Snapshot: Cardiff put three past Blackpool to keep the play-off hopes alive and move to ten matches unbeaten in league and cup play. Stephen McPhail's magical early strike put the Bluebirds on the way before Sinclair and Whittingham added two in pretty quick succession in the second half to sew up the three extremely valuable points. Blackpool did manage a slight repost through Andy Morrell however, for all their late huff and puff never really opened Cardiff up with any great consistency or actual threat.
Team News: Kevin McNaughton recovered from a back problem to return at full-back in place of Darcy Blake who deputized at Ipswich while Trevor Sinclair also returned in a reshuffled midfield in the place of Riccardo Scimeca who dropped to the bench. Also on the bench was Glenn Loovens which meant Darren Purse got a rare start at the heart of the defence and also reclaimed the Captains armband.
Chronological Report: The match began with Cardiff on the back foot and a few hairy moments for Darren Purse on his return to the first team; firstly a poor touch nearly allowed Stephen McPhee to sneak in behind only to recover well and quell the chance. Then the captain clattered the same Blackpool forward just inside his own half after an awkward bouncing ball, somehow he escaped a booking or conceding a free-kick for that matter.
Cardiff hadn't really threatened as yet but that changed in the 7th minute when we continued our positive recent trend of scoring early on. Trevor Sinclair sent over a cross from the right that Steve Thomspon nodded back across goal from the back post, Aaron Ramsey controlled the ball on his chest with his back to goal and laid the ball off to Peter Whittingham. Whittingham looked to strike early on the half-volley only for his effort to be blocked and deflect out to Stephen McPhail who stroked a glorious left-footed shot on the bounce which glided into the back of the net courtesy of creeping inside the far post.
CARDIFF CITY 1 - 0 Blackpool (STEPHEN McPHAIL 7mins)
Blackpool responded to the early set-back in earnest and a Michael Flynn shot from the edge of the area very nearly crept in itself on ten minutes; some neat football around the Cardiff box began with McPhee making a clever run into the right hand channel, when the ball was worked centrally to Flynn he looked to shoot early and Gavin Rae's block deflected the effort just wide of Enckelman's left hand post with the big Finn scrambling.
Clear goal-scoring chances were not forthcoming for our visitors yet the did manage two decent headed opportunities around the quarter of an hour mark; firstly a lofted Shaun Barker cross allowed Ian Evatt to get in front of his marker and flick a header straight at Enckelman. Then 'pool 'keeper Paul Rachubka hoofed a long ball forward that Ben Burgess unsurprisingly rose above everyone to head but his backward effort could only bounce through to Enckelman.
Wes Hoolahan was looking extremely lively down the right for Blackpool and was causing no end of problems for the Bluebirds and it was one of his tricky run that nearly brought the visitors an equaliser. A low cross from the right by the tricky winger saw McPhee swing a leg at first time effort, Purse just did enough to prevent any great contact from the Blackpool forward and as the ball dropped to him again on the volley Purse got a full blown block on it.
Blackpool were slowly but surely playing their way back into contention and Cardiff nearly handed them a lifeline around the half hour mark when follwong some panicky head tennis in the City box the ball dropped to Evatt and his weak effort looked to be looping over Enckelman forcing the Finn to use all of his substantial frame to first tip the ball up and then collect at the second attempt.
Nothing particularly note-worthy occurred for the rest of the half, or if it did I wasn't watching and I apologise but the scoreboard remained static regardless so it seems I'm safe.
Half-Time: CARDIFF CITY 1 - 0 Blackpool
Blackpool substitutes: Paul Dickov for Ben Burgess and David Fox for Michael Flynn (45mins)
Cardiff doubled their lead within five minutes of the restart; a cross-field pass from McPhail found Tony Capaldi surging forward down the left, he cut a pass back inside the box to Ramsey who failed to make great contact under challenge but, the loose ball fell to Sinclair who stroked a left-footed shot through two attempted blocks and into the back of the net.
CARDIFF CITY 2 - 0 Blackpool (TREVOR SINCLAIR 50mins)
Cardiff were beginning to pile on the pressure and two headed chances fell to Darren Purse in quick succession, firstly a deep corner found him at the back post but his looping header back in was easily handled by Rachubka then from the centre of the goal he misdirected a free header wide of the far post.
Peter Whittingham looked to have all but settled things on the hour mark with his 9th goal of the campaign; Ramsey picked up the ball in midfield and space opened up ahead of him from all angles, he advanced forward before playing a casual ball to his left to Whittigham who checked inside and drilled a low shot across the 'keeper and into his bottom left hand corner.
CARDIFF CITY 3 - 0 Blackpool (PETER WHITTINGHAM 60mins)
Blackpool substitute: Andy Morrell for Stephen McPhee (64mins)
Cardiff substitute: Jonathan Brown for Trevor Sinclair (68mins)
The introduction of the combative Dickov seemed to inject some impetus into the visitors and it was his cross from the left that caused a scary moment in the Cardiff area; the ball dropped awkwardly to no-one in the 6-yard box and Purse was forced to volley into the air from practically under his own bar and when the ball dropped again Enckelman finally cleared with a firm punch. The Bluebirds didn't learn their lesson though and Dickov again got free down the left minutes later and this time he picked out Andy Morrell at the near post who got half a yard in-front of his marker Johnson and steered the ball home.
Cardiff City 3 - 1 BLACKPOOL (ANDY MORRELL 73mins)
What had been a pretty comfortable stroll all afternoon suddenly descended into a far nervier affair as Blackpool's extra guile and industry brought them right back into a now far more competitive match. On several occasions Cardiff had to scramble the ball clear in dangerous situations in their own area and in injury time Keith Southern put a chance away only for the linesman to flag for offside.
Cardiff XI: Enckelman, Capaldi, Purse, Johnson, McNaughton, Whittingham, Sinclair (Brown 68mins), Rae, McPhail, Ramsey, Thompson. Subs not used: Oakes, Blake, Loovens, Scimeca
Goals: McPhail, Sinclair, Whittingham
Blackpool XI: Rachubka, Crainey, Barker, Southern, Gorkss, Hoolahan, Taylor-Fletcher, Evatt, Flynn (Fox 45mins), McPhee (Morrell 64mins), Burgess (Dickov 45mins). Subs not used: Flinders, Coid
Goal: Morrell
Referee: A. Bates
Attendance: 14,715
