0:00:00 > 0:00:10Cardiff City are back on the road to Wembley, three months after that
0:00:10 > 0:00:38
0:00:38 > 0:00:422010, defeat in the championship final. 2011, defeat in the semi-
0:00:42 > 0:00:52finals. Will it be third time lucky for Cardiff City? West Ham United
0:00:52 > 0:00:57missed out on an automatic promotion spot by just two points.
0:00:57 > 0:01:02Kenny Miller's last: August got the Bluebirds of two-way fly up. But in
0:01:02 > 0:01:09March, Kevin Nolan and George McCart be hammered Cardiff City.
0:01:09 > 0:01:15We've got to get ourselves right. Unusual atmosphere is that the
0:01:15 > 0:01:21play-offs a bring and we've got to be able to handle it and deliver.
0:01:21 > 0:01:25The players have been banned from social Letwin as they prepare for
0:01:25 > 0:01:32three finals. They have team matches coming up. Our focus is on
0:01:32 > 0:01:38that. Cardiff City have spent the last nine seasons in the
0:01:38 > 0:01:44championship. The goals of Peter Whittingham, Joe Mason and Kenny
0:01:44 > 0:01:48Miller. Plenty of Premier League experience in Sam Allardyce's
0:01:48 > 0:01:58scored. They are the favourites, but with that tag comes the
0:01:58 > 0:02:00
0:02:00 > 0:02:06first championship play-off semi- final of 2012. Cardiff City and
0:02:06 > 0:02:16West Ham. Let's join our commentators. Kevin Ratcliffe and
0:02:16 > 0:02:32
0:02:32 > 0:02:36line-up. On the bench, Anthony Gerrard features. Jack Collinson is
0:02:36 > 0:02:46in the West Ham line-up. Gary O'Neil will be familiar to
0:02:46 > 0:02:51
0:02:51 > 0:02:57Cardiff's supporters, he had a loan manager, Malcolm McKay, told his
0:02:57 > 0:03:06team, play the game, not the occasion. -- Malky MacKay. But it's
0:03:06 > 0:03:16such a big occasion for the Bluebirds. First touch for Darcy
0:03:16 > 0:03:38
0:03:38 > 0:03:43Blake, in for the injured Mark by Taylor. Mason gives chase,
0:03:43 > 0:03:53Tomkins gets it away. It looks like Mason is playing a little bit
0:03:53 > 0:04:09
0:04:09 > 0:04:19bar. I think that's a deflection for a corner. It's a great shot.
0:04:19 > 0:04:32
0:04:32 > 0:04:38was unlucky not to get that season because of injury. Good
0:04:38 > 0:04:44clearance. A chance for Miller. Could save by Robert green it.
0:04:44 > 0:04:51is a fantastic effort from Kenny Miller. He knows if it comes back
0:04:51 > 0:05:01he has a chance to control it, and he does. He strikes it great.
0:05:01 > 0:05:08
0:05:08 > 0:05:18MacKay will be pleased with his Premier League in 2001. -- took
0:05:18 > 0:05:37
0:05:37 > 0:05:47and follows up. It is the Welshman, Jack Collison. This is very poor
0:05:47 > 0:05:53
0:05:53 > 0:05:58the back, he gets in front of him and really shouldn't be getting
0:05:58 > 0:06:08there. He reacted to the Save as well. There's only one way Sam
0:06:08 > 0:06:08
0:06:08 > 0:06:54Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds
0:06:54 > 0:07:04Lawrence went to ground in the penalty area. No chance of getting
0:07:04 > 0:07:15
0:07:15 > 0:07:19the ball. He goes down a bit too good shot, Miller. Just wide.
