Derby day falls flat for Bellamy after Emnes rewards Swans' belief

Cardiff City 0 Swansea City 1

(PA)

He was groomed by the Special One but the Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers will be entitled to his own measure of quiet satisfaction after seeing his side inflict a morale-boasting win in the south Wales derby over arch rivals Cardiff City.

Rodgers may have been the youth and reserve-team coach under Jose Mourinho at Chelsea, but Marvin Emnes' 75th-minute winner will earn the Northern Irishman similar cult hero status at the Liberty Stadium. Emnes' left-footed strike past Cardiff goalkeeper Tom Heaton condemned the hosts to their first home defeat of the season while the stylish visitors, who thoroughly deserved this victory, tasted their first success in the Welsh capital for 13 years.

"It was a wonderful team performance and we have sent our supporters away absolutely delighted," Rodgers said. "Cardiff are an outstanding team with great individuals but to win here is a fantastic effort.

"The courage of my players was incredible. To come here, put their foot on the ball, pass the ball around and show invention was excellent. The players are happy to win and they should really enjoy it."

Emnes was the hero but the Dutchman revealed later that Swansea team-mate Kemy Agustien predicted he would be the match-winner. The former Netherlands Under-21 midfielder, on a one-month loan deal from Middlesbrough, ran to celebrate with substitute Agustien on the touchline at the Cardiff City Stadium and admitted his countryman told him he would be the hero for Rodgers' well-oiled outfit.

Emnes said: "Kemy said to me before the game in the dressing room that I would score. I thought he was joking but he kept saying, 'Do not forget me when you score and make sure you come over to celebrate'.

Emnes will return to his parent club next weekend but should always have a special place in Swansea followers' hearts, as will left-back Alan Tate who magnificently denied Michael Chopra's close-range effort in a dull opening period.

Swans winger Scott Sinclair brought the game to life in the 49th minute by crashing a right-footed shot against Heaton's post before Craig Bellamy had the best chance of the game on 66 minutes. Angel Rangel failed to deal with Heaton's long punt to put Bellamy clean through but the Manchester City loanee could not beat Dorus de Vries from 12 yards. The miss cost Cardiff dear when Emnes shrugged off Gabor Gyepes and fired home a low shot.

Bellamy had a golden chance to equalise in the dying seconds but he could only head wide from Darcy Blake's right-wing cross to spark wild celebrations for the third-placed visitors, who trim their deficit to Cardiff in second to three points.

Cardiff City (4-3-3) Heaton; McNaughton (Blake, 72), Hudson, Gyepes, Naylor; Whittingham, Drinkwater (Koumas, 82), Olofinjana; Chopra, Keogh (Burke, 58), Bellamy. Substitutes not used Marshall (gk), Rae, McPhail, Matthews.

Swansea (4-3-3) De Vries; Rangel, Williams, Monk, Tate; Allen, Gower, Orlandi (Agustien, 81); Dyer (Taylor, 90), Emnes (Dobbie, 81), Sinclair. Substitutes not used: Ma-Kalambay (gk), Cotterill, Beattie, Richards

Booked: Cardiff Bellamy, Gyepes, Chopra; Swansea Rangel, Allen.

Man of the match: Emnes

Possession: Cardiff 49% Swansea 51%

Shots on target: Cardiff 4 Swansea 13

Referee M Jones (Cheshire) Match rating 7/10

Attendance 26,046