Ledley breaks Barnsley hearts

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The 21-year-old Wales midfielder, who hails from Cardiff, sweetly volleyed home the winner after just nine minutes to earn a place in English football's most famous showpiece against Premier League Portsmouth next month.

By doing so he guaranteed clipping another million or so off the £24m debts which have threatened the future of the Welsh club.

But spare a thought for Kayode Odejayi, the Barnsley striker whose late header beat Chelsea in the quarter-final, but who will be haunted by quite possibly the worst miss seen at the new Wembley.

Clean through in the second half the Nigerian centre-forward could only ripple the side netting with just Cardiff goalkeeper Peter Enckelman to beat.

After some frantic early pressure from Cardiff. The ball was floated across the Barnsley defence after nine minutes only to be headed out by Robert Kozluk and man of the match Ledley wafted a left leg and caressed a peach of a volley which floated over Barnsley goalkeeper Luke Steele and nestled in the corner of the net.

Tykes defended Stephen Foster headed wide shortly after Ledley's strike.

Cardiff should have been given some breathing space when Gavin Rae headed straight into the arms of goalkeeper Steele.

And Barnsley missed a golden opportunity to restore parity after 66 minutes when Odejayi bore down on Enckelman following a brilliant through ball. Clearly he never got his radar sorted because when it looked as if he must score he clipped his shot into the side netting.

Barnsley never gave up, sweeping forward in more hope than expectation. Cardiff could easily have caught them on the counter through Rae and Ledley, but in the end it is Cardiff who came out in top in a superb advert for the Coca-Cola Championship.