Cardiff	v	West Ham
0		2 Collison, 8 Collison, 41

West Ham won 2-0 at Cardiff in their Championship play-off semi-final first leg, with Jack Collison netting a first-half brace.

The Welshman, a product of the London club's youth system, registered twice at the Cardiff City Stadium, nodding home from close range after nine minutes and then seeing his deflected volley find the back of the net four minutes before the break to give the Hammers a huge advantage going into the second leg on Monday.

The hosts struggled for any kind of rhythm for much of the match and West Ham could have taken an even more comfortable lead back to Upton Park, but for David Marshall's superb save from Carlton Cole's header. The Hammers may still have two more games to negotiate before they can celebrate a return to the top flight but, on this showing, the class and determination is there to achieve exactly that.

Cardiff almost went ahead after two minutes, Peter Whittingham's deflected effort dipping narrowly over the crossbar. Moments later, Robert Green had to be alert to beat away Kenny Miller's volley as the Bluebirds started at a furious pace. But with their first attempt at goal, the Hammers gained the upper hand. Ricardo Vaz Te crossed from the left and, although Collison's first attempt was brilliantly stopped by Marshall, the Welshman was on hand to nod in the rebound.

Quickly, West Ham got a stranglehold on the game. Gary O'Neil tested Marshall from range and James Tomkins headed Matt Taylor's fizzing cross wide. Cardiff, in part, were the architects of their own struggles, frequently gifting possession to their guests.

The Welsh side tried to rally, with Miller firing wide, but Collison soon stunted their comeback with his second. Taylor's corner was half-cleared to the midfielder, who controlled the ball on his chest, pulled the trigger and saw a wicked deflection off the head of Liam Lawrence wrongfoot Marshall.

Cole must have thought he had put the tie out of sight before half-time, but Marshall pulled off a sensational low save from the striker's header. Cardiff showed intent to get back into the game after the interval, with Whittingham volleying wide and Ben Turner seeing his header cleared off the line by Cole, before Miller fired horribly off-target.

With space tighter in the Cardiff half, West Ham created far fewer chances - the best of the lot being Kevin Nolan's point-blank header which failed to test Marshall - and the visitors had to withstand a spell of concerted pressure from their hosts in the final quarter. Mark Hudson nodded Aron Gunnarsson's cross wide from 10 yards, substitute Robert Earnshaw missed the target with a wild volley and Gunnarsson squandered a decent chance from the edge of the area. For all their late huff and puff, however, the Bluebirds could not fashion a goal, leaving themselves with a lot to do in London in four days' time.

match commentary

90+5 mins: That's full time! West Ham are closing in on a return to the Premier League! Cardiff have a mountain to climb at Upton Park thanks to Collison's brace. Thanks for following, a full report will follow...

90+4 mins: Maynard's slipped in down the right but his ball across the six-yard box can't find Nolan.

90+3 mins: Noble makes progress down the left, Maynard tears through the middle but Noble ignores the run and plays it square, retaining possession and eating up vital seconds.

90 mins: There's a hefty five minutes added on which brings a hopeful roar from the home fans.

89 mins: Big penalty shout as McCartney has a nibble at Mason who goes down! The player himself isn't claiming it though, which speaks volumes and backs up ref Swarbrick's decision to play on.

88 mins: Faubert does 'the necessary' to halt a Cardiff break in midfield and pick up a yellow card.

86 mins: Double goalscorer Collison makes way for Maynard. "Is there a fire drill?" chant the West Ham fans as the home fans begin to vacate their seats.

84 mins: McCartney doesn't get a call and heads a harmless ball behind for a cheap corner to Cardiff. Green's path to the ball is blocked, it's headed out but only to Mason who honks a volley over the bar from eight yards!

82 mins: Wide by Gunnarsson! Lawrence isn't too chuffed with his team-mate as he rattles a speculative shot past the post from 22 yards when he could have been slipped in.

80 mins: Cardiff clear a West Ham corner from the far side but the visitors keep the pressure on through Tomkins, whose cross forces another corner. This one's to the back stick but there's nobody home and Marshall plays it out from the back.

