Liverpool win Carling Cup after dramatic shoot out

Anthony Gerrard misses the decisive spot kick as Liverpool won the Carling Cup Final on penalties after a dramatic final at Wembley. The Premier League side started brightly but were left shellshocked on 19 minutes as Kenny Miller found Joe Mason with space in the box and the young winger kept his cool to slot through the legs of Pepe Reina. Liverpool were kept frustrated throughout a first half in which they were limited to long range shots and the goal that got them back into the game was a scrappy one as Luis Suarez's flicked header rebounded off the post to Martin Skrtel who drove home on the hour mark. Much to everyone's surprise it was Cardiff who had the best chances to win the game in the dying minutes of normal time and they will live to rue the moment Kenny Miller found himself in on goal but culd only blaze over from six yards with just seconds left on the clock. Both sides made changes in the early moments of extra time and it was one of them who looked to have won the game for Liverpool in the 109th minute as Dirk Kuyt reacted superbly to flash home from the edge of the box. However, Cardiff were not to be beaten and moments after Kuyt had cleared Filip Kiss' header off the line the Bluebirds did level as Ben Turner bundled over the line from two yards out with just one minute of extra time remaining. That meant we would have the drama of penalties and after Steven Gerrard, Miller and Charlie Adam had all missed the tension continued to rise until Anthony Gerrard stepped up and screwed his kick wide of the post. So, its Liverpool who are left to celebrate their first success of the season as Kenny Dalglish goes level with Bill Shankly in terms of pieces of silverware won as Liverpool manager. For Cardiff it was more Wembley heartbreak but they will now want to be back in May trying to win Premier League status in the Championship Playoffs.

Cardiff Sign Conway

Cardiff City Football Club have confirm the signing of Scottish international Craig Conway on a three year deal, subject to Football League approval.

The former Dundee United winger - who's deal at Tannadice expired at the end of last season - becomes new manager Malky Mackay's first signing for the Bluebirds. He joins the Club as a free agent.

Speaking exclusively to cardiffcityfc.co.uk, twenty-six year old Craig told us: "It's really exciting to be coming in at this time and to be the manager's first signing at the Club.
"I would imagine there's a few more to follow, so I'm just really looking forward to settling in here, starting pre-season training and getting to know the boys.

Ipswich have Bid for Chopra Accepted

Cardiff have accepted a £1.5 million offer from Ipswich Town for striker Michael Chopra, according to reports in Wales. The Blues made an initial £1 million bid which was rejected before returning with an increased offer in recent days. Chopra, Cardiff’s highest paid player last season, now looks set to hold talks with the Ipswich management regarding personal terms.The 27-year-old was one of ex-Ipswich boss Keane’s main targets last season, having played for him at Sunderland, but then the club weren’t prepared to pay the Bluebirds' asking price of around £4 million.The one-time Newcastle trainee, who is contracted to Cardiff until 2012, scored 11 goals in 28 starts and 11 sub appearances during 2010/11 despite being in and out of the side due to injuries.

Celtic to Sign Jay Bothroyd

Reports from Scotland are saying out of contract Cardiff City striker Jay Bothroyd was up in Glasgow yesterday having a medical at Celtic.Bothroyd has been linked with a host of clubs from the English Premiership with Everton seeming to be leading the chase for the 6ft 3 inch strikers signature.Now sources from inside the Parkhead club have leaked that the player was in Glasgow having a medical, being taken a tour around Celtic Park and being shown the clubs training facilities at Lennoxtown. Celtic boss Neil Lennon’s attention was first drawn to Boothroyd when he was at the Cardiff City stadium to watch The Championship play-off semi final second leg between Cardiff and Reading.The Cardiff striker who although couldn’t shoot his team to promotion still managed an impressive twenty goals this season. Earning his first International cap in the process. With Celtic already having a few former Bluebirds on their books at Parkhead.Bothroyd would feel right at home there having already played with Joe Ledley, Glenn Loovens and young Adam Matthews. The twenty-nine year is a big powerful forward. Good in the air, quick with the ball at his feet and real handful for defenders to deal with. Exactly the kind of forward Neil Lennon has been looking for.

He and Gary Hooper have the potential to form a frightening partnership up front in Scotland.

Cardiff City boss Dave Jones emerges as No.1 West Ham target

CARDIFF CITY boss Dave Jones has emerged as West Ham’s No.1 managerial target.

