Erol Bulut says his Cardiff City side are "in a good way" again after they beat Bristol City 1-0 in the Severnside Derby.
Perry Ng's second-half header ensured the Bluebirds did the double in the fixture this season, with the visitors the better team for the majority of the match at Ashton Gate. The derby win was not only one for the traveling fans to savour, but a crucial three points for Bulut's side as they look to turn a corner with their form.
EROL BULUT:
"I think it was a fair result, when we see 90 minutes of the game," he said post-match. "It was 50:50 in the first half. In the last 20 minutes, we were trying to defend the goal. I would have expected us to press much, much higher but you cannot always have everything you want.
"Congratulations to my players, they did really well today, they worked really hard. It was a game where it was a question of who was going to score the first goal and the luck was on our side.”
"It’s a derby. This season we start good in derbies, against Swansea and Bristol home and now away. It was not an easy time for us, the month before, as we lost confidence but the last three games have helped us get our confidence back and now we’re in a good way," he added.
"When the confidence of the players is back and we are as one on the field, everything will be much, much better. We have a little bit of that back now and I hope we can continue like this. We have to stay together."
That confidence was evident in the Bluebird's valiant defensive efforts throughout the second half, as they held firm amid mounting pressure from the hosts. Among the standout performers was Nat Phillips, with the Liverpool loanee looking comfortable in the air and putting his body on the line to deny Bristol an equaliser.
"Nat is a big add to us," Bulut added. "He gives confidence in the defence, organises the defence and other players next to him are adapting to it. He played for Liverpool and Celtic, big teams, so he knows when you get pressure how to stay calm. I think he gives this to other players too.
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