Cardiff’s nervy end to the season saw them slip to fourth place in the Championship table to set up a play-off semi-final clash with Reading. The two sides face each other at the Madejski Stadium on Friday evening and so we will take a look at which club might head back to Wales with an advantage (Cardiff & Reading 5/6 to qualify for final).
Cardiff looked the most likely club to join Queens Park Rangers in gaining automatic promotion to the Premier League, with just one defeat in their first 10 Championship games.
But they faltered when it mattered most, with a 3-0 defeat to Middlesbrough and a 1-1 draw with Burnley opening the door for Norwich to finish in second place in the table.
To add insult to injury their Welsh rivals Swansea sneaked into third place on goal difference, meaning that Dave Jones’ side bagged a semi-final with Reading and not, as seemed likely, with Nottingham Forest (Cardiff 11/5 – match prices 1st leg).
Jones is to be commended for the way that he has rallied his troops this term after the disappointment of 12 months ago and he will look to use that experience to spur on his men over their two encounters with the Royals and, he hopes, in the final.
Keeper Tom Heaton has recovered from a groin strain and should play, while Mark Hudson is tipped to shake off a knee injury to face Brian McDermott’s men.
Cardiff appear to have everything in place for a tilt at the Premier League and, with players of the quality of Craig Bellamy, Jay Bothroyd and Jason Koumas in the ranks, they will be a tough nut to crack for Reading over two legs.
But the Berkshire side were the form team over the last 10 games of the campaign, with seven victories and two draws and just a solitary defeat to Sheffield United.
They put together a run of eight consecutive league victories to propel themselves into the play-off zone and maintained their form to finish with 77 points – just three behind Swansea and Cardiff.
Momentum in any sport is key to success and therefore Reading should not be underestimated as they clearly have the bit between their teeth going into the post-season.
Goals should not be a problem for the Royals as they managed to bag 77 during the season, with only Leeds and Norwich scoring more in the Championship, but they welcome a Cardiff side who have not been beaten on their travels since losing at Crystal Palace on March 8.
Reading drew 17 games during the season and were solid away from home, with just five defeats on the road, and so they will be confident of protecting a lead should they manage to pierce the Bluebirds’ rearguard on Friday evening (Reading 13/5 to be promoted).
On-loan midfielder Mikele Leigertwood has been passed fit after recovering from an ankle problem and looks set to play in what could be a tight affair with so much at stake for both clubs.
Reading have experienced life in the top flight and are desperate for another taste of the action, while Cardiff have been the nearly men for a few years.
McDermott’s charges have been scoring goals for fun but it would be no surprise if this first leg was settled by a solitary strike, with everything to play for back in the Welsh capital on May 17.
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