Cardiff 2-0 Wolves: Bluebirds bag first win of the season

Goals from Kenwyne Jones and Sammy Ameobi gave Cardiff their first Sky Bet Championship win of the season with a 2-0 triumph over lacklustre Wolves.

Striker Jones, making his first start of the season after recovering from a calf injury, headed the Bluebirds in front on the stroke of half-time when Wolves keeper Carl Ikeme came for, and got nowhere near, a long ball into the box.

Jones was forced off by injury just before the hour mark, and his replacement Ameobi needed little time to extend the lead on the hour as his shot deflected in off Kourtney Hause.

Wolves showed little to back up their pre-season billing as promotion contenders, with manager Kenny Jackett's decision to drop keeper Emiliano Martinez in favour of Ikeme backfiring for the opening goal.

It took time for the sides to settle in sodden conditions after a heavy pre-match downpour, with Cardiff having the first meaningful chance in the 19th minute.

Jones dropped deep to help link play up, with Joe Ralls in turn feeding Joe Mason, but Ikeme was equal to the striker's low shot.

Play quickly switched to the other end, with Liverpool youngster Sheyi Ojo again troubling Cardiff full-back Lee Peltier and whipping in a dangerous ball that the onrushing Edwards could only divert over the bar.

After a sluggish opening quarter, the hosts slowly began to build some momentum. Richard Stearman diverted a Jones shot over his own bar before Mason had the ball in the back of the net.

The striker prodded home after Jones had caused chaos on the edge of the six-yard box, but the effort was ruled out for a push by the Trinidad and Tobago international.

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Hause headed over from close range for Wolves when Ojo's movement caught Cardiff sleeping at a short corner routine, and Jones showed him how it should be done in added time at the end of the first half.

Fabio's hopeful ball into the box appeared to pose little danger, but Jones outmuscled Stearman and Ethan Ebanks-Landell to nod the ball beyond the advancing Ikeme and into the net.

Jones continued to prove a handful after the resumption and it needed a sharp tackle from Ebanks-Landell to prevent the former Stoke man getting away for another effort on goal as the ball bobbled around the box.

Unfortunately for Cardiff, Jones fell awkwardly as he lost possession and was forced off with an ankle injury just before the hour.

Ameobi came on in his place and it took just three minutes for the on-loan Newcastle man to register his first goal in Cardiff colours and seal the win as his shot struck Hause and flew in.

Cardiff manager Russell Slade:

"We are in a good place at the moment and are playing the way I want us to. You can see we are progressing and the players are comfortable with what we are trying to do. It was important we got our first win and it will build confidence, which is always important."

Wolves manager Kenny Jackett:

"I felt we had a lot of the ball, we dominated the first half but we never really hurt Cardiff. The stats show we did not have a shot on target and that tells its own story."