' MEDIA WALES / BBC CARDIFF CITY MATCH REPORTS '

Romaine Sawyers' stunning last-minute volley earned Cardiff City a dramatic 1-0 victory over Reading at Cardiff City Stadium.


By Glen Williams


Sabri Lamouchi's men were by far the better of the two sides and unleashed a barrage of efforts on the Royals' goal throughout a wet evening at Cardiff City Stadium, but one just would not find the back of the net.

That was, of course, until he clock ticked over into injury time and a corner was partially cleared to Sawyers, who belted a driven volley into the bottom corner to earn City back-to-back wins following their triumph over Birmingham City in midweek.

The Bluebirds began the game brightly, comfortably the better of the two sides, in fact. They utilised their big target men up top to overpower the Reading wing-backs and it worked a charm.

And it wasn't long before City's wingers honed their radars to find their attackers in the box, with Jaden Philogene finding Sory Kaba in the box in the seventh minute, only for the striker to fire his header wide.

Callum O'Dowda then got in on the act on the other flank, skinning Junior Hoilett before fizzing a cross on to Kaba's head. But the striker's bullet-like header was straight at Joe Lumley, who saved well.

But it was the hosts creating all the chances and Reading looked troubled. Cedric Kipre even opened them up through the middle with an incisive ball down the side of one of the Royals' centre-half, which Kion Etete latched on to, but the low-struck shot was saved smartly by Lumley at his near post.

Reading barely landed punch. City, meanwhile, grew in confidence, and so did fans when Callum Robinson was felled 25 yards from goal in a similar area to where Perry Ng converted that free-kick on Tuesday night. The defender stepped up, bent a lovely effort at goal, but it rippled the side-netting, prompting the cheers and applause to be cut short.

Despite their dominance, the stats at half time read: Eight shots, zero goals.

Reading relied on Andy Carroll's presence up front and it yielded a couple of awkward moments for Cardiff from set pieces. The hosts, however, were being forced to shoot from range for much of the second half and the radar was badly off, with balls pinging into Row Z ad nauseam.

As time went on, you could sense the restlessness within the stadium. The game needed a moment of quality - and Callum Robinson almost provided it.

A neat one-two with Ryan Wintle on the edge of the box resulted in Robinson unleashing a bending effort from 20 yards, only to see it ping off the cross bar and away from danger.

Then, just seconds later, the woodwork was rattled again. Substitute Sheyi Ojo cut inside and hit a right-footed shot from the edge of the box, which deflected and ballooned over Lumley. Again, though, it kissed the crossbar and flicked over the bar.

Cardiff had almost resigned themselves to a point when the fourth official held up his sign to say five minutes were left to play. But Sawyers had other ideas.

What a difference four days can make.

Cardiff City XI: Allsop; Ng, Kipre, McGuinness; Philogene, Sawyers, Wintle, O’Dowda (Ojo 66); Robinson; Kaba (Wickham 58), Etete (Ralls 70).

Subs: Alnwick, Simpson, Romeo, Rinomhota.

Reading XI: Lumley; Hoilett, Mbengue, Dann, Sarr, Guinness-Walker (Abbey 84); McIntyre, Fornah (Ince 66), Loum; Azeez (Meite 62), Carroll.

Subs: Bouzanis, Casadei, Ehibhatiomhan, Senga.

Attendance: 18,879

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Cardiff City's mini-revival under new boss Sabri Lamouchi continued thanks to an injury-time winner against Reading.

BBC



Romaine Sawyers fired in from the edge of the box in the 91st minute to claim a deserved win - a second in a week under the new manager.

Victory at the Cardiff City Stadium lifts the Bluebirds five points clear of the Championship relegation zone.

Reading remain 15th in the table but could have little complaint over the loss despite the timing of the winner.

The closest Reading came to a goal was a blunder by Cardiff goalkeeper Ryan Allsop who kicked thin air as Yakou Meite closed in.

Cardiff must have thought their luck was out when they hit the crossbar twice in the space of three minutes midway through the second half.

But Sawyers capped an impressive display with his first goal since August to claim three vital points in the Bluebirds' fight for survival.

Cardiff leapfrogged Rotherham into 20th place but - crucially - have played two more games than all four teams below them.

Lamouchi luck

Both sides had claimed their first wins of 2023 on Tuesday night, in Cardiff's case ending a 14-game winless run in Lamouchi's first game in charