Cardiff 3 Wolves 1 - match report

Woeful Wolves were well beaten by Cardiff to make it a miserable first trip to the Cardiff City Stadium.

A Peter Whittingham hat-trick sealed their fate after Bakary Sako's free kick put them in front after 10 minutes.

Former Villa man Whittingham equalised from the spot within a minute, put Cardiff ahead in the 14^th minute and made it 3-1 on 65, the latter two superb long-range shots.

By contrast, Wolves rarely threatened the opposition goal, with Cardiff keeper David Marshall making only routine saves from Sako and Kevin Doyle.

Just like last week against Derby, Carl Ikeme was man of the match with no outfield player coming close to the award when the team again looked tepid and unconvincing.

Manager Stale Solbakken made 10 changes from the side that beat Northampton 3-1 in the Capital One Cup on Thursday night.

Only Ikeme remained of the side that triumphed at Sixfields, while there was a Championship debut for Sako.

Doyle was surprisingly named captain for the first time ahead of Stephen Ward, with Karl Henry still injured.

Cardiff handed a debut to new boy Craig Noone, signed from Brighton last week, while one-time Wolves target Tommy Smith made his home debut.

The industrious Noone was a constant threat, popping up everywhere.

And Noone was heavily involved in a lively start to the game which saw Cardiff create the first chance in the sixth minute.

The former Seagulls midfielder's fierce drive was palmed upwards by Ikeme after Mark Hudson went up for a header from Whittingham's corner.

But it was Wolves who broke to take the lead in the first of three goals in four crazy minutes.

Sako caught David Marshall off guard with a curling free kick that beat the keeper, who was expecting the ball to be lofted into the box, at his near post after Whittingham shoved Sylvan Ebanks-Blake in the back.

Wolves' lead lasted just a minute though before the Bluebirds levelled through Whittingham's penalty.

It was an easy decision for referee Andy D'Urso too, with the off-balance Ronald Zubar leaving a leg for Noone to trip over as he weaved his way into the box.

Former Villa man Whittingham calmly stroked the ball down the middle as Ikeme dived to his right.

Whttingham put Cardiff ahead with a much sweeter strike, driving home left footed first time after Nicky Maynard's square pass was cleverly dummied by former Birmingham midfielder Jordon Mutch.

Little was seen of Wolves going forwards for the rest of the half as Cardiff got about them in similar fashion to the way Leeds did on the opening day of the season.

Doyle produced a glancing header that forced a diving save from Marshall but Wolves were again tentative and lacking ideas.

They also sorely missed the leadership and presence of Henry in the middle of the park.

Cardiff exploited his absence, with Smith curling inches over after cutting inside.

In first-half injury time, we saw another example of how Wolves missed Henry as Noone was allowed to run 60 yards box to box before forcing Ikeme to a save down low to his right with a shot.

Wolves failed to improve after the break, with their attempts to get forward thwarted by passes regularly going astray.

Instead it was Cardiff who continued to carry the greater threat, and they made the game safe in the 65^th minute with the goal of the game by Whittingham.

The former Villa midfielder curled a superb free kick into the top corner of the net from 25 yards with Ikeme at full stretch after Tongo Doumbia pushed the tireless Noone in the back.

Whittingham's hat-trick took the sting out of the game and deflated an already unconvincing Wolves.

Cardiff continued to look the only side likely to score, although Roger Johnson headed away from goal when presented with a good chance from Sako's flag-kick.

The Bluebirds threatened twice more as substitute Don Cowie's first time sweeping effort forced Ikeme into a falling save.

Wolves introduced Richard Stearman, Frank Nouble and Anthony Forde for Zubar, Dave Edwards and Slawomir Peszko in the latter stages, but they couldn't change the game.

Instead the final chance fell to Cardiff, but Smith's deflected shot went over the bar.

Wolves were well beaten well before the end to leave Solbakken with plenty to ponder before they resume action after the international break in two weeks' time at home to Leicester.