It’s a Cardiff Christmas cracker!

Sergi Canós illuminated the misty skies above Cardiff City Stadium on Boxing Day, grabbing a superb hat-trick to cancel out a wonder goal from Cardiff’s Will Vaulks as Brentford remain in the thick of the Championship promotion chase.

Both teams approached the game in decent form, Brentford unbeaten in 14 games with the Bluebirds successful in five of their last seven, though with two defeats in the last three outings.

Blue shirted Cardiff City starting purposefully against the men from West London.

Brentford soon settled though as the game assumed the expected pattern. Vaulks was lucky to escape a yellow card for a hefty shove on the Brentford no. 9 Marcondes.

The home side, perhaps stung by recent criticism of an over-reliance on set-plays, tried hard to move the ball around, though two trademark long throws from Vaulks represented the first real foray into the Brentford box. A swift counter led to nothing as both keepers enjoyed trouble free times.

The game remained true to type as another long throw towards Morrison was unceremoniously dealt with by the grey shirted defenders. Hoilett, restored to the home side after defeat to Norwich, forced a corner on 28 minutes but from the inevitable counter, Cardiff were lucky to survive penalty appeals following a spell of holding/shirt tugging by Nelson. Moments later, it was the home dug out’s turn to raise the roof following a trip on Harry Wilson by Ethan Pinnock.

It was a typical Championship encounter. Brentford looking swift on the break and using the long ball whenever required. Cardiff threw it at Morrison’s head continuously, inviting battles for the resulting scraps of possession. There was effort a-plenty, but little to really write home about. The rain and mist continued to define this uninspiring encounter, until……

…… I could barely believe my eyes.

A counter attack from the home side was helped towards Vaulks by the hard working Glatzel and, then, then…..Vaulks calmly chipped Raya in stoppage time from inside his own half. It was more like a shot from the Ryder Cup or T20 than the EFL. The somersault celebration which followed was almost as memorable as the goal itself.

The goal had stunned the press box. The home side also seemed a little distracted after the restart as a spell of pressure led to a superb side footed volley from Sergi Canó to bring the Bees level. Both goals had greatly exceeded anything else we had seen in the game, as Brentford stepped on the gas. Suddenly it was breathtaking. It even stopped raining.

Vaulks, who was having quite a day of it, picked up the inevitable yellow card for scything down Janelt. The dangerous Ivan Toney forced a save from Smithies in the home goal with a spectacular overhead hook as play became uncharacteristically lively. Marcondes missed a sitter on the hour with the Cardiff goal gaping. Moments later, Sergi Canós carved open the home defence to give Brentford the lead with a sharp drive for his second of the game. As the excitement mounted he almost added a third with a cutely hit strike.

If the first half had been cold turkey, the second was a real Christmas Cracker, as both sides went for it with some gusto. We saw young Welsh striker Mark Harris introduced to add pace to the home attack. Mbeumo went down in the Cardiff box but no pen.

Fear not though, for Mighty Canós had seized their troubled minds, embarrassing Smithies to complete a second half hat trick with some 20 minutes still to play.

Yet this was a Christmas gift which would keep on giving, as Vaulks rammed home his second of the afternoon, aided perhaps by a deflection off Toney.

Still this amazing game was not over, as Canós almost added his fourth with another typical effort.

You sensed there more goals to come, but at which end? Cardiff City’s claims for a penalty saw Glatzel felled following an impressive run from substitute Murphy. Next it was Toney’s turn to tumble, after minimal contact in the box from Morrison.

The dull first half seemed an age away, as both sides went toe to toe in search of the end result. The second half had flashed by, as the the fourth official signalled four minutes to go.

One minute to go now …but you still couldn’t call it, as a Murphy cross caused confusion in the Bees’ hive.

That was to be the last of the action though, as this gripping encounter came to a close.

Cardiff’s Huff & Puff had proved insufficient to overcome the movement and quality of Brentford.

But this was a game that will linger long in the memory. Vaulks and Canós had seen to that.

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