REPORT: CITY AT THE TREBLE AGAINST TRACTOR BOYS

: Russell Slade made it two wins from two as Cardiff City manager as the Bluebirds saw off Ipswich Town by three goals to one at Cardiff City Stadium, our first home win over the Tractor Boys since 2005.Snap-shot

The home side didn’t get off to the best of starts as Daryl Murphy handed Mick McCarthy’s side the lead just after the half-hour, but Peter Whittingham levelled things in style five minutes later with a rocket, before a second half Federico Macheda strike and Adam le Fondre’s first goal for the club won it in the second half.

Team News:There was just the one change to Russell Slade’s Cardiff City line-up after the weekend win over Nottingham Forest, with a recovered Fábio returning at left-back in place of Joe Ralls. Matt Connolly made the bench after his injury absence. Federico Macheda, the striker who bagged the opener against Stuart Pearce’s Forest, was named in the starting eleven after overcoming the cramp which saw him substituted late on. Ravel Morrison remained absent, while Tom Adeyemi missed out after his brief substitute appearance against the Reds. Kenwyne Jones missed this one with a sore foot.

Mick McCarthy made two switches to the Ipswich Town side that drew 1-1 with Blackburn Rovers on Saturday, as Luke Chambers and Daryl Murphy came in for Tommy Smith and Stephen Hunt. Jonathan Parr and Tyrone Mings passed late fitness tests.

Chronological Report:Irish striker Murphy blazed over in the game’s first meaningful chance after four minutes, before compatriot Anthony Pilkington brought an acrobatic save out of Dean Gerken, who tipped over after Pilkington’s original effort was blocked by Cole Skuse. Former Southampton and Nottingham Forest striker David McGoldrick shot even more waywardly than his teammate Murphy had ten minutes earlier when he made an attempt on Row Z on eighteen minutes. Conor Sammon, however, looked far more dangerous with his low drive across the face of the goal.

On two occasions, Ipswich’s Tyrone Mings was lucky not to be booked for challenges on Craig Noone, and the Bluebirds winger was himself unlucky when he put the ball in the back of the net on twenty-one minutes, Federico Macheda having been penalised for offside in the build-up.

Adam Le Fondre fired over on the half-volley from an Anthony Pilkington cross as the former Rotherham and Reading striker continued his search for his first Bluebirds goal.

Approaching the half-way mark, the visitors took the lead. Fábio failed to control a high ball on his chest and the ball fell to Daryl Murphy, who unleashed a rocket across Marshall which rippled the net.

GOAL: CARDIFF CITY 0-1 IPSWICH TOWN (Daryl Murphy 30’)

After Bruno Ecuele Manga fouled Welsh international Jonny Williams on the edge of the Cardiff City box, David McGoldrick miscued the free-kick into the stands. But City were back in the game within a couple of minutes. Craig Noone forced a corner and Ipswich half-cleared their lines, only for Peter Whittingham to repeat what he did against Nottingham Forest on Saturday – again doing what he wanted by ghosting away from Williams before unleashing the ball from twenty yards into the net. The strike left Gerken in a pickle and rivalled Daryl Murphy’s opener for quality.

GOAL: CARDIFF CITY 1-1 IPSWICH TOWN (Peter Whittingham 37’)

HALF-TIME: CARDIFF CITY 1-1 IPSWICH TOWN

After a quiet end to the first half, the Bluebirds came out all guns blazing in the second. Peter Whittingham gained possession in the Ipswich half, setting Adam le Fondre free, who crossed for Craig Noone. Despite a deflection the ball bounced kindly for Noone, before making its way to Anthony Pilkington on the left side of the box. Pilkington volleyed goalwards and Federico Macheda deflected the ball in for his second Championship goal for Cardiff City.

GOAL: CARDIFF CITY 2-1 IPSWICH TOWN (Federico Macheda 47’)

Dean Gerken then pulled off a couple of great saves to deny a pouncing Fábio and a Craig Noone effort from range, before Tyrone Mings was finally booked for yet another foul on Noone.

Norwegian full-back Jonathan Parr produced a picture-perfect cross for Jonny Williams to head wide under the attention of Sean Morrison, though the Welshman, on loan from Crystal Palace was bemused at assistant referee Adam Matthews’ decision that it was he, and not Morrison, who had got the final touch.

Fábio was then booked for a minimal challenge on Jonny Williams before the Welshman came close to setting up a second goal for Daryl Murphy, who headed perilously close as far as the Bluebirds were concerned. Bálint Bajner, the Hungarian striker formerly of Borussia Dortmund then came on for Conor Sammon in the sixty-seventh minute.

Despite the entry of the former Dortmund man, Cardiff extended their advantage. It was Le Fondre who got his eagerly anticipated first Cardiff City goal via a helpful deflection, and the joy of getting that burden off his back was clear in Adam’s celebration.

GOAL: CARDIFF CITY 3-1 IPSWICH TOWN (Adam le Fondre 69’)

Teddy Bishop became Ipswich’s second substitution, replacing Jonny Williams in the seventy-sixth minute, and the Wales international received warm applause from all sections of the crowd in recognition of his contributions for his country. Nicky Maynard then came on for Adam Le Fondre two minutes later in Russell Slade’s first change of the game, with Cole Skuse blasting over soon after. Federico Macheda was the next to be booked for holding up the taking of an Ipswich goal-kick. Joe Ralls replaced goal scorer Federico Macheda in the eighty-fourth minute, with former Swansea City winger Paul Anderson coming on for Kévin Bru three minutes after that.

With Ipswich failing to find David Marshall’s goal in the dying minutes, the Bluebirds held on for what was their first-ever win over the Tractor Boys by a two-goal margin; Russell Slade earning his second win in as many games as Cardiff City manager in the process. Ipswich’s eight-match unbeaten streak was halted, while their run of five games without defeat in Cardiff came to an end, much to the satisfaction of the home supporters.

FULL-TIME: CARDIFF CITY 3-1 IPSWICH TOWN

Attendance:20,191 (576 away)

Line-Ups

Cardiff City:Marshall ©, Brayford, Fábio, Ecuele Manga, Whittingham, le Fondre (Maynard 78), Noone, Macheda (Ralls 84), Gunnarsson, Pilkington, S. Morrison.

Subs not used:Moore, Gabbidon, Connolly, Kim, Dæhli.

Goals:Peter Whittingham 37’, Federico Macheda 47’, Adam le Fondre 69’

Ipswich Town:Gerken, Parr, Mings, Chambers ©, Berra, Skuse, Murphy, McGoldrick, Bru (Anderson 87), Sammon (Bajner 67), J. Williams (Bishop 76).

Subs not used:Białkowski, Clarke, Smith, Tabb.

Goals:Daryl Murphy 32’

Referee:Mr. David Coote