Cardiff City vs Middlesbrough. Sky Bet Championship.
Cardiff City StadiumAttendance18,720.
Saturday 17 February 2018 18:52, UK
Cardiff moved back into the Sky Bet Championship automatic promotion places with a 1-0 home victory over Middlesbrough.
Bluebirds skipper Sean Morrison headed the winner after 34 minutes to seal three points at the Cardiff City Stadium.
The hosts' fourth win in six matches was enough to move above Derby, who are not playing this weekend, and Aston Villa, who were beaten by Fulham.
Middlesborough fell to 10th in the table and are now four points from the play-off places.
Chances were hard to come by for both teams in the opening 20 minutes as Cardiff looked to break down a Boro side which had won three of their last four away matches.
Junior Hoilett had a chance to add to his 11-goal tally when he linked up with Callum Paterson, but he could only fire his effort high and wide.
But Cardiff's muscle overpowered Tony Pulis' stubborn side after 34 minutes.
Hoilett swung a dangerous delivery towards the far post after Kenneth Zohore was hauled down on the edge of the area.
Morrison towered over Ben Gibson to guide the ball past Darren Randolph for a 1-0 lead.
Joe Ralls had the chance to make it two when he battled his way past Grant Leadbitter to fashion a shooting chance, but his left-footed effort flashed wide.
Middlesborough almost levelled after 54 minutes when Leadbitter sparked a swift counter-attack with an inch-perfect pass to Stuart Downing.
The former England winger charged towards Neil Etheridge's goal, but failed to crown his 300th start for Boro with a goal as he dragged his effort beyond the post.
The hosts then had a chance to guarantee three points when Morrison flicked the ball on from a Paterson long throw.
Hoilett looked certain to add a goal to his assist, but Randolph spread himself to deny the Canadian from point-blank range.
Substitute Loic Damour volleyed an effort straight into the clutches of Randolph in the final 10 minutes and the hosts held out to record their 15th clean sheet of the season.
Neil Warnock: "Kevin Blackwell told me we're now 11 points clear of seventh, but I asked him how far off Wolves we are now.
"That win is as good as it gets. We restricted them to one shot in the first half, had to defend long throws, could have scored more goals but we never make things simple.
"I just think we can get better. We have players coming back from injury, so I can change two or three to give boys a breather. We're in a good place, but we can get better."
Tony Pulis: "Set plays were always going to be important. Looking back at it Morrison was all over Gibson but we didn't get that decision and that was the decisive moment.
"Cardiff have five or six players over 6ft 3ins let alone 6ft, so it was always going to difficult, but I have no complaints.
"We have 14 games to go and we have to put a run together. The pitch was difficult for the players today.
"They are second in the league for a reason, they have an identity and they play to it whether you agree with it or not."
