester City and Burnley early in the competition, City stepped up brilliantly in the quarter-final to record a 2-0 win over Premier League outfit Blackburn Rovers.

Despite falling to defeat against Crystal Palace in the Semi-Final first leg, a fine performance at Cardiff City Stadium saw the Bluebirds progress, with Craig Conway, Rudy Gestede and Whittingham netting in the penalty shootout, in which goalkeeper Tom Heaton was the hero.

At Wembley, City put in a brilliant display against Liverpool; Mason and Turner were both on the scoresheet once again as the Bluebirds took the Reds to penalties, with the Premier League side eventually earning the trophy.

The 2011/12 campaign proved to be a solid platform for the Bluebirds, who secured promotion to the Premier League as Championship winners the following season.