Newcastle United made history in Wales after breaking the club’s record for away wins in a single season.
It means that Rafa Benitez’s 14 wins on the road this term bettered Kevin Keegan’s record from the 1992/93 season by one game.
The new entry into the club’s history books also means that Newcastle have an outside chance of winning the Sky Bet Championship title IF Brighton fail to beat Bristol City at home on Saturday night.
Another record broken is the number of games United have beaten Cardiff on the trot. Making it ten games, ten wins, beating the nine they did in a row against Walsall.
However, even if Newcastle don’t quite manage to end the season as table toppers, this win and performance will give Benitez enormous satisfaction.
In a week when the club were propelled into the national media spotlight after a HMRC investigation at St James’ Park, the Newcastle boss made sure his side stayed focused to put in a solid performance.
The first half may not have been spectacular but Newcastle laid the foundations for a night in Wales that the travelling fans will remember.
Two second half wonder goals secured a superb win for the Magpies with Christian Atsu and Isaac Hayden delivering the goods.
Newcastle tried to open the game up in a positive manner with two early attacks.
First Mo Diame rolled the ball out to Christian Atsu who saw his shot blocked by a defender.
Moments later Jack Colback joined in the attack and flashed a shot across the face of goal.
Cardiff responded after five minutes but when Aron Gunnarsson’s effort from the left-hand side was fired at Rob Elliot the Ireland goalkeeper saved well low down.
On 13 minutes Isaac Hayden found time and space with the ball near the edge of the area but blazed his effort high over the bar.
However, he would address his shooting later in the game in some style.
The home side had the ball in the net six minutes later when Peter Whittingham’s corner found skipper Sean Morrison but his foul on Ciaran Clark resulted in the goal being chalked off - much to the displeasure of the City fans.
Newcastle absorbed more Cardiff pressure as the game drifted past the half hour mark but Elliot was equal to a couple of corners with some excellent dominance in the six-yard box.
With 36 minutes on the clock, Diame released DeAndre Yedlin down the right and a great save from Allan McGregor denied the US international.
It would prove to be Newcastle’s only shot on target in the first half.
Six minutes before the interval an Atsu corner found Chancel Mbemba but his effort was struck over the top of the bar.
Clark headed over late in the half as Newcastle ended it posing a few awkward questions of the home defence.
Newcastle could also have had a penalty after Halford tugged Perez back in the box but a first half that lacked overall quality ended goal-less.
Yet things would warm up in some style for the Geordie fans after the break.
Four minutes into the second period, Cardiff were presented a chance for sub Craig Noone but he fired wide of the mark.
Newcastle reacted with a break down the right from Diame but his pass was poor and Perez didn’t connect.
The Magpies were handed a great chance to score on 54 minutes and they took it.
Atsu was fouled just outside the box before stepping up to curl it beyond Allan McGregor - who was rooted to the spot - from 19-yards.
The left-footed strike sent the 4,262 Geordie fans into sheer ecstasy.
Perez made a bustling run into the box on Newcastle’s next attack but Cardiff survived.
But some Cardiff fans were heading for the exits with 65 minutes gone.
Indeed, Hayden’s blockbusting shot from 20-yards left McGregor with no chance as he rifled home another late goal of the season contender.
Perez prodded the ball into Hayden’s path and he let fly with his left-foot to find the bottom corner and leave McGregor despairingly crumbled on the floor.
Atsu struck one just wide shortly after that and sub Aleksandar Mitrovic then failed to cash in on a loose header after being presented with a free chance.
There were boos with 18 minutes left when former Swansea man Jonjo Shelvey came on as substitute and if Benitez was using it as a ploy to drain last bit of energy from the home crowd it worked a treat.
Mitrovic saw his shot saved with 15 minutes to go as McGregor blocked with his feet and perhaps Atsu should have had a penalty seconds later.
With 84 minutes played Mitrovic’s deflected effort was gathered by the goalkeeper.
Shelvey also struck a late shot at the Cardiff keeper but he held on well.
A late attack from Jamie Sterry resulted in the defender rolling a shot wide.
But the points were in the bag - and so was that place in the record books.