Joe Ralls’ opener and second-half strikes from Kadeem Harris and Kenwyne Jones provided Russell Slade’s side with a priceless victory.
Cardiff City 3-1 Colchester United
FA Cup Third Round
Cardiff City Stadium
Friday 2 January 2015
Cardiff win £67,500 from FA Prize Fund
Colchester did pull one back 16 minutes from time through former West Ham United striker Freddie Sears, but Cardiff held out and were worthy winners.
The win is Cardiff’s first since November and after coming under scrutiny prior to the match Slade will have been pleased that his side avoided an upset.
After a 4-2 defeat by Watford in their last match, Slade rang seven changes for the visit of Colchester.
The visitors enjoyed a bright start as Sears went close with a free-kick after eight minutes.
But Cardiff began to show why they are 35 places above their League One opponents.
Peter Whittingham struck the woodwork on the half-hour mark and two minutes later the hosts had the slice of luck they needed to take the lead.
Ralls hit an effort from outside the area and, after deflecting off two Colchester players, the ball found its way to the back of the net.
Cardiff continued to dominate and seven minutes after the break they doubled their lead.
Harris pounced on Ben Turner’s header in the box and fired the ball into the bottom corner of the net with a spectacular overhead kick.
Cardiff all but sealed victory and safe passage into the next round on the hour mark when substitute Jones notched his 10th goal of the season and the Bluebirds’ third of the night.
Jones’s effort came from another Whittingham corner, with the midfielder’s delivery picking out the striker and allowing him to head home.
Colchester did manage to find the net in the 74th minute as they tried in vain to mount a late comeback.
Unsurprisingly the goal came from their liveliest player on the night – Sears – who fired past Simon Moore in the Cardiff goal with a low shot.
But the strike proved to be nothing more than a consolation and Cardiff kicked off the Third Round weekend of The FA Cup by being the first team to safely progress.
Cardiff City (4-5-1): Simon Moore; John Brayford, Ben Turner, Connolly, Declan John; Peter Whittingham, Tom Adeyemi, Joe Ralls, Kadeem Harris, Craig Noone; Federico Macheda.
Subs: Kenwyne Jones for Macheda 60; Adam Le Fondre for Whittingham 69; Craig Noone for Fabio 85.
Subs not used: Ben Wilson, Fabio da Silva, Bruno Ecuele Manga, Sean Morrison, Kim Bo-Kyung, Adam Le Fondre, Kenwyne Jones.
Goals: Ralls 34, Harris 53, Jones 60.
Colchester (3-5-2): Sam Walker; Kaspars Gorkss, Sean Clohessy, Cole Kpekawa; Tom Eastman, George Moncur, Sammie Szmodics, David Fox, Elliott Hewitt; Freddie Sears, Gavin Massey.
Subs: Sanchez Watt for Massey 62; Tom Lapslie for Moncur 64; Dion Sembie-Ferris for Hewitt 85.
Subs not used: Chris Lewington, Craig Eastmond, Kane Vincent-Young, Macauley Bonne.
Booked: Watt.
Goal: Sears 74.
Referee: James Linington.
Attendance: 4,194.
