FA Cup giantkillers Burnley were brought crashing down to earth at Ninian Park
as goals from Richard Langley and Graham Kavanagh moved Cardiff five points
clear of the relegation zone.
The Clarets earned the plaudits for knocking Liverpool out of the FA Cup
earlier this week, but they rarely troubled goalkeeper Neil Alexander as City
secured a comfortable win to move up to 19th.
Langley slotted home his first goal of the season after 13 minutes, before a
deflected Kavanagh effort wrapped up the points midway through the second half.
It could have been worse for the Clarets, with Junichi Inamoto hitting the
woodwork in the first half.
Cardiff made two changes from the side beaten 3-2 by Blackburn in the FA Cup
earlier this week.
Alexander replaced Tony Warner in goal, while leading scorer Peter Thorne
missed out through injury, meaning Andy Campbell was given a rare start.
West Brom transfer target Richard Chaplow dropped to the Burnley bench despite
impressing in the midweek cup victory over Liverpool, with James O'Connor
starting.
The Clarets may have gone into the game on the back of a four-match unbeaten
run, but they were under the cosh from the first whistle.
Alan Lee forced goalkeeper Brian Jensen into action after seven minutes with a
well-struck shot from the edge of the box, before James Collins, who signed a
new contract at the club on Friday, fired high and wide when well-placed.
The opening goal arrived shortly afterwards.
Poor defending from Burnley allowed striker Lee to steal in and play the ball
to Langley, who kept his composure to slot the ball past Jensen.
The visitors, who had rarely threatened in the opening quarter of an hour, hit
back, with Ian Moore curling a shot inches over the crossbar before Micah Hyde's
shot from distance was comfortably gathered by Alexander.
The action began to swing from end to end as the half progressed, with Lee
sending a shot past a post for City, and Burnley full-back Lee Roche seeing a
low drive whistle past the upright.
However, Steve Cotterill's men could easily have gone in at half-time 2-0
down.
A Kavanagh free-kick was not properly cleared by Tony Grant, and when the ball
fell to Inamoto, the Japan international midfielder watched in agony as his
drilled effort came back off the woodwork.
Burnley were forced into a defensive reshuffle shortly after the restart when
Frank Sinclair limped out of the action. Graham Branch came on in his place.
Langley was not far away from his second goal of the afternoon as he sent a
20-yard free-kick narrowly wide, but Burnley were dominating possession.
The Clarets never really looked likely to score, though, and they were
punished in the 74th minute.
Kavanagh collected the ball 25 yards from goal and unleashed a fierce drive
which took a slight deflection on its way past Jensen.
Mo Camara almost snatched a late consolation for Burnley, but he was denied by
a fine stop from Alexander.
Teams
Cardiff Alexander, Weston, Gabbidon, Barker (Vidmar 71),
Collins, Kavanagh, Langley, McAnuff, Inamoto,
Campbell (Ledley 71), Lee.
Subs Not Used: Warner, Bullock, Fleetwood.
Goals: Langley 13, Kavanagh 74.
Burnley Jensen, Roche, Camara, McGreal, Sinclair (Branch 49),
Grant, Hyde, Cahill, O'Connor, Valois (Chaplow 76), Moore.
Subs Not Used: Coyne, O'Neill, Pilkington.
Booked: Valois.
Att: 11,562
Ref: T Kettle (Berkshire).
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