Bluebirds in pole position for play-offs

Jan 30 2008 by Mark Bloom, South Wales Echo

QUEENS Park Rangers might have all the financial clout of megarich Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone and his billionaire backers.

But in motor racing terms they were lapped by Cardiff City last night.

The Bluebirds were simply a different class, playing with such confidence that, yes, they looked every inch serious play-off contenders.

At times Dave Jones’ side tore the Londoners apart, and their goals, through Joe Ledley in the 13th and 40th minutes and Paul Parry shortly before the hour mark, just confirmed their dominance.

City led 2-0 by half-time after Ledley’s double, but truth is they should have been out of sight.

Visiting ‘keeper Lee Camp suffered under a bombardment of shots and had it not been for his brilliance this would indeed have been a more embarrassing scoreline.

It’s no exaggeration to say that City were breathtaking in much of what they did, with their ability to break at pace and cut through the QPR defence the real eye-catcher.

But the evening was also significant on a personal level for 17-year old Aaron Ramsey, who was making his full home league debut because of a hip injury to Stephen McPhail. If you have as yet been unconvinced it’s about time you started believing the hype.

Rambo, as he is known in the dressing room, enhanced his growing reputation, playing like a seasoned pro and spraying about an array of passes that stretched the Rangers defence.

Quite apart from that though, it was his general assuredness and maturity that stood out, an old head on young shoulders if ever there was.

Ramsey clearly enjoyed himself and may even have been surprised at how easy it was for him to exert his influence.

But what was pleasing was the way he kept his discipline, refusing to indulge himself by over-complicating matters.

Ramsey switched from left to right, playing a free role going forward and linking up well with anchor-man Gavin Rae who provided the security for the youngster to play his dynamic game.

That said, don’t expect Ramsey to have a run in the side. Jones is far more likely to keep a tight lid on the boy, resisting the temptation to throw him in on a regular basis just yet.

Jones might have made more of the fact that his side have played two games in three days, while Rangers had their feet up for 10 days prior to this, but then again there was no real need.

Because it was the Bluebirds, who looked far brighter, and far more up for the fight.

Even the most sceptical supporter will have gone home enthused after this.

The team got the fans behind them straight away with a relentless attack that had QPR on the back foot right from the first whistle.

City hounded down the visitors, forcing them to make mistakes and when Parry capitalised on a poor Rangers back-pass he unselfishly squared the ball to the supporting Ledley, who was once again in the right place to tap home.

It wasn’t long before QPR ‘keeper Camp had to save brilliantly from Peter Whittingham and then Jimmy Floyd-Hasselbaink, who nearly took the leather off the ball with his drive at goal.

Even City defender Glenn Loovens came close with glancing header from a Ledley free-kick. Then moments later Rangers defender Fitz Hall missed the ball and Whittingham pulled the trigger again to force another great save.

The one-way traffic continued and City got there just rewards after a clever chip from Ramsey found Hasselbaink and the former Dutch international laid the ball off for Ledley to claim his second.

The Bluebirds could have coasted from then on, but instead they made sure they got the killer third goal.

It arrived in the 57th minute when a long clearance from Loovens, followed by a Hasselbaink and Whittingham combination allowed Parry to side-foot home firmly.

The damage could have been worse when Rae produced a great tackle on the edge of his area to send Parry on his way, but the Welsh international could not lob the advancing ’keeper, the ball instead deflecting for a corner.

Rangers hit back 15 minutes from time when substitute Hogan Ephraim stabbed the ball home after a collision with City ‘keeper Michael Oakes that saw him replaced by Peter Enckelman.

The Finn had time to make his mark as he tipped Patrick Agyemang’s header onto the crossbar. But the evening will not be remembered for heroics between the sticks.

It was far more about the comprehensive way in which City demolished QPR.

Any spies from Stoke City – who entertain Jones’ team on Saturday – will now be wondering just how they stop the Bluebirds bandwagon steaming on.