the goal against Burnley meant that Cardiff reached their first League Cup quarter final since 1965. Mason scored his fifth goal of the campaign in a 3–1 win at home to Reading on 2 January 2012. Having helped Cardiff reach the final of the League Cup, Mason scored the first goal against Liverpool at Wembley Stadium on 26 February. With the score level after 90 minutes, Mason was substituted for Filip Kiss. Cardiff lost 3–2 on penalties after the game finished two-all. Mason scored his 9th and 10th goals against fellow play-off hopefuls Brighton and Middlesbrough respectively, which put him in the top three goal scorers at Cardiff. On 20 April, Mason signed a new contract to extend his stay in the Welsh capital until the summer of 2016. He celebrated his contract extension with a goal against Leeds United, then later on Mason was awarded the Club Young Player of the Year award. He enjoyed a really impressive first season in the Welsh Capital having scored 12 goals, more than he scored in his previous two put together and Cardiff had reached the play-offs but were however knocked out by West Ham United in the semi-finals. Mason collected his first goal of the 2012–13 season on 25 August against severnside rivals Bristol City, which was also his 50th appearance in a Cardiff shirt. He scored his second of the season on his third league start against Burnley on 27 October, before scoring one of City's goals in the 5–4 defeat to Charlton Athletic soon after. His fourth came on 7 December, scoring the third in a 4–1 win at Ewood Park against Blackburn Rovers. Mason scored on New Years Day against Birmingham City, which took Cardiff seven points clear at the top of the table. Mason registered his sixth goal of the 2012–13 season after coming on as a substitute against Blackburn Rovers on 1 April 2013, at Cardiff City Stadium. Loans to Bolton On 11 November 2013, a loan deal was agreed with Football League Championship side Bolton Wanderers until 5 January 2014. However, the following day it was announced that Cardiff manager Malky Mackay had a change of heart over the deal and the striker stayed in South Wales, despite having travelled up to Bolton to train with them on the previous day. A move to Bolton was finally completed on 27 November 2013 once Cardiff's injury