Jones – whose future as Cardiff manager is under review following the Bluebirds’ failure to win promotion to the Premier League – has been linked with West Ham in the past and the odds on him taking the job were slashed last night.

The Hammers sacked Israeli Avram Grant following their relegation from the Premier League last week and the board have made it clear they want a British manager next season.

Jones – the longest serving manager in the Championship – is due to hold talks with the Bluebirds’ hierarchy this week, fronted by club chairman Dato Chan Tien Ghee.The 54-year-old Liverpudlian is currently on a 12-month rolling contract worth £750,000 plus bonuses and this could prove a stumbling block if the Bluebirds’ board look to part company with him

Celtic Snatch Cardiff City Star

Celtic have clinched a deal for Cardiff City fullback Adam Matthews.

The Scottish Sun says Hoops boss Neil Lennon has persuaded the teenage full-back to ignore Premier League interest and move to Parkhead. Wales Under-21 starlet Matthews had been linked with Manchester United.

But Cardiff insiders last night confirmed the deal has been DONE for the 19-year-old prospect who is rated in the £4million bracket but can join Celts for a compensation fee of just £200,000.

It is understood Celtic - who already have Welsh international midfielder Joe Ledley on the books from Cardiff - have told the Championship club they plan to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with Matthews to allow him to become a Hoops player on July 1.

Swansea 0 Cardiff City 1

A superb Craig Bellamy strike sealed a thrilling south Wales derby win for Cardiff who climb over arch-rivals Swansea City into third.
On-loan Aaron Ramsey set up the former Wales captain on the edge of the box to curl his effort around Dorus de Vries and in off the post.
Darcy Blake had earlier struck the post for the Bluebirds while Chris Burke fired wide.
Scott Sinclair had Swansea's best chance but he could only blast over.
It was only the sixth goal the Swans had conceded at home all season, but for Cardiff, it marked their first derby win in Swansea since 1997 and first victory on the road since November.
Swansea set out to complete the first league double in the 82-year history of the derby after winning in Cardiff earlier this season.
But they could have been behind after just 35 seconds when Jay Bothroyd picked the ball up on the edge of the box before dragging his shot wide.
That was an early wake-up call for Swansea who then went on the attack, first with Darren Pratley seeing a shot blocked, and then Alan Tate headed Mark Gower's free kick over after Paul Quinn fouled Sinclair.
Cardiff always look a threat up front though, and it was Wales star Ramsey who was first to test Swans keeper De Vries.
The Arsenal midfielder, on loan at his hometown club and playing in his first derby, drilled a low 20-yard shot which De Vries parried, and Michael Chopra pounced on the rebound, only to be flagged offside.
Both sides got stuck into challenges and Pratley wanted a penalty at the other end when he went down under Quinn but the Bluebirds defender made enough contact with the ball.
Then Chopra found himself lucky to still be on the pitch on the half-hour when he went two-footed through the back of Ashley Williams, but escaped without even a caution.
Ex-Chelsea winger Sinclair had a relatively quiet first half but his best break down the left resulted in a dangerous cross into the box, and with Pratley rushing in, Bluebirds defender Kevin McNaughton cleared brilliantly under pressure.
Pratley was Swansea's biggest threat and he blasted an effort of his own comfortably over from 20 yards after bursting down the middle.
The Bluebirds were forced into a change at the break, with Darcy Blake coming on for McNaughton, but they started lively and on the hour, Quinn missed a guilt-edge chance after sneaking in to meet Craig Bellamy's corner only to glance his header wide from eight yards.
And two minutes later, Blake made a classy break into the box from the left, beating De Vries with a fierce shot which struck the far post.
Sinclair then showed what he can do with a brilliant run down the left before cutting inside and shaping up to shoot, but fired over, and then later saw a shot blocked by Hudson from a similar run.
Both sides pressed for a goal, Ramsey setting up Cardiff substitute Chris Burke who somehow managed to skew his shot wide.
Swansea relied mostly on the counter attack but the introduction of Craig Beattie for the ineffective Moore made the difference for them as the game really opened up.
Beattie was on hand free Sinclair in the box in the closing stages, but his out-stretched foot could only direct the ball the wrong side of the net.
But the winner came five minutes from time when Ramsey set up Bellamy with a neat one-two to delightfully curl the ball home and take all three points for his hometown club.