The feelgood factor at Cardiff City Stadium had to be experienced to be believed after the Bluebirds’ 4-2 home win against Fulham.
Fans, players, staff and manager Neil Warnock were overjoyed by their first win of the Premier League season.
The Yorkshireman will be able to sit back and relax at his Southerndown apartment near Porthcawl overlooking the water. This was a good weekend.
This was no fluke result. City’s four different goalscorers led their team to a victory which lifted them out of the relegation zone.
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Callum Paterson is far from a natural centre-forward, but he gave Fulham defenders a torrid time and popped up with a poacher’s finish to score the third goal.
Aron Gunnarsson made his first appearance of the season and shone out like a beacon, playing next to Harry Arter and Victor Camarasa in a role which allowed them to bomb on and get at Fulham.
Spanish midfield player Camarasa has a touch of class about him, while Josh Murphy is a match winner in his own right.
Watch out for Bobby Decordova-Reid, too, because he is going to get fans out of their seats with his playmaking ability this season.
Manager Neil Warnock walked into the post-match press conference with a big smile, happy in the knowledge that his players had done him, City fans and themselves proud.
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Warnock believes Cardiff City’s season starts now after they moved off the bottom with this first victory.
The Bluebirds manager watched his team defy his own pre-match betting advice – although it may have been a shrewd motivating tactic – by beating Fulham 4-2.
“Our season starts today,” said Warnock. “Aat half-time we said this is our time now.
“If you look at the dressing room it’s like we had won the league last season. We know we can compete at this level.
“We’ve waited so long – nobody wants to go to the middle of October for their first win.
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“There are four or five clubs who I think we can pip.
“I never doubted this moment would come but it is hard when you don’t get a win and have played well.
“We have Liverpool next week which will be tough, but then two more home games.
“We’ll still be odds-on, but we have nothing to lose so let’s go for it.”
Paterson and Kadeem Harris scored second half goals to earn their deserved victory Cardiff City, lifting them above Fulham, Huddersfield and Newcastle.
Warnock, had claimed beforehand he would not bet money on their top flight survival, but the peculiar tactic paid off handsomely as the Bluebirds were worthy winners.
GET IN @CardiffCityFC #Buzzzzziiiiinnnnnggggg #BlueBirds #CityAsOne
— Andy Campbell (@andycampbell32) October 20, 2018
They recovered from falling behind to an Andre Schurrle wonder goal, to lead 2-1 thanks to goals from Josh Murphy and Bobby Reid.
Ryan Sessegnon equalised for Fulham before half-time, but Cardiff’s energy in front of their boisterous supporters was rewarded when striker Paterson, a converted right-back, put them 3-2 ahead.
Cardiff goalkeeper Neil Etheridge made a crucial save late on before substitute Harris’s goal ensured Warnock’s side of their first Premier League victory since April 2014. That, too, was against Fulham.
Warnock added: “I’m happy and relieved. It’s been a long season without any results. I’ve not been disappointed with the performances just the goals.
“We started so well then saw a world beater go in from that distance and that’s enough to knock anyone’s confidence.
“But we fought back to take the lead and then conceded another sloppy goal which we will have to cut out if we want to survive.
“We were on the front foot right from the start. Everything was positive, and four goals.
“Paterson has his critics about him not being a centre-forward, but not many centre-forwards would have scored that goal.
“Why not enjoy the moment? We’ve had enough times coming in here taking about a defeat.”
These teams had won only one game between them in 16 Premier League matches, but anyone predicting caution or a lack of adventure was quickly disproved.
Cardiff, especially, offered a vibrant opening period, particularly down their left flank where winger Murphy suggested he was capable of giving Fulham’s Calum Chambers a difficult afternoon.
Murphy’s third minute shot was palmed away for a corner by Marcus Bettinelli, before the Fulham goalkeeper put himself under pressure with a horribly sliced clearance that went behind him for another corner kick.
But it was Fulham who took the lead with their first attack of the game when a counter-attack after a poor Cardiff free-kick at the other end, put Andre Shurrle in possession.
There did not appear to be much on for the German, so he chanced his luck and hit a curling shot from 30 yards that evaded the outstretched fingertips of Neil Etheridge and dipped into the top corner.
It was Shurrle’s fourth goal in 10 games, but Cardiff responded positively and after Murphy’s cross-shot was tipped away by Bettinelli, the Bluebirds winger scored a superb equaliser in the 15th minute.
