CITY SCORE THREE TO DEFEAT HUDDERSFIELD AT CCS
Sean Morrison, Junior Hoilett and Rickie Lambert all scored as the Bluebirds beat high-flying Huddersfield Town 3-2 in South Wales.
CITY'S STUNNING START
The Bluebirds began the game confidently, looking to pull the Terriers around the pitch and disrupt their shape. Their first chance came near the five-minute mark when the Anthony Pilkington fired over from the edge of the box. Minutes later, City came closer when Sean Morrison headed Aron Gunnarsson’s long throw narrowly wide of the post. Shortly after, the City captain headed a Peter Whittingham free kick goal wards but it was well saved by Danny Ward in the Terriers goal.
The Terriers appeared stunned by the Bluebirds’ electric start and were still struggling to get out of their own half. A succession of corners followed, with Cardiff looking to add to their lead. They came close again when Gunnarsson headed another Whittingham delivery just over the bar.
The home team were piling on the pressure and after fifteen minutes it was third time lucky for Morrison. Whittingham swung in a trademark corner and the centre back rose highest to head home to give his side the lead.
The Bluebirds had started extremely brightly and they weren’t intent on taking their foot off the gas. Junior Hoillet picked up the ball on the right wing and showed great skill to beat his man and then fed Pilkington. The attacker saw his effort parried by Ward but Hoilett was on hand to pounce on the rebound and stroke the ball home to double his side’s advantage.
RAINING GOALS
With the game approaching the half hour mark, the visitors got themselves back in the contest out of nowhere. Kasey Palmer found captain Tommy Smith with a well timed through ball and the defender placed the ball past Ben Amos in the City goal to halve the deficit.
The Bluebirds responded excellently to conceding and immediately looked to restore their two goal cushion. A long free kick was floated into the penalty area and Morrison once more rose highest. He knocked the ball down to Rickie Lambert who showed great composure to to slot the ball in off the post. This was turning into fantastic game at Cardiff City Stadium.
CITY HOLD ON
City began the second period with the same intensity they finished the first, pinning their opponents back and looking to create chances. Captain Morrison was having an immense game, winning header after header in the opposition penalty area. Ten minutes in, another of his knock downs found Joe Bennett. The left back let fly but his effort was blocked out for a corner.
As the half wore on, the Terriers were starting to trouble the City defence slightly more. With twenty minutes to go, the ball dropped to substitute Phillip Billing outside the box, the midfielder connected sweetly and hammered an incredible volley into the top corner, giving Amos no chance.
Like in the first half, the Bluebirds responded well to conceding. Substitute Frédéric Gounognbe looked to be away following Hoilett’s flick, but the ball refused to drop for the striker and the chance was gone.
Into the last few minutes and Town were now putting City under heavy pressure but the home side were defending well. Gounongbe did brilliantly to head the ball to safety from a late corner, and a huge roar from the home faithful greeted the final whistle as City recorded an excellent home victory.
FULL TIME: CARDIFF CITY 3-2 HUDDERSFIELD TOWN
Cardiff City: Amos, Bennett, Morrison, Bamba, Peltier, Whittingham, Ralls, Gunnarsson, Pilkington, Hoilett (Richardson 89’), Lambert (Gounongbe). Subs not used: Wilson, Connolly, Harris, Noone, Chamakh.
Huddersfield Town: Ward, Lowe, Hefele, Schindler (Scannel 62’), Stanković, Smith Mooy, Hogg (Billing 62’), Palmer, Wells, Kachunga. Subs not used: Coleman, Hudson, Holmes-Dennis Whitehead, Van La Parra.
