Ten-man Cardiff suffered a Christmas hangover at Ninian Park as they were
deservedly beaten by Plymouth.
The Bluebirds went into the game looking to extend their impressive six-game
unbeaten home Coca-Cola Championship run but they were always second best.
Skipper Paul Wotton led by example for Argyle and opened the scoring after 69
minutes from the penalty spot after he was bundled over in the box.
Darren Purse was sent off for his crude challenge which resulted in the
penalty and things went from bad to worse for the hosts with time running out
when a David Norris strike set the seal on the win.
Cardiff manager Dave Jones chose to stick with the side which drew 0-0 with
Derby last time out but it was Argyle who made all the running.
The visitors were without suspended right-back Paul Connolly but they posed
plenty of early threat and Jason Jarrett signalled their intent with a flashing
25-yard effort in the second minute.
Nick Chadwick was next to try his luck with a low drive just past the post
before David Norris called Neil Alexander into action for the first time after
16 minutes as the goalkeeper parried his skidding effort away.
Five minutes later Rhys Weston came to the Bluebirds rescue as he deflected a
fierce Tony Capaldi shot behind for a corner. Nothing came from the resulting
Wotton inswinger but it was clear Plymouth were firmly in control.
The hosts were having plenty of the ball but far too often they mis-placed the
vital pass in the final third.
Another Capaldi effort had Alexander scrambling across his line just prior to
half-time before finally Cardiff carved out their first chance of the game in
first-half stoppage time.
It was almost worth the wait as Cameron Jerome latched on to Jason Koumas'
corner but goalkeeper Romain Larrieu was alert as he tipped the ball over the
crossbar.
The Bluebirds had at last woken from their slumber and a minute after the
interval Michael Ricketts fired in a shot that was blocked by Elliot Ward.
It was not long, though, before the Argyle midfield began to get on top once
again.
Capaldi was running the show and, after 62 minutes, his angled left-footed
effort again had Alexander worried as it just cleared the crossbar.
It was skipper Wotton, however, who was to make the most telling contribution
of all.
After 69 minutes he sliced the home defence open with a burst into the area
and when his route to goal was unceremoniously blocked off by a crude challenge
from Purse the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
Last man Purse must have known he was in trouble and was soon walking as the
official brandished the red card. And from the resulting penalty Wotton made no
mistake as he dusted himself down to smash the ball into the bottom corner.
That was nothing more than Plymouth deserved and soon after Mickey Evans
almost doubled the advantage with a right-footed effort from the right channel.
With 10 minutes left, however, the second goal did arrive as Evans played in
Norris and he drilled low into the corner.
Teams:
Cardiff Alexander, Barker (Cox 75), Purse, Weston, Loovens,
Whitley, Koumas, Ledley, Cooper (Parry 65), Jerome (Lee 77),
Ricketts.
Subs Not Used: Ardley, Margetson.
Sent Off: Purse (71).
Booked: Jerome, Whitley.
Plymouth Larrieu, Barness, Doumbe, Aljofree, Ward, Norris,
Capaldi, Wotton, Jarrett, Evans (Lasley 84), Chadwick.
Subs Not Used: Buzsaky, Taylor, Derbyshire, McCormick.
Booked: Capaldi, Norris.
Goals: Wotton 72 pen, Norris 80.
Att: 16,403
Ref: L Probert (Gloucestershire).
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