Chambers gave the ball away and then found himself out of position as Murphy cut inside, drew Bettinelli and slid a precise shot across the goalmouth and into the far corner.
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Three minutes later, Chambers was booked for pulling back Murphy and as Cardiff sensed Fulham’s unsteadiness at the back, the home side soon went ahead.
A free-kick 30 yards out was badly messed up, but Fulham failed to clear their lines. Gunnarsson played a deflected pass that reached Bobby Reid and the former Bristol City striker slotted his first goal for Cardiff to put them 2-1 ahead in the 20th minute.
But if Fulham looked vulnerable at the back, then Cardiff were no more secure and their lead was wiped out by Ryan Sessegnon 14 minutes later.
Joe Bennett’s mistake was pounced on, Aleksander Mitrovic played a neat pass into Sessegnon’s path, and the 18-year-old Englishman showed pace and composure to make it 2-2.
It was Sessegnon’s first Premier League goal, but his fifth against Cardiff in as many games.
Fulham’s Jean Michael Seri and Stefan Johansen joined Gunnarsson in the book before half-time as the challenges grew increasingly rash.
Harry Arter served notice of Cardiff’s continued attacking intent after the break with a shot that cleared the bar, but Sessegnon also tested Etheridge with a drive the keeper elected to punch away.
But it was Cardiff who snatched the lead in the 65th minute through their makeshift striker Callum Paterson.
Gunnarsson’s pass invited the overlapping Bruno Manga to cross and when Reid touched the ball on, Paterson reacted quickly to swivel and hit a low shot beyond Bettinelli.
It was the Scot’s first goal since April and his first in the Premier League.
Murphy continued to torment Fulham, just as he had done in the first half, and the winger almost extended Cardiff’s lead when he flashed a shot across the goal from an acute angle.
Etheridge made a magnificent late save to deny Fulham substitute Alfie Mawson’s header, before Cardiff clinched their victory three minutes from time.
A rapid break ended with Murphy and Victor Camarasa combining before substitute Kadeem Harris bundled the ball home from five yards for their fourth goal.
“The crowd were unbelievable again,” said Warnock. “This is an amazing place. We have had a difficult start and haven’t had any criticism.
“The fans have stuck with us and it was nice to give them something to cheer.”
The feelgood factor is back with a vengeance.
Cardiff City: Neil Etheridge, Bruno Manga, Joe Bennett, Sean Morrison (capt), Harry Arter (Loic Damour 86), Josh Murphy (Kadeem Harris 82), Callum Paterson, Bobby Decordova-Reid, Aron Gunnarsson (Jazz Richards 77), Victor Camarasa, Sol Bamba. Subs not used: Alex Smithies (gk), Kenneth Zohore, Greg Cunningham, Junior Hoilett.
Fulham: Marcus Bettinelli, Ryan Sessegnon, Debis Odio, Calum Chambers (Alfie Mawson 46), Kevin McDonald, Stefan Johansen, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Tim Ream, Andre Scurrle, Maxime Le March, Jean Michael Seri (Floyd Ayite 58). Subs not used: Sergio Rico (gk), Luciano Vietto, Cyrus Christie, Andre-Frank Anguissa, Aboubakar Kamara.
Referee: Kevin Friend.
Attendance: 29,681
Premier League table
| Position | Club | Pl | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Man City | 9 | +23 | 23 |
| 2 | Liverpool | 9 | +13 | 23 |
| 3 | Chelsea | 9 | +13 | 21 |
| 4 | Spurs | 9 | +9 | 21 |
| 5 | Arsenal | 8 | +9 | 18 |
| 6 | AFC Bournemouth | 9 | +4 | 17 |
| 7 | Watford | 9 | +1 | 16 |
| 8 | Wolves | 9 | +1 | 15 |
| 9 | Man Utd | 9 | -1 | 14 |
| 10 | Leicester | 8 | +2 | 12 |
| 11 | Everton | 8 | +1 | 12 |
| 12 | Brighton | 9 | -3 | 11 |
| 13 | Burnley | 9 | -7 | 8 |
| 14 | Crystal Palace | 8 | -4 | 7 |
| 15 | West Ham | 9 | -6 | 7 |
| 16 | Southampton | 9 | -8 | 6 |
| 17 | Cardiff | 9 | -11 | 5 |
| 18 | Fulham | 9 | -14 | 5 |
| 19 | Huddersfield | 9 | -14 | 3 |
| 20 | Newcastle | 9 | -8 | 2 |