Cardiff 4 Sunderland 0: Callum Paterson bags a brace as Neil Warnock’s side return to winning ways against ten man Black Cats
Didier Ndong left the visitors with ten men after he saw red for a reckless challenge on Junior Hoilett
Sponsored by
THERE ARE some short memories in South-East Wales as Chris Coleman’s return to Cardiff turned into a cruel nightmare.
The Black Cats boss is facing up to preparing for life in League One this summer when just a few months ago he was still dreaming of leading Wales to the World Cup finals.
And there were taunts of “Coleman, Coleman, What’s The Score” as City eventually ended their four game losing streak in the league with a second-half rout of the rock-bottom club.
The chants from a small section of the Bluebirds faithful were harsh on Swansea-born Coleman who helped end the Dragons 58-year absence from a major tournament.
Coleman, 47, said: “It was strange walking back into the ground, but once the whistle went you’re just thinking of your own team. But that was painful.
“To go 1-0 down just 45 seconds after the restart you just can’t accept that. I just cannot get my head around that.
“It’s just a soft mentality. It’s not physical toughness, but being strong mentally to always make the right decisions.
“If we continue to do that for the rest of the season, then we will stay where we are.
“We had 800 fans down here who have been travelling since 3am. That’s a long journey home for them with nothing to show for it, but we didn’t deserve anything.
“We know this window is going to be huge for us and we have to strengthen.”
Coleman enjoyed some memorable nights at the Cardiff City Stadium especially when they qualified for Euro 2016 in France.
There he led them all the way to the semi-finals when they topped a group that included England.
But there were also disappointments including the defeat by the Republic of Ireland last October which ended their hopes for this summer’s World Cup finals in Russia.
And this heaviest defeat since he took over will add to those setbacks as it all went wrong in the space of 10 crazy minutes at the start of the second-half.
Callum Paterson and Joe Rolls struck for the Bluebirds and that was sandwiched by midfielder Didier Ndong given a straight red.
Paterson netted from a 46th minute Ralls corner as he easily outjumped Billy Jones with keeper Robbin Ruiter in no-mans land.
Three minutes later Ndong was given his marching order after connecting with Junior Hoilett’s shin after his own foot had rolled off the top of the ball.
It could prove to be want-away Ndong’s last act in a red-and-white shirt though on another day he could have escaped with a yellow.
Ralls - who had Cardiff’s best first-half effort superbly tipped away by Ruiter - rifled home on 55 minutes rounding off a swift counter-attack involving Hoilett and Kenneth Zohore.
The Black Cats almost pulled a goal back on 66 minutes as the ball from a free-kick bounced off the shin of Jake Clarke-Salter - on loan from Chelsea - but hit the post.
Paterson drilled home his second on 80 minutes when Zohore's free-kick deflected into his path.
And the misery was completed in injury-time when Dutchman Yanic Wildschut - on loan from Norwich - marked his debut by finding fellow sub Anthony Pilkington who slotted home.
Cardiff boss Neil Warnock, 69, said: “I’ve been in Chris’s position myself in going back somewhere and afterwards you do feel for the opposition manager.
“But you have to think about your own team and for the last four games we have been the worst team in the league.
“You could see in the first-half that we were apprehensive in front of goal but fortunately the first goal came quickly in the second-half.
“We stepped up a gear after that. The energy was back as we looked a little lethargic after Christmas so it was good to get back to winning ways.”
