CARDIFF 3 vs PORT VALE 1


A blistering drive from Andy Legg in the 68th minute settled Cardiff's nerves against a battling 10-man Port Vale - and sealed a 3-1 victory.

Peter Thorne and Leo Fortune-West had both struck in the opening nine minutes.

But Graham Kavanagh missed a penalty before conceding one for handball, which Marc Bridge-Wilkinson converted

Unfortunately for Vale their goal came just minutes after Sam Collins had been dismissed for a second yellow card.

And their chances of an unlikely draw were finally ended by Legg's goal.

City boss Lennie Lawrence had surprised everyone by playing Legg in place of the suspended Willie Boland.

But the veteran made light of his years to put on a scintillating performance - capping it off with his team's third goal.

But pick of the City side was Gary Croft, who showed his Premiership pedigree with a superb all-round display.

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Cardiff:
Alexander, Weston, Gabbidon, Barker, Croft, Whalley, Kavanagh, Legg, Thorne, Campbell, Fortune-West. Subs: Earnshaw, Hamilton, Maxwell, Collins, Margetson.

Port Vale:
Goodlad, Walsh, Collins, Cummins, Brightwell, Brisco, Bridge-Wilkinson, Charnock, Durnin, Brooker, Angell. Subs: Delaney, Ingram, McPhee, Armstrong, McCarthy.

Referee: P Rejer (Worcestershire).