' Todays Cardiff City Match Reports '

The youngster was Neil Warnock's saviour in an otherwise ordinary display from Cardiff City


By Dominic Booth

Saturday 21st Jan 2017

Cardiff City pulled a late win out of the bag when super-sub Rhys Healey snatched victory from the jaws of a turgid draw.

The youngster was Neil Warnock's saviour in an otherwise ordinary display from Cardiff, turning home a Kadeem's Harris cross for a 90th minute winner.

Burton's Lloyd Dyer had the best chance of a dire first half, after a careless mistake from Joe Ralls in the Cardiff midfield.

The Bluebirds thought they should have had a penalty midway through the second half when Sean Morrison was pulled down in the box.

The three points were probably more then Cardiff deserved, after an uninspiring 89 minutes at Cardiff City Stadium but Warnock will certainly not mind as his team made it three consecutive wins.

Here are five things we learned from the game.

From the sublime to the mediocre

It was Jekyll and Hyde from the Bluebirds in terms of their first and second half performances against Bristol City last week. And unfortunately the careless, disjointed Cardiff that drew a blank in the first 45 minutes at Ashton Gate reared its ugly head again.

Bamba and company were solid enough at the back, though Burton offered little attacking threat. The final ball was just nowhere to be seen from a Cardiff point of view.

Big victories on big occasions against Bristol City and Aston Villa shouldn't paper over the cracks and neither should Healey's late goal. But few in the Welsh capital will care after the ecstasy of that late late victory.


(Photo: Huw Evans Picture Agency)
Healey steals the headlines

Warnock has reiterated his desire to bring in a striker in the summer rather than this month. And while few would turn down the chance to add goals to a Cardiff team that is in dire need of another attacking option, Kenneth Zohore did himself no harm once again.

He's powerful, he runs the channels, he fends off defenders; if he could just manoeuvre into scoring positions more often, he'd be the complete forward. But Healey's late goal won the day and he wins himself a lot of credit among the Bluebirds' faithful.

These performances throw into doubt Rickie Lambert's future in South Wales, for sure, after the ex-Liverpool man came on for a subdued second half cameo.

Healey heads home
Healey heads home
Midfield lacked precision

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but Cardiff's midfield was all hustle and bustle with no composure. Joe Ralls and Aron Gunnarsson were full of impetus and energy, winning the ball back on countless occasions.

But a loose pass from the former allowed Burton's Lloyd Dyer in on goal, with Allan McGregor's net at his mercy. Dyer missed Burton's biggest chance and Cardiff survived. But you can't imagine Peter Whittingham would have made such a glaring error to gift the visitors a clear opportunity.

(Photo: Huw Evans Picture Agency)
Conservative back four

Warnock might have fielded an aggressive lineup, with Anthony Pilkington changing positions AGAIN to occupy a central attacking role behind Zohore. But the back four was limited and conservative. Joe Bennett's adventure down the left was a big miss and, as solid as Matt Connolly and Lee Peltier can be, they didn't contribute anything in the final third.

Harris and Hoilett were lone rangers in their attempts to beat Burton's full backs.

Sean Morrison also incurred a few groans from the crowd as he opted to hoist the ball aimlessly down the line rather than look for a pass along the deck. That happened all too often in the first half and wasn't much better in the second.

Cardiff City 1-0 Burton Albion

Rhys Healey heads-in Cardiff City's winner against Burton

BBC

21/01/17


Cardiff City won a third successive league match for the first time since September 2015 after substitute Rhys Healey's late winner downed Burton.

In a contest of few chances, Neil Warnock's side left it late before former Newport loanee Healey scored his first Championship goal.

Healey flashed home a header after Burton failed to clear a free-kick.

The result sees Cardiff rise to 16th in the table and Burton sink into the relegation zone.

The Bluebirds can count themselves slightly fortunate to have won a disappointing contest.

The hosts were close to breaking the deadlock twice in 60 seconds around the 20 minute mark, with Kadeem Harris wriggling free but firing wide and Kenneth Zohore's snap shot was tipped around the post by goalkeeper Jon McLoughlin.

A slip from Joe Ralls then presented Burton a gift, but Lloyd Dyer failed to even test Cardiff's debutant goalkeeper Allan McGregor despite racing clean through.

The Bluebirds were full of endeavour but lacked quality and a shot wide from Arron Gunnarsson summed up a poor first half.

An injury in the second period to Anthony Pilkington further blunted the Bluebirds, who huffed and puffed but left their supporters frustrated.

Sean Morrison and Sol Bamba both threatened with headers from set-pieces as the Bluebirds looked to make a physical advantage count, but it was only Kadeem Harris who was proving a regular nuisance as Burton defended comfortably.

Boss Warnock sent for former England striker Rickie Lambert, but it was Nigel Clough's side who came closest to opening the scoring, Lucas Akins' turn and shot finally drawing a save from Hull loanee McGregor.

Warnock then introduced Healey, who spent the first half of the season on loan at Newport, and it was the 22-year old who changed the game, heading home from close range after Burton failed to clear a Lambert free-kick that had hit the wall.

Cardiff / Burton

Possession
49%
51%
Shots
11
8
Shots on Target
4
1
Corners
7
1
Fouls
18
11

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