0:07:19 > 0:07:29been a long time coming for Cardiff. Kenny Miller comes from deep in
0:07:29 > 0:07:29
0:07:29 > 0:08:19Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds
0:08:19 > 0:08:29midfield. He just can't get enough West Ham have plenty of numbers. So
0:08:29 > 0:08:39
0:08:39 > 0:08:43they go back again to start once job. Counter-attacking style,
0:08:43 > 0:08:53lending -- letting the centre-backs have the ball. Hudson giving it
0:08:53 > 0:09:13
0:09:13 > 0:09:20away. The ball was onside. Good deflected in. It's a second for
0:09:20 > 0:09:28West Ham are. It's a second for Jack Collison. Cardiff are out on
0:09:28 > 0:09:33their feet. It's not even half-time in the first tie. It comes off
0:09:33 > 0:09:39Lawrence. Jack Collison has hit it. Is it going goal would bound? And
0:09:39 > 0:09:44nice touch at the near post by Vaz Te. It's out by Turner. Then the
0:09:44 > 0:09:48strike by Jack Collison. Deflected off the head of Lawrence. The Kibo
0:09:48 > 0:09:53rooted to the spot. He's going one way. The ball deflected into the
0:09:53 > 0:10:03other corner. That is a bitter blow from Cardiff. It might have been
0:10:03 > 0:10:14
0:10:14 > 0:10:22going in any way, it was a sweet Carlton Cole gets there but it's
0:10:22 > 0:10:29just wide. This is a great save from Marshall. Equally, it's a good
0:10:29 > 0:10:39cross and good header from Carlton Cole. That might just keep the tie
0:10:39 > 0:10:48
0:10:48 > 0:10:52Cardiff City. And it is a Welshman that has done the damage. Jack
0:10:52 > 0:11:02colours and with two goals, at the second a deflected goal, but he
0:11:02 > 0:11:03
0:11:03 > 0:11:13won't mind. Cardiff City kick off this second half looking for a hero.
0:11:13 > 0:11:23
0:11:23 > 0:11:30Just to get themselves back in this pressure on with a Gunnarsson long
0:11:30 > 0:11:40throw. They desperately need a goal early in this there -- a second
0:11:40 > 0:12:16
0:12:16 > 0:12:26opportunity for Peter Whittingham. get through they still trace back.
0:12:26 > 0:12:32
0:12:32 > 0:12:42-- chase back. Whittingham with the Carlton Cole. That had everybody
0:12:42 > 0:13:02
0:13:02 > 0:13:11beaten. There was a little bit of a foot was high. It's a yellow card
0:13:11 > 0:13:17for Mark Noble. Uncompromising. don't know if he has caught
0:13:17 > 0:13:27Whittingham but he has won the ball. People keep saying, 10 or 20 years
0:13:27 > 0:13:40
0:13:40 > 0:13:45ago that was allowed, but now you bar. He holds his head in his hands.
0:13:45 > 0:13:52I am wondering, did he need a touch? It was a great header back
0:13:52 > 0:14:02by Turner. Could he have let it come across his body? He strikes it
0:14:02 > 0:14:23
0:14:24 > 0:14:31on that occasion. Marshall had to get out quickly. He did not get the
0:14:31 > 0:14:37ball, but he was caught. I think he was lucky. I thought Kevin Nolan
0:14:37 > 0:14:46got a touch on the ball. It is a booking for Kevin Nolan.
0:14:46 > 0:14:56anything, the keeper fouled Nolan. You just can't make it out at the
0:14:56 > 0:15:14
0:15:14 > 0:15:20maybe sort it out altogether. Kevin Nolan with the header wide. I think
0:15:20 > 0:15:25it could have been offside. It was lovely play by Cole. He was onside
0:15:25 > 0:15:29but he just got too much on the ball. If he had taken a little bit
0:15:29 > 0:15:39out of that and directed it towards goal, I don't think the keeper had
0:15:39 > 0:16:04
0:16:04 > 0:16:14tonight, Tomkins. His recovery is very good and he has stood up to
0:16:14 > 0:16:37
0:16:38 > 0:16:43lethal from 68 yards, but not them. He just could not get in between,
0:16:43 > 0:16:52to get enough on the ball and direct it towards the goal. It was
0:16:52 > 0:17:02a lovely cross from Gunnarsson. got the better of Reid but could
0:17:02 > 0:17:02
0:17:02 > 0:18:04Apology for the loss of subtitles for 45 seconds
0:18:04 > 0:18:10fairy tale. That was a great technique. A great ball in by
0:18:10 > 0:18:20Gunnarsson. Earnshaw was looking for glory. The technique was great
0:18:20 > 0:18:31
0:18:31 > 0:18:41but he could not get over it enough. Gaulle side, working really hard in
0:18:41 > 0:19:05
0:19:05 > 0:19:12on for Aron Gunnarsson. Indecision. Gunnarsson took control. He decided
0:19:12 > 0:19:18to unleash the shot, but he has to hit the target. He could not. They
0:19:18 > 0:19:28are getting closer, are they? Or are they getting further away?
