Report: Cardiff City 0-1 Bristol City

by Jamil Salih

BRISTOL City ran out 1-0 winners at Cardiff City Stadium in the Severnside derby thanks to a wonder strike from captain Josh Brownhill.

The victory was the Robins’ first away league win against Cardiff for 17 years. It means that Bristol move seven points clear of Cardiff, who sit in 14th place. The away side now sit in 6th place, two points clear of Fulham.

Former Swansea captain Ashley Williams went close for Bristol early on from a corner but he could only chest the ball wide.

The Bluebirds had the better chances in the first half, with Mendez-Laing and Bogle both going close for the hosts.

Marley Watkins looked lively from the outset for the visitors and his header, late into the half, troubled Etheridge but didn’t result in a goal.

The best chance of the half fell to Cardiff’s Junior Hoilett, the ball fell to the Canadian from a corner and his resulting shot from 25 yards out rattled the Bristol crossbar.

Neither side dominated the first half, with both sides having their fair share of chances but the scoreline remained goalless at the half time interval.

The second half started as large parts of the first half went, with Cardiff pushing for an opener. Mendez-Laing worked the ball well down the wing and his ball looked certain to be nodded home but Bentley caught it well to eliminate the danger.

The home side rattled the bar again in the 58th minute, this time it was Leandro Bacuna’s effort which hit the upright as the scoreline was poised at 0-0.

Eight minutes later, against the general run of play of the game, Bristol broke the deadlock. Josh Brownhill found himself with acres of space on the edge of the Cardiff box and he rifled the ball past Etheridge and into the roof of the net to give Lee Johnson’s men the lead.

The home side continued to push for a goal as the game wore on, with Mendez-Laing continuously trying to make things happen on the wings but Bristol defended resolutely to ensure that they left south Wales with a priceless three points.

The result means that Cardiff go into the international break on the back of their first home defeat of the season as Neil Warnock’s side will look to dust themselves off ready for a trip to Charlton Athletic on Saturday 23rd November.

Cardiff City: 1 Etheridge, 2 Peltier, 16 Nelson, 5 Flint, 3 Bennett, 7 Bacuna, 15 Pack, 19 Mendez-Laing, 17 Tomlin (Whyte 75′), 33 Hoilett (Paterson 89′), 27 Bogle (Madine 83′)

Substitutes: 6 Vaulks, 12 Smithies, 13 Paterson, 20  Whyte, 22 Bamba, 24 Madine, 32 Coxe

Bristol City: 1 Bentley, 22 Kalas, 29 Williams, 6 Baker, 32 Lopes Pereira (Moore 86′), 8 Brownhill, 4 Nagy, 11 O’Dowda, 25 Rowe, 15 Watkins (Palmer 63′), 14 Weimann

Substitutes: 18 Semenyo, 19 Eliasson, 23 Moore, 31 Ríos Lozano, 33 Mäenpää, 42 Massengo 45 Palmer