Championship side Cardiff edged a seven-goal Third Round thriller against League Two Carlisle in their replay at Brunton Park tonight.
Towering centre-back Aden Flint and top competition goalscorer Harry McKirdy were the catalysts for their teams, as they each scored twice for the Bluebirds and Cumbrians respectively.
The sides drew 2-2 in the Welsh capital last Saturday, as Carlisle surrendered a two-goal first-half lead to an underwhelming Cardiff.
Despite blustery conditions and a closed section of motorway for the journey home, 348 fans made the trip from Wales to help make it a cauldron-like atmosphere in the Border City.
Neil Harris made nine changes to his starting XI from Sunday’s South Wales Derby stalemate, while Chris Beech was without suspended defender Aaron Hayden, and made three changes from Saturday’s 3-0 hammering at home to Plymouth Argyle.
Carlisle took the lead after seven minutes through a well-worked Nathan Thomas goal after a quick throw-in, before Will Vaulks’ long throw allowed Flint to flick past Adam Collin to equalise on 18 minutes.
Despite the hosts progressing the ball better in the middle and final thirds, the visitors’ direct and default long balls were causing Carlisle issues.
On the 37-minute make, McKirdy struck the crossbar with a superb effort after good work from Jack Iredale and Stefan Scougall allowed the 22-year-old to shoot and leave goalkeeper Alex Smithies grasping at thin air to shake Harris’ men.
That shake ignited them, as a quick free-kick caught the Cumbrians out, and a half-cleared cross was smashed in under Collin by Josh Murphy.
The away side had their lead and disappointment was evident amongst home supporters given the battling performance from Beech’s boys.
Half-time: 1-2
Beech’s team talk at the interval must surely have referenced Carlisle giving up a goal three minutes from the restart on Saturday, in hope of recent history not repeating itself.
Unfortunately, it did…
Wales international Joe Ralls’ inswinging corner found Flint, who turned Byron Webster and scored to double his tally for the night; as well as Cardiff’s lead.
It felt like the Fourth Round was out of Cardiff’s reach, but McKirdy – who had let the ball run out for that corner – made amends.
The in-form winger volleyed home Thomas’ cross inside the penalty area, after good work from the Sheffield United loanee within just three minutes of that third away goal.
The night then turned from bad to worse for defender Webster, as an archetypal long ball found Danny Ward, who had the home defender at sixes and sevens before slotting across Collin into the back of the net.
After Gavin Whyte then almost made it five – his effort blocked brilliantly by Webster with a sliding challenge – McKirdy again took matters into his own hands.
As Hallam Hope took a quick free-kick on the left-wing, McKirdy struck a wonderful effort from a narrow angle outside the penalty area that beat the outstretched Smithies to nestle in the far top corner and once again, make it game on.
Regardless of further valiant effort from Carlisle, the game fizzled out as the Blues dropped to their knees on the referee’s whistle.
Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee Elliot Watt stood out with a mature performance, while youngster Taylor Charters gave a late injection of bite from the bench. Two positives in a night full of them.
Cardiff can now make plans for a trip to fellow Championship outfit Reading next weekend.
Football League survival is now the aim for Carlisle, sitting six points above of the sole relegation spot in League Two.
Too many times this season have the Blues taken one step forward by producing a great result or performance, rested on the laurels, and then fallen one step behind mere days later with a whimper.
The mentality and attitude of this group has been fairly questioned to no real answer all campaign, but Saturday’s trip to Oldham is an opportunity to finally prove that they can produce regular performances like tonight’s display rather than flashes in the pan.
Attendance: 4,381 (348)
Home star man: Harry McKirdy
Away star man: Aden Flint
Referee: Darren Handley
words Nathan Ridley, D3D4 Carlisle United correspondent