And then there was one. Cardiff City’s comprehensive demolition of Middlesbrough’s FA Cup ambitions left Portsmouth as the only Barclays Premier League team in the semi-finals. Whether it demonstrates that the top-flight clubs are not as formidable as they seem to think is debatable, but here was compelling evidence that the gap between the top flight and the Coca-Cola Championship is not as great as many believe.

First-half goals from Peter Whittingham and Roger Johnson were scant reward for the way Cardiff outclassed Gareth Southgate’s team. Their superiority brought goals in the opening 23 minutes and Middlesbrough did not possess the quality or desire to construct a response.

It means that the city that had been such an accommodating host to the FA Cup Final while the new Wembley Stadium was being constructed will empty as the Cardiff supporters head to London for their semi-final, with a justified belief that they will return for their first appearance in the final since 1927.

Dave Jones, the Cardiff manager, said: “I have 1927 rammed down my throat every day. That’s the history of the club and we have to put it where it belongs, but it doesn’t affect me in any way. That team deserves all the accolades because they achieved something that was phenomenal. All we can do is try and make our own history and the players have gone a long way towards doing that.

“We played some super stuff and I don’t think anybody from Middlesbrough can be disappointed about what we did and how we did it. I have always believed we are a match for anybody and this has proved it. I told my players before the game to make us all proud and that’s what we have done.

“It’s a great achievement and I’m not even worried about the flight home in high winds because the plane will be rocking anyway.”

Certainly, none of the other semi-finalists will relish a confrontation with Jones’s team, particularly if Whittingham and Stephen McPhail repeat this accomplished domination of the midfield. They are players whose talent has never been questioned; yesterday, they accompanied it with an appetite for hard work that extinguished the threat of Fabio Rochemback and Julio Arca, two of Middlesbrough’s better performers this season.

Whittingham’s contribution – a goal and an assist – was particularly significant. He scored the opener in the ninth minute when the ball dropped to him off the arm of McPhail. While some Middlesbrough players appealed in vain for a free kick, Whittingham controlled the ball with his left foot and confused four defenders before guiding it inside the far post with his right. “I was happy with the finish, but this was all about the team,” he said. “I’m just ecstatic.”

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, the Cardiff striker who was playing against the club who released him nearly two years ago, squandered a splendid chance from only seven yards before Whittingham was involved again with a precise free kick that Johnson headed in after 23 minutes. Peter Enckleman, the Cardiff goalkeeper, made his only save in the 26th minute from Afonso Alves, the £12 million forward who lasted only 45 minutes before being replaced by Mido.

The effect was minimal and Cardiff remained more inventive and intelligent as they controlled the second half and almost added another goal when Hasselbaink was inches away from meeting a cross by Whittingham.

Gareth Southgate, the Middlesbrough manager, said: “It’s a huge disappointment and the pain will take a long time to heal for the fans. We were desperate to put on a performance, but we couldn’t do it and I will take any criticism that comes my way. I don’t know if the occasion was too much for some of my players, but we seemed to freeze. We didn’t create anything and cannot have any complaints. We were beaten by the better side.”

How they rated

Middlesbrough (4-4-2): M Schwarzer 6 L Young 6 R Huth Y 5 D Wheater 5 E Pogatetz 6 G O’Neil Y 5 F Rochemback Y 5 J Arca 5 S Downing 5 Afonso Alves 4 Tuncay Sanli 6 Substitutes: Mido 5 (for Afonso, 46min), A Johnson 5 (for O’Neil, 59). Not used: R Turnbull, G Boateng, J Grounds.

Cardiff City (4-4-2): P Enckelman 6 K McNaughton 6 R Johnson 7 G Loovens 8 A Capaldi 7 P Whittingham 8 G Rae 8 S McPhail 8 A Ramsey 7 P Parry Y 6 J F Hasselbaink 5 Substitutes: S Thompson (for Hasselbaink, 76min), T Sinclair (for Parry, 82), D Blake (for McNaughton, 88). Not used: M Oakes, D Purse.

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