Sat Apr 09, 2016 4:32 pm
STORY OF THE GAME
By Phil Smith
Saturday 9th April 2016
Cardiff City's play-off hopes were dealt a huge blow as Fulham scored with practically the last kick of the game to take all three points.
The Bluebirds saw Lex Immers' opener wiped out by Scott Parker early in the second half before Emerson Hyndman's winner left them shattered.
It leaves Russell Slade's men five points adrift of the top six with five games to go.
Derby's comfortable home win over Bolton sees them up to fifth on 70 points, with Cardiff now five points behind sixth-placed Sheffield Wednesday who were surprisingly beaten 4-1 at Bristol City.
It was a enterprising start, with Fulham signalling their intent by piling four attackers forward.
Cardiff looked happy enough to absorb the pressure to begin with, but were relieved to see Moussa Dembele blaze over after Lee Peltier gave it away.
The Bluebirds' were fairly comfortable, however, and again looked a threat from set-plays as a looping Manga header dropped just over.
They were indebted again to David Marshall, whose athleticism and positioning helped to push a goal-bound effort round the corner as the half hour mark approach. Minutes later, he had to scramble across his goal to prevent a free-kick whistling in.
Still, Cardiff will have felt that they were in decent shape, always a threat on the counter-attack.
Lex Immers celebrates his goal with Aron GunnarssonLex Immers celebrates his goal with Aron Gunnarsson
The goal came just before the break and was clinical, a lovely dink from Aron Gunarsson finished with ease and grace by Lex Immers.
Moments later, it could have been two as Manga thumped a header off the post. Fulham went into the break rocking.
So to concede within half a minute of the restart was gutting, a ball through the middle met and finished by the galloping Scott Parker.
It could easily have been 2-1 soon after, with only a terrific Lee Peltier block stopping Moussa Dembele firing in.
But, just as Cardiff thought they were leaving with a point, Hyndman lashed the ball across goal and into the net to steal the points.