0:19:28 > 0:19:45
0:19:45 > 0:19:55Lawrence is screaming that he too late? There was a bit of an
0:19:55 > 0:19:56
0:19:56 > 0:20:02infringement. There was a little bit of a touch. It has been a
0:20:02 > 0:20:08really professional job by West Ham United. Can you see any way back?
0:20:08 > 0:20:12Very difficult. West Ham, head and shoulders. They could so it up if
0:20:12 > 0:20:20they get a third. The ball was across the six-yard box from Mickey
0:20:20 > 0:20:27Maynard. Still, Cardiff cannot get a sniff of possession. What her job
0:20:27 > 0:20:31West Ham have done in injury-time. Cardiff City's play-off hopes
0:20:31 > 0:20:40already severely damaged. Jack Collison scored twice on his return
0:20:40 > 0:20:47to Wales. Really, the Hammers are in total control, ready for the
0:20:47 > 0:20:57second leg on Monday night. It is a Herculean task, caused by that man,
0:20:57 > 0:21:01
0:21:01 > 0:21:11Jack Collison, for marquee McKay's West Ham United have taken an iron
0:21:11 > 0:21:20
0:21:20 > 0:21:25grip on this encounter. Cardiff Obviously it was. Again, we have to
0:21:25 > 0:21:28not concede bad goals. The first one was a bad goal. The second was
0:21:28 > 0:21:33complete luck in terms of it hitting somebody and going in the
0:21:33 > 0:21:37other direction. In the second half, we came out on the front foot and
0:21:37 > 0:21:42had three or four good chances that on another day could have dropped
0:21:42 > 0:21:45in. It is nice to get the goals, from a personal perspective, but it
0:21:46 > 0:21:50was a team performance tonight. Everyone worked their socks off.
0:21:50 > 0:21:55Carlton Cole was magnificent, causing them problems. It was a
0:21:55 > 0:21:58good team performance and we are halfway now and in a good position.
0:21:58 > 0:22:03Very pleased with the overall performance and pleased to not
0:22:03 > 0:22:06concede a goal in the second half. That would have lifted Cardiff and
0:22:06 > 0:22:12it may have ended up being a draw. But it was a thoroughly deserved
0:22:12 > 0:22:16win for our players, and it is only half time, as far as the leg is
0:22:16 > 0:22:21concerned. But it is a great platform for us to build on on
0:22:21 > 0:22:25Monday. They are a good team. They are not where they are for no
0:22:25 > 0:22:30reason. They have good players and they caused us problems. It will be
0:22:30 > 0:22:35tough at Upton Park but we are looking forward to it. We have to
0:22:35 > 0:22:40give everything we can. We have done all season. It will not change
0:22:40 > 0:22:45on Monday. I do you have to lift them before Monday? It is the
0:22:45 > 0:22:49second leg of a semi-final, so no lifting needed.
0:22:49 > 0:22:54A huge task for Cardiff City. Nathan Blake and Iwan Roberts are
0:22:54 > 0:22:59here to look back on a night that started well for Cardiff City but
0:22:59 > 0:23:04got worse. It was disappointing. For the first five was six minutes,
0:23:04 > 0:23:08Cardiff were OK but not great. After conceding a goal, they seemed
0:23:08 > 0:23:15to die away and it was all West Ham. Getting the early goal in the
0:23:15 > 0:23:20second half seemed to kill the time. Marquee McKay trying to put a
0:23:20 > 0:23:26positive spin on it, but the reality is that West Ham ran it
0:23:26 > 0:23:30tonight. They were the better side, no two ways about it. They have
0:23:30 > 0:23:34good players. Looking at the game tonight, I don't think in the first
0:23:34 > 0:23:40half Cardiff could cope with the power, pace and strength that West
0:23:40 > 0:23:44Ham had. They scored an early goal and that really knocked the Cardiff
0:23:44 > 0:23:49City players and I don't think they recovered from that. He sent his
0:23:49 > 0:23:55team out to keep it tight for the first 20 minutes but the early goal
0:23:55 > 0:24:00did knock them. So many players in the Cardiff team have looked
0:24:00 > 0:24:04comfortable all season. What happened to them tonight? A mixture
0:24:04 > 0:24:08of nerves and the opposition. The opposition were just better. Player
0:24:09 > 0:24:12for player, they handle the occasion better. They did not give
0:24:12 > 0:24:19the midfield time. Cardiff were a bit embarrassed. Kenny Miller was
0:24:19 > 0:24:23coming too deep, which made Gunnarsson drop too deep. West Ham
0:24:23 > 0:24:25seemed to have time on the ball in midfield. When Cardiff had the ball,
0:24:26 > 0:24:32they were closing them down so quickly that they found it
0:24:32 > 0:24:39difficult to get out. Allardyce got his tactics spot-on. He did. His
0:24:39 > 0:24:42top players performed well. The three boys in midfield played well.
