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  • Kick-off: 13:15
  • Venue: Roots Hall Football Ground
  • Attendance: 7901
  • Referee: Stroud, K

Live Commentary

90mins

The ref has blown his whistle for full time.

90mins

Michael Chopra is being taken off, Kevin Campbell has come on in his place.

89mins

Joe Ledley is being taken off, Willo Flood has come on in his place.

82mins

Billy Paynter is replaced by Luke Guttridge.

80mins

Paul Parry is replaced by Malvin Kamara.

69mins

Mark Gower is being taken off, Michael Ricketts has come on in his place.

65mins

Goal!! Cardiff have scored with Joe Ledley putting it in the back of the net.

57mins

Southend are replacing Jamal Campbell-Ryce with Gary Hooper.

55mins

The referee has booked Steven Thompson.

50mins

Glenn Loovens goes into the referees book for unsporting behaviour.

46mins

The second half is under way with the score currently at 0 v 2.

45mins

Half time whistle is blown by K Stroud

45mins

Goal!! Riccardo Scimeca scores for Cardiff.

11mins

Goal!! Darren Purse scores for Cardiff.

0mins

It's 1:15pm on Sunday, September 24th, the match has kicked off.

Match Report

Cardiff City moved three points clear at the top of the Championship table as they ended Southend's five-match unbeaten run at Roots Hall.

First-half goals from skipper Darren Purse and Riccardo Scimeca gave the visitors a cushion before Joe Ledley made sure of the win just after the hour mark.

An open first few minutes ended with Southend creating the first chance when Mark Gower's cross from the left was headed onto the crossbar by Billy Paynter after nine minutes.

Two minutes later the league leaders were in front when Stephen McPhail's free-kick from the left byline flashed across the Southend six-yard box.

Blues defender Adam Barrett got a touch but the ball fell to skipper Purse, who bundled it home for his second goal of the season.

Centre-back Peter Clarke made a number of decent interventions for Southend and blocked six-goal top scorer Michael Chopra's goal-bound shot after he'd been set up by Kerrea Gilbert on 30 minutes.

Southend responded with Lewis Hunt forcing a save from Cardiff keeper Neil Alexander, before the custodian denied winger Gower.

The Shrimpers did get the ball in the net but Paynter's header was ruled out for offside on 42 minutes.

City punished that error in first-half stoppage time when Southend keeper Darryl Flahavan turned Scimeca's shot out for a corner.

Paul Parry's flag-kick was not cleared by the home defence and Scimeca stabbed the ball home.

Southend started the second half on the up and Freddy Eastwood was denied by Alexander after 51 minutes.

But the Shrimpers were having trouble getting into the final third, leaving Eastwood to shoot wide from distance on the hour, before McPhail's 25-yard effort flew inches over the Blues' crossbar.

Cardiff had confidently contained their hosts and put the game beyond Southend on 65 minutes.

Purse launched a long ball upfield which let Chopra get in behind the Blues defence. His cross found Ledley, whose shot took a deflection off Simon Francis and beyond Flahavan.

Southend boss Steve Tilson brought on Gary Hooper and handed Michael Ricketts his Blues debut to add some impetus going forward.

But it was City who nearly extended their lead when Steven Thompson's shot was turned wide by Flahavan before Ledley shot straight into the keeper's arms.

Hooper nearly grabbed a consolation goal in stoppage time but his shot was turned away by Alexander.

Southend United Team

Cardiff City Team

Southend United

Cardiff City

Corners

32

Fouls

2211

Goal attempts

1514

Shots off target

67

Offsides

45

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