78 mins: Kerblammo! A West Ham clearance balloons up and falls to the unmarked Earnshaw down the left of the box, he meets it on the fiercest of volleys but it's high and wide past the far post!

77 mins: So nearly a third! Taylor bends in yet another peach of a cross from the left, Cole slides in six yards out but fails to connect by inches!

75 mins: Double sub by the Bluebirds, Cowie and Miller making way for Earnshaw and McPhail, while West Ham replace Demel with Faubert.

74 mins: Hudson heads wide! He's off target from eight yards as Cardiff bid to drag themselves out of an almighty hole.

73 mins: Nolan should have wrapped it up! Taylor's cross from the left is spot on for him but he bullets his header off target from six yards!

Sam, Barnsley: "i hope so mate but sods law cardif will get 3"

72 mins: Mason's caught inches offside in a promising Cardiff break. There's some anguished faces on the pitch now, let alone in the stands.

69 mins: Good stop by Marshall! The umpteenth West Ham corner is flicked on by Collison and the keeper beats it away, but there's nobody on hand to follow up for the Irons.

66 mins: McCartney has a shot charged down from the corner of the box. West Ham are bossing the game once more, as they did for most of the first half.

Dean, Chorley: "come back sam to rovers"

64 mins: Nolan's the latest West Ham man in the book for a robust challenge on keeper Marshall as they go for a loose ball.

63 mins: Miller goes close again! He's had his chances tonight - this one's screwed wide on the volley from 16 yards after a fine first touch.

62 mins: Noble's booked for catching Whittingham in what looks a 50-50 challenge to me. What do I know?

61 mins: Big Sam's closing the game down with his first sub, striker Vaz Te making way for defender McCartney.

59 mins: City clear a West Ham corner, it's pumped straight back upfield by Demel but over everyone's heads and out for a goal kick.

58 mins: My West Ham-supporting boss usually texts in some 'amusing' missive under a pseudonym during Irons commentaries. Nothing so far - he's either too absorbed by the game, or he's broken his phone throwing it at a wall.

Sam, Barnsley: "i had 2 horses and west ham" (Best of luck, you look home and hosed!)

55 mins: Tomkins picked up a daft yellow card after that corner for getting right up in ref Swarbrick's face.

54 mins: Off the line! Cole heads clear after Turner heads a corner back across goal, it beats Green but the striker's Johnny On The Spot to rescue the Irons!

52 mins: Anguished cries around the ground as Miller beats the offside trap and races through down the left, but his first touch is poor and forces him wide, Tomkins getting back to cover!

51 mins: Green fumbles a high ball but Demel's on hand to hoof it clear.

49 mins: Cardiff clear a corner at the near post and Whittingham bids to break, he finds Lawrence but Tomkins concedes the free-kick in midfield.

46 mins: City get the second half started playing left to right with no subs to report, which means Cole's fit to carry on, albeit with some heavy strapping.

Sam, Barnsley: "come on west ham i have £2000 resting on this game" (what's the bet, Sam?)

46 mins: City get the second half started playing left to right with no subs to report, which means Cole's fit to carry on, albeit with some heavy strapping.

45+1 mins: That's half time! A smattering of boos greets the whistle - City boss Malky Mackay needs something impressive up his sleeve to turn this round. For most of the half the hosts have simply been outplayed. Join me at 2050 for the second half, and keep your thoughts on the game coming via my name above.

45 mins: Just the one minute added on at a deflated Cardiff City Stadium.

43 mins: It's stating the bleedin' obvious, but City need a goal. West Ham have been shaky at home, but you can't see them blowing a two-goal lead. Huge handball appeals against Nolan in the box, nothing doing though as the assistant ref ten yards away says it hit the West Ham man's head.

41 mins: COLLISON DOUBLES THE LEAD! It's that man again! City again fail to clear a corner, Collison takes it on his chest and booms a shot towards the middle of the goal but it takes a deflection off a City head to beat Marshall!

40 mins: Decent defending by Turner to snuff out Cole on the counter attack. Is he carrying an injury? He doesn't look fully fit.

