Craig Bellamy provided the kind of finish that Cardiff City’s Malaysian owners had hoped for when they pushed out the boat to sign the 33 year-old from Liverpool last month. Having seen his team-mates fire blanks for an hour of this often turgid contest, the maverick striker came off the bench to help the Bluebirds into the Championship’s top six.
Having been sidelined for three weeks with a calf strain, Bellamy was introduced by manager Malky Mackay more as a desperation measure than anything else.
Four minutes after his arrival, Michael Tonge hauled down Nicky Maynard and Bellamy duly beat Paddy Kenny with a free-kick that whistled into the far corner. It was a goal good enough to win any game and for Cardiff, it was the trigger for five golden minutes.
Peter Whittingham and Mark Hudson both went close before the former converted a 72nd-minute penalty after Maynard had been pulled down by Tom Lees. Leeds responded with a stunning free-kick of their own from Jamaican Rodolph Austin, but Cardiff held on and might have had two more in the dying moments had Kenny not pulled off impressive saves to deny both Tommy Smith and Heidar Helguson.
“That’s the quality that Craig has got. He wasn’t ready for 90 minutes because he has been struggling with a knock. That was why he started on the bench,” said Cardiff manager Mackay.
“We worked hard with him in the week and that was what he did for us in return. I know the commitment he has to football and his love for the football club. I put a lot of trust in him. I think he showed the dedication to this club when he came on.”
Mackay’s Leeds counterpart, Neil Warnock, said: “They were able to bring on Bellamy and we brought on a first-year professional. However, I was very disappointed with the free-kick because Michael actually pulled out of the tackle.”
Leeds had been dealt a hammer blow as early as the eighth minute when the former Cardiff striker Ross McCormack stayed down after an innocuous challenge from Jordon Mutch. The stretcher came on and McCormack left clutching an ankle.
Although Cardiff had performed admirably in their previous game, against Wolves, they were far from fluent in a first half that provided few moments of intrigue. Kenny kept out a tame shot from Maynard and, at the other end, Leeds teenager Sam Byram tested David Marshall with a header from all of a dozen yards.
If the contest had come down to half-time pep talks, then Mackay would clearly have won the day. Cardiff came out with all guns blazing and Leeds found themselves defending for their lives. Smith, Whittingham and Maynard all had opportunities before the manager called on Bellamy to weave his magic.
“I think the half-time talk was key,” said Mackay. “They came here and frustrated us, but we upped the tempo after half-time and I thought we were excellent in the second half.”
Cardiff City (4-4-2): Marshall; McNaughton, Hudson, Connolly, Taylor;
Smith, Whittingham, Mutch, Noone (Bellamy 63); Maynard (Cowie 82), Helguson.
Subs not used: Lewis, Nugent, Bo-Kyung, Gunnarsson, Mason.
Booked: Smith 38.
Leeds United (4-4-2): Kenny; Peltier, Pearce, Lees, Drury (Diouf 45); Austin, Tonge, White, Byram, McCormack (Varney 8, Poleon 72); Becchio.
Subs not used: Ashdown, Kisnorbo, Brown, Gray.
Booked: Austin 37, Tonge 65.
Referee: Paul Tierney (Lancashire)