Cardiff City restarted their Championship campaign in barnstorming fashion with a 2-0 win over Championship high-flyers Leeds United.
A first-half strike from Junior Hoilett put City in the driving seat before substitute Robert Glatzel hammered home a volley in the second half to put the game firmly to bed and put the Bluebirds level on points with sixth-placed Preston.
It started like two boxers just feeling for their range, jabbing from range while they settled into the contest.
It was a completely alien feeling to the few dozen people permitted inside Cardiff City Stadium to witness this one and that appeared to spill out on to the pitch.
An early diet for long balls, set-pieces and throw-ins played right into Cardiff's hands, though, and they were the beneficiaries of the early chances.
The first real, clear-cut chance came after 12 minutes fell when Hoilett cut in from the left, danced inside a couple of Leeds defenders before whistling a shot past the post from 20 yards.
But soon Leeds, as they were always going to, fought their way into the tie.
A penalty shout was rightly waved away after Joe Bennett softly nudged Helder Costa over in the penalty area, before Kalvin Phillips squandered a free-kick in plum position, drilling it straight into the Cardiff wall.
City's only real outlet soon became Callum Paterson, who did a tremendous job in holding the ball up and buying fouls on the halfway line to afford the Bluebirds some respite.
On the half-hour, Luke Ayling latched on to a corner and steered his header towards the far post before Will Vaulks' stunning, acrobatic piece of defending cleared the ball away from the goalmouth.
But then, a gift.
Phillips nonchalantly tried to whip a pass around the corner in his own half but ceded possession straight to Hoilett, just inside the opposition half.
The winger drove towards the box before shifting it on to his left and rifling it towards the Leeds goal, where Illan Meslier was left sprawling to his right, but he could only palm it into the roof of the net to put City in front.
In truth, the keeper should have done better.
The Bluebirds wheeled away in celebration before raising aloft a shirt in tribute to the late, great Peter Whittingham.
Just before the break came Leeds' most gilt-edged chance of the half when Phillips fired a cross into Harrison, who was unmarked and looked to slot home from close range, but it hit Patrick Bamford just a yard off the goal line, ruling the attempt offside. There is no doubting it would have been level heading into the break if it wasn't for that mishap.
Leeds were in the ascendancy in the second half, but produced few clear-cut chances. That was until the hour-mark when Bamford latched on to a cross to cushion a header into the path of Tyler Roberts, just two yards from goal.
Roberts fired it goalwards but Smithies did excellently to smother the chance and keep the visitors at bay.
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Robert Glatzel were subsequently introduced and the latter had an immediate effect when he held the ball up and released Joe Ralls to hit one from range, but the midfielder's short was just dragged wide of the post.
And it was the substitutes who would combine to hit the crushing blow.
Mendez-Laing did well to intercept a pass on the right flank before immediately firing a pass into Glatzel, who controlled expertly before unleashing a thunderbolt of a volley into the back of the net from 20 yards, with a little help from the upright, to put the Bluebirds two ahead. An incredible strike.
Marcelo Bielsa and his technical staff were left scratching their heads on the sideline, while City's 11 men grew in confidence as the tie wore on.
Marlon Pack came on to shore up the midfield, as did debutant Brad Smith later on and City held firm, stymieing the Leeds attack.
Try as they might, the Elland Road club couldn't break down the Bluebirds in those final, desperate few minutes and when the referee's whistle blew, it represent one almighty step towards those top-six places for Cardiff City.
There will be few happier fans than Bluebirds supporters that football is back right now, that's for sure.
Cardiff City XI (4-5-1): Smithies; Sanderson, Nelson, Morrison, Bennett; Adomah (Mendez-Laing 65), Vaulks (Tomlin 84), Bacuna, Ralls (Pack 75), Hoilett (Smith 84); Paterson (Glatzel 65)
Subs: Etheridge, Flint, Whyte, Ward
Leeds United XI (4-1-4-1): Meslier; Ayling (Alioski 62), White, Cooper, Dallas; Phillips; Costa (77), Klich (84), Roberts, Harrison; Bamford
Subs: Miazek, Berardi, Struijk, Davis, Shackleton, Stevens
Key Events
87
It just isn't Bamford's day. A ball lofted into the box is inviting for the striker, but he can't get enough on it.
77
Mendez-Laing and Glatzel combine again to fashion a chance, but the striker just can't get the ball out of his feet in time!
GOAL! Cardiff City 2-0 Leeds United (Glatzel 71)
What a goal! Robert Glatzel doubles the lead!
The substitutes combine as Mendez-Laing does well to intercept on the wing before firing a pass immediately into Glatzel, who controls and fires a volley into the post and into the back of the net.
66
Lovely football there from Cardiff, Glatzel doing well after coming on to take the ball with his back to goal and lay-off Ralls, who pulls his shot wide from 20 yards.
64
Helder Costa dribbles down the left and pokes a lovely ball through for Bamford, but the striker just miscontrols it.
61
What a save!
A cross is floated to the back post and Bamford heads it across goal before Roberts looks to hammer it home from point-blank range, but what a save from Smithies to keep City ahead!
60
Dallas has no options so fires a shot from 30 yards once again. It ricochets off Morrison for a corner.
57
Bacuna breaks up the pitch with tremendous pace and White is forced to trip him over when it looked as though he was through on goal. Yellow card.
52
City break down the other end and Ralls whips in a nice left-footed cross for Paterson, whose glancing header is just wide.
51
Costa drills a dangerous low cross across the box but Smithies watches as it whistles past the face of goal and out for a goal kick. Bamford nearly got a touch on it.
48
A number of clumsy challenges there from both sides, Costa, Paterson and Ralls all getting a clattering.
The one on Ralls, though, is the one which gets penalised.
45+2
Phillips goes into the book this time for a nasty challenge on Joe Ralls near the half-way line.
45
How has that not gone in?!
Incredible.
Phillips fires a cross into Harrison, who tries to slot home from close range, but it hits Bamford just yards out from the line!
45
Harrison buys a foul off Sanderson in a dangerous position near the corner of the Bluebirds box.
43
Hoilett is the next man in the book just a minute later after his cynical challenge on Luke Ayling. Few complaints there.
42
Albert Adomah is pulled up for a foul and booked after putting his foot high while Stuart Dallas went to head the ball. First booking of the match.
41
Junior Hoilett does excellently to nick the ball off Ben White and earn a throw-in in Will Vaulks range.
