CARDIFF CITY 3 (Ledley 4, Chopra 43, Whittingham 88)
BARNSLEY 1 (Macken 62)

BARNSLEY were much better in the second half at Ninian Park but we robbed of their opportunity to get something from the game by Andranik Teymourian's controversial dismissal.

After struggling for the last few days, Anderson de Silva missed out on the clash with Cardiff meaning Reds boss Simon Davey was forced into one change from the team that performed so well against QPR with Jamal Campbell-Ryce coming into the side. Darren Moore was recalled following suspension and was named on the bench at the expense of Martin Devaney, who missed the game for family reasons. Cardiff's former Barnsley striker Michael Chopra shook off his recent injury woes to make the game although there was no place for ex-Red Stephen McPhail.

Barnsley had to be alert with just four minutes on the clock as Peter Whittingham's free kick caused problems but a combination of Heinz Muller and Stephen Foster managed to clear Roger Johnson's header. Things got even worse just seconds later when Whittingham's corner was allowed to bounce around in the six yard box and Joe Ledley pounced to smack the ball home from four yards.

The Reds were almost undone again just moments later when Chopra's flick sent Eddie Johnson in behind but Muller was quickly out off his line to clear.

Teymourian picked up a booking on 14 minutes after Whittingham smacked a quickly taken free kick into the Iranian before he could retreat. Teymourian really could not get out of the way but referee Pat Miller was quickly over brandishing his yellow card.

Barnsley struggled to get a foothold in the game and it was almost two on 22 minutes when Chopra whipped a great cross right along the six-yard line but Eddie Johnson just could not apply a finishing touch under pressure from Dennis Souza. Chopra had a sight of goal on the half hour but the Reds were quickly out to smother the danger and the striker's shot deflected through to Muller.

Whittingham's fall over Hugo Colace's outstretched leg gave Cardiff a shooting chance from a 30 yard free kick on 33 minutes. Ledley's effort beat the wall but Muller was well placed to palm the ball to safety. Roger Johnson then really should have put the Bluebirds two up a minute later when he rose highest to meet Paul Parry's cross but the big defender planted his free header wide of the mark.

Eddie Johnson was the next player in the book on 35 minutes as the referee spotted his attempts to punch Parry's free kick past Muller.

After being out of the game for 41 minutes, the Reds almost snatched a leveller when Michael Mifsud created half a yard of space and let fly from 25 yards only for Dimi Konstantopoulos to find a save right out of the top drawer to claw the ball out of the top corner.

Cardiff killed the game on 43 minutes after a howler by Muller. The Reds keeper failed to hold Whittingham's dipping drive and Chopra, who looked miles offside, was on hand to tap the ball into the net.

A string of very debateable refereeing decisions, often influenced by the partisan crowd inside Ninian Park, incensed Simon Davey and the Reds boss was lucky not to be sent to the stands in stoppage time after protesting when Chopra tumbled easily again under Teymourian's light challenge.

Barnsley were almost right back into it on 48 minutes when Teymourian's pass sent Mifsud away behind Roger Johnson but the striker blasted his shot high and wide with only Konstantopoulos to beat.

Muller's Ninian Park nightmare almost continued on 53 minutes as he misjudged a long ball forward and almost let Eddie Johnson in but the striker slipped at the crucial moment and fell over the big German with the chance going begging. The referee waved away any claims for a penalty.

The Reds hit Cardiff on the break a minute later as Campbell-Ryce's pass sent Daniel Bogdanovic away down the left but the striker could only bring a smart save from Konstantopoulos with his low drive.

Barnsley had a big shout for a penalty waved away on 56 minutes as Mifsud was tripped by Roger Johnson as he raced to Bogdanovic's instinctive flick but the referee gave nothing despite the Cardiff defender completely missing the ball.

Simon Davey's decision to throw on Jon Macken paid immediate dividends on 62 minutes as the striker, who had only been on the park for a matter of seconds, did well to turn onto Moore's header and smashed the ball right into the top corner.

Cardiff were rocked and came straight at the Reds from the restart with Eddie Johnson forcing a foul from Foster right on the edge of the area on 64 minutes. Andranik got involved in something off the ball and the Reds chances of getting anything from the game disappeared as the referee crumbled and brandished a red card. It was almost inevitable that referee Pat Miller would dismiss someone. In the end Ledley could only bring a save from Muller with the free kick.

Barnsley were right up against it although Mifsud managed to get a shot away on 74 minutes after good work on the edge of the area but his low drive was never going to trouble Konstantopoulos.

Cardiff almost made it safe on 79 minutes after Quincy Owusu-Abeyie broke onto Mifsud's misplaced pass and raced goalward but could only curl his shot past the post. Owusu-Abeyie again got a shot away a minute later but this time Muller managed to hold his drive. Eddie Johnson was next to test his shooting boots on 81 minutes but found Moore a commanding presence at the heart of the Reds defence.

Gavin Rae thought he had a third for Cardiff on 84 minutes when he let fly from 30 yards and beat Muller but could only watch as his shot cannoned back off the bar. Whittingham smashed the rebound out of the stadium.

Whittingham had the third goal on 89 minutes as Cardiff made the extra man count and the midfielder was able to cut in from the left hand side before planting the ball past Muller and into the far corner.

CARDIFF CITY: Konstantopoulos, Rae, Gyepes, Whittingham, E. Johnson, Parry (Owusu-Abeyie 74), R. Johnson, Ledley, Chopra (McCormack 70), Kennedy, Blake.
Subs: Capaldi, Comminges, Scimeca.

BARNSLEY: Muller, Hassell, Foster, Souza (Moore 45), Kozluk, Campbell-Ryce, Colace, Andranik, Hammill (Rigters 82), Mifsud, Bogdanovic (Macken 62).
Subs: Steele, Van Homoet.

REFEREE: Pat Miller (Bedfordshire)
ASSISTANT REFEREE: Nick Hobbis (Birmingham)
ASSISTANT REFEREE: Simon Knapp (South Gloucestershire)
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Malcolm West (Cornwall)

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