The Championship match between West Bromwich Albion and Cardiff City at The Hawthorns on Tuesday Dec 8, 2009.
When Roberto Di Matteo said that he wanted to see some fight in overcoming what he considered to be the most strenuous test his side have faced, it is unlikely that he meant for his captain to headbutt Cardiff City forward Michael Chopra.
But that is exactly what Scott Carson did here, and in the most blatant manner that can possibly be imagined.
Until then this had been a bit of a damp squib. A goal from Chris Burke had looked like moving Cardiff into third place in the Championship, but then Carson gave Chopra the Glasgow kiss and Pete Whittingham secured the game from the spot. Extraordinary scenes.
It was the 115th anniversary of E.C. Segar’s birthday on Tuesday – as those of you who look at the Google doodle each day will know – but there would be no Popeye performance from West Bromwich Albion.
Gonzalo Jara demonstrated some power by hoofing the ball clean out of the stadium, and of course Carson got physical in his own way, but it was effort expended in the wrong direction.
He and his side would have done better to focus their attentions on keeping Cardiff contained. After all, Gavin Rae hinted at danger after just 13 minutes.
Would it were true that this was the only worrying moment West Brom confronted.
But Kelvin Etuhu was allowed to stroll through the home defence with disturbing simplicity (pity he couldn’t do more with his cross), and then Chris Burke was given free passage to weave his way from almost within his own half to beat Carson with a low shot from 20 yards – and hardly an obstacle to negotiate.
This is not the sort of defending that inspires hope of promotion, and incredibly, extraordinarily, West Brom came close to letting Burke do exactly the same thing nearly 20 minutes later.
Once again the midfielder steamed his way through the middle, his opponents scampering alongside like sheepdogs attempting to nip at his heels, before he was downed by a proper tackle just as he prepared to fire.
As a former Wolverhampton Wanderers manager, Dave Jones would have particularly enjoyed the first half, especially when an impatient Di Matteo relieved Youssouf Mulumbu of his duty in favour of Filipe Teixeira after just 36 minutes, tacit acceptance that his midfield were coming off second best and needed a little je ne sais quoi.
What he got was lunacy. Underneath swirling drizzle, Carson was growing more and more frustrated. When he and Chopra collided with less than ten minutes remaining, the keeper made no attempt to disguise his response.
Paul Taylor awarded a penalty, Whittingham took it, Dean Kiely saved, but the forward finished from the rebound.
Match details:
West Brom (4-4-2): Carson; Zuiverloon, Meite, Olsson, Cech (Kiely 83); Jara, Mulumbu (Teixeira 36), Dorrans, Brunt; Bednar, Cox.
Subs: Mattock, Wood, Reid, Martis, Thorne.
Booked: Olsson, Jara.
Sent off: Carson.
Cardiff City (4-3-2-1): Marshall; McNaughton (Kennedy 84), Gerrard, Hudson, Quinn; Burke, Rae, Scimeca (Wildig 46); Whittingham Chopra; Etuhu (McCormack 58).
Subs: Enckelman, Taiwo, Matthews, Magennis.
Booked: Whittingham.
Referee: P Taylor (Herts).
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