38 mins: Gunnarsson tries to hook a shot on goal from a high ball in the box, but the whistle goes for a high boot. I reckon his marker Tomkins was stooping a bit.

35 mins: Miller rattles one just wide which has Green scrambling! City have been up against it since the off, but there's signs of them getting a foothold in the game - at last.

33 mins: Cardiff seem to have forgotten the route to goal. Miller bids to show his team-mates the way, attacking down the left of the box but he's eventually crowded out and West Ham bring it away.

30 mins: Collison's close to getting on the end of a decent ball in by Demel, but the Irons keep the pressure cranked right up. Demel bids to finds Vaz Te with a cross from the right but the whistle goes for a nudge.

27 mins: Collison apologises for a wayward ball down the right. Just had a look at his goal again, I probably did him a disservice calling his initial shot 'awkward', it was a decent effort considering how the ball came at him.

25 mins: The Irons win another corner on the far side despite a clear handball by Cole in the build-up which was missed by ref Swarbrick. Justice is done as it comes to nowt.

22 mins: The City fans are certainly loud, but they're already getting on their team's back and the hosts are looking more jittery by the minute.

19 mins: Cole and Turner tussle for the ball in the Cardiff box, and the striker complains when the free-kick goes against him. He may have a case due to a handful of shirt.

17 mins: O'Neill looks for Cole with a cutback but City manage to get it away. Turner then slides in on Cole in the box for a corner, timed to perfection and it needed to be. It's eventually worked to Tomkins at the back stick but he puts his header wide!

14 mins: Reid cuts out a fine cross by Lawrence at the near post for a corner to the Bluebirds. It's fruitless, and West Ham also then deal with a long throw into the box by Gunnarsson.

13 mins: Jittery by West Ham at the back, again failing to clear but the ball bounces through to a relieved Green.

10 mins: O'Neill bids to chip Marshall into the far corner from 25 yards, he must have watched that Cisse clip on YouTube a few too many times if he thinks he'll score from there.

8 mins: DREAM START FOR THE IRONS! Vaz Te gets round the back of the defence down the left and crosses for Collison who sees his first awkward shot saved, but he follows up and nods home from a yard out!

5 mins: Blake and Turner crowd Cole out in the box after the striker does well to tee himself up.

Lorna West Wales: "As regards the comment about keeping threw Welsh out of the Prem, people said Swansea should not be there but think they deserved their place, any team deserves a chance, not a cardiff fan but got enough london sides in prem now so come on bluebirds!"

3 mins: Miller forces Green into a smart stop from 15 yards! The Bluebirds have certainly have hit the ground running!

2 mins: Whittingham clips the bar! West Ham fail to clear a ball into the box, Whittingham has a crack from 20 yards and it takes a slice off a West Ham defender, dipping on to the roof of the net!

Ryan, London: "Come on u irons... keep the Welsh out the prem league.... swansea are ok but no one wants cardiff"

0 mins: We're pushing a record attendance of expectant faces at the Cardiff City Stadium as West Ham get this season's play-offs under way, playing left to right in the first half in their usual claret and blue. We'll have a squizz at your early texts in a mo.

Stu Suffolk Hammer: "An easy 3-1 or 4-1 win tongt. we need it as cnt c us geting a result a upton park. but we will defoe b goin to wembly upie hammers"

1915: Evening all, and welcome to Orange's live commentary on the Championship play-off semi-final first leg at the Cardiff City Stadium. The teams are in - scroll down to check out the starting XIs. I'll bring you live commentary from 1945, but in the mean time use the boxes on the right to send in your predictions, and any bets you've got on tonight - it's just a cheeky quid on West Ham HT Cardiff FT for me.

Cardiff: Marshall, Taylor, Blake, Hudson, Turner, Lawrence, Gunnarsson, Whittingham, Cowie, Mason, Miller. Subs: Heaton, Kiss, Gerrard, Earnshaw, McPhail.

West Ham: Green, Demel, Taylor, Reid, Tomkins, Noble, Nolan, Collison, O'Neill, Vaz Te, Cole. Subs: Henderson, McCartney, Maynard, Faye, Faubert.