by Steve Garland, from St. James' Park, Newcastle.
Snapshot
The Bluebirds were taught a footballing lesson at St James' Park as they succumbed to a 5-1 defeat at the hands of runaway Championship leaders Newcastle United.
The Magpies looked ominous from the off and soon took the lead with just three minutes gone as Andy Carroll tapped home inside the six yard box to immediately put the Bluebirds on the back foot. It took just two further minutes for the home side to double their lead as Gabor Gyepes unfortunately found the back of his own net with his attempted clearance after Jonas Gutierrez's initial effort rebounded off the far post.
With quarter of an hour gone this game was over as a contest as Andy Carroll increased Newcastle's lead to three - the striker rising above Anthony Gerrard to nod home a superb cross from former Bluebird Wayne Routledge. Forced to feed off scraps, City came close through Ross McCormack's audacious long range shot from the edge of the area which clipped the cross bar to the relief of Steve Harper.
If the Bluebirds hoped for a miraculous comeback, those thoughts were soon eradicated. Substitute Peter Lovenkrands applied the finish to a superb Routledge through ball with just over twenty minutes to go in the game, before increasing the Magpies lead to five soon after by curling home a shot from the edge of the area.
As some sort of consolation, Aaron Wildig notched his first senior goal with the game approaching its close, but the Bluebirds could not hide from a humiliating defeat at the hands of the league leaders.
Chronological Report
The Bluebirds travelled to the northeast and St James' Park to face runaway Championship leaders Newcastle United, looking to extend their unbeaten run to nine games and further enhance their impressive away record so far this season.
But there was to be an early scare to Cardiff's hopes as former Bluebird Wayne Routledge was thread free of the Cardiff defence. The pacey winger looked certain to score, only for Gabor Gyepes to nip in with a goal saving tackle and clear his lines. It would only be a momentary lapse in pressure however, as Newcastle took the lead from the resultant corner; Fitz Hall nodded the ball back into the six yard box to allow Andy Carroll to tap home for his fifth league goal of the season.
GOAL: Newcastle United 1-0 Cardiff City (Carroll, 3 mins).
It was a dangerous signal of intent from Chris Hughton's side who instantly went on the attack looking to double their advantage. New signing Wayne Routledge again looked threatening for the home side as he thread through Jonas Gutierrez who had left marker Adam Matthews for dead in the Cardiff penalty area. The Argentinean international's rasping shot deflected off the far post to Gabor Gyepes, who could only ripple the back of his own net as he tried to clear.
GOAL: Newcastle United 2-0 Cardiff City (Gyepes o.g, 5 mins).
The Bluebirds simply could not get to grips with United's attacking prowess, until Ross McCormack provided a bit of relief with an opportunistic effort, striking the crossbar of Steve Harper's goal. But it was not long until normal service was resumed as the Magpies got their third with just fifteen minutes gone. Routledge again troubled Kevin McNaughton on the right flank and produced an inviting cross into the six yard box, Carroll got the jump over Anthony Gerrard to nod home his second of the game past David Marshall and increase the Bluebirds deficit to three.
GOAL: Newcastle United 3-0 Cardiff City (Carroll, 15 mins).
The Magpies looked determined to send a message to the promotion chasing pack and were doing so by outplaying the Bluebirds in the first half and forcing them to feed off scraps. However, Cardiffonce again rattled the crossbar as Matthews' over hit cross almost caught Harper off guard, rebounding clear to the relief of the Newcastle stopper.
Cardiff City Substitution: Jay Bothroyd off - Chris Burke on (30 mins).
Gaining a bit of momentum, Cardiff again came close with just ten minutes of the half remaining. Chris Burke capitalised on some space on the corner of the penalty area, only to slide his shot just wide of the far post. But the Magpies looked more than comfortable with their three goal advantage going into the break.
HALF TIME: NEWCASTLE UNITED 3-0 CARDIFF CITY.
Cardiff City Substitution: Adam Matthews off - Mark Kennedy on (45 mins).
Having been outclassed by the Magpies in the first half, Mark Kennedy was brought on to try to steady the ship, replacing Matthews who had been consistently troubled by Gutierrez in the first half.
In trying to find a way back into the match, the Bluebirds went on the offensive in the opening stage of the second half. Former Newcastle striker Chopra tested Harper with his deflected effort from the edge of the area, to at least give hope of a miraculous Cardiff comeback.
Newcastle United Substitution: Leon Best off - Peter Lovenkrands on (60 mins).
But that hope soon faded and after a lull it did not take long for former Rangers front man Peter Lovenkrands to trouble the Cardiff defence, as he notched Newcastle's fourth with just over twenty minutes remaining. Routledge again showed what a superb acquisition he would have been for the Bluebirds by charging through City's midfield, to then put through Lovenkrands one on one with keeper Marshall; the Dane easily tapped home for his seventh goal of the season in all competitions.
GOAL: Newcastle United 4-0 Cardiff City (Lovenkrands, 68 mins).
Cardiff City Substitution: Stephen McPhail off - Aaron Wildig on (74 mins).
One of the few positives for the Bluebirds was that Stephen McPhail had returned to first-team action to give a good seventy-four minutes for his side, although he understandably looked out of match practice given his long period out of the fold.
But if the 4-0 score line was not bad enough for City, the home side soon went looking for a fifth with Lovenkrands again troubling the ailing Cardiff defence. The Dane skipped inside his marker to curl a superb effort past City keeper Marshall, clipping off the upright before hitting the back of the net.
GOAL: Newcastle United 5-0 Cardiff City (Lovenkrands, 82 mins).
However, with most of the traveling fans now just wishing for the game to end, there would at least be some sort of consolation for the Bluebirds as Aaron Wildig pulled one back with the game approaching full time. Some neat interplay between Peter Whittingham and Chopra saw the striker thread through the youngster inside the penalty area. Wildig, who had beaten the offside trap, steadied himself and slotted past Harper to claim his first senior goal in the process.
GOAL: Newcastle United 5-1 Cardiff City (Wildig, 88 mins).
However it was mere consolation for the Bluebirds who saw their unbeaten run in tatters following this heavy beating from the league leaders. They will now need to recover quickly before welcoming the league's bottom side Peterborough United to the Cardiff City Stadium on Tuesday evening, hopeful of an immediate return to form.
FINAL SCORE: NEWCASTLE UNITED 5-1 CARDIFF CITY.
