Cardiff City 4 v Brighton 1 > From Nowhere

With my Pops’ relationship with the club growing as inconsistent as some of the teams performances, he hit a new low this week by opting for golf in the rain over the Bluebirds. The decision came back to haunt him though and shout out to my neighbour Sam Larkins for believing and joining us in row J.  

If Cardiff City’s play-off dream has been hard to believe in this season, then witnessing this total bossing of high-flyers Brighton could be enough to recharge them hope batteries. The trouble is though (and with Russell Slade’s team there always seems be a problem) we’ve been here before.

Way too often this term City have done this to us, raised the spirits, hinted they can mix it with the Championship’s best, before shooting themselves in the foot moving forward. Remember how awesome City were at Wolves and Huddersfield away recently and how lame their follow up performances were? Exactly. 

This game had a different vibe though. Not only was I rid of the Pops’ nay-saying in my ear next me, but, in the swirling rain and in front of live TV cameras, City were rampant putting on their slickest show since Slade himself arrived in October 2014. To think a goal shy rigid team without flair could produce a display of free flowing attacking stuff like this was as refreshing as opening a window in a stuffy room. The ‘shocked’ face emoji was used heavily in the day’s communication to represent this (as above) 

Going into the warm for a half time brew, Cardiff were unlucky to only be 3-0 up with the only criticism being that they hadn’t converted more of the chances. (Usually it’s a time to question why you gave up your Saturday afternoon).

At this point I’m going to big up Peter Whittingham’s performance whose nonchalant opener set the tone and his decisive lashing home of a second-half penalty to complete the scoring was a two-fingers up to the haters (you know who you are… my Pops’, Gavin Johnson, guy who sits behind us).  

Anthony Pilkington too and the excellent Lex Immers (two goals in two starts anyone?) were also on point throughout in a shift that warmed the souls of another low crowd. Tom Lawrence too put in a performance to silence doubters labelling him a lightweight Joe Mason recently. Tom’s pace and desire to dribble twisted Brighton’s blood all day giving City the flair they've craved for over a year.  

The evidence, one hopes, was right here in this match that the ability is there. Whether Slade and the squad can take this result and build on it on Tuesday night in Middlesbrough and then at home to Preston on Saturday remains to be seen though.

If they can then…

Actually, we’ll just wait and see.