0:24:42 > 0:24:49Carlton Cole can be a handful when he is that it, and he was at it
0:24:49 > 0:24:52tonight. He gave them a really tough time. They played direct and
0:24:52 > 0:24:56you have to cope with that. Cardiff did not cope with it as well as
0:24:56 > 0:25:01they should have done. Was that the difference, the fact that Carlton
0:25:01 > 0:25:06Cole bullied Mark Hudson and Ben Turner? He is an England
0:25:06 > 0:25:12international. There are lots of factors. You have to take into
0:25:12 > 0:25:16account that Cardiff's squad is so small and West Ham's is so big. You
0:25:16 > 0:25:21had Carlton Cole against the centre halves. I would not say he bullied
0:25:21 > 0:25:25them, but he had a better game than both of them. And the three
0:25:25 > 0:25:29midfielders, it was the same. But Cardiff were playing into West
0:25:29 > 0:25:35Ham's hands, because they played long balls from the back up to the
0:25:35 > 0:25:40front players. Mason and Miller are very small. All over the park, they
0:25:40 > 0:25:44had Cardiff figured and they won a lot of second balls. And lots of
0:25:44 > 0:25:47Premier League experience in the West Ham squad. They have taken a
0:25:47 > 0:25:52massive gamble. They lost Scott Parker but they kept the nucleus of
0:25:52 > 0:25:56the team they got relegated last year. He has added Kevin Nolan.
0:25:56 > 0:26:02They are paying big wages. It is a big gamble for West Ham but it
0:26:02 > 0:26:08looks as if it is going to pay off. Wrexham have also been in semi-
0:26:08 > 0:26:18final play-off action this evening. They have it all to do, like
0:26:18 > 0:26:21
0:26:21 > 0:26:27Cardiff City on Monday. Luton were The second leg is at the racecourse
0:26:27 > 0:26:32on Monday, kick-off at 4:30pm. We will be at Upton Park on Monday to
0:26:32 > 0:26:36bring you the best of the action from the Championship play-off
0:26:36 > 0:26:41semi-final second leg. West Ham United have made two goal advantage.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44Can you see Cardiff getting back into it? It will be difficult. I
0:26:44 > 0:26:49don't think anyone would say it would be easy for Cardiff. If they
0:26:49 > 0:26:54can get the first goal, the important thing is getting the
0:26:54 > 0:26:58first goal. If Cardiff get it, the West Ham fans could get nervous,
0:26:58 > 0:27:01players could get nervous, psychologically they will be weaker
0:27:01 > 0:27:06and Cardiff could have an opportunity. But they have to get
0:27:06 > 0:27:10the first goal, as simple as that. A Cardiff City have won at Upton
0:27:10 > 0:27:15Park. But it is a big ask, different to the first day of the
0:27:15 > 0:27:20season back in August. How does he pick his team up? He has a tough
0:27:20 > 0:27:24job in picking them up but he will do. They have to be positive and
0:27:24 > 0:27:28play at a high tempo. And they need the bit of luck that they had on
0:27:28 > 0:27:34the opening day of the season. And as Nathan said, the first goal will
0:27:34 > 0:27:40be vital. If Cardiff get it, it is game on. If West Ham get it, it is
0:27:40 > 0:27:45over, am afraid. Thank you both. Jack Collison Hammers the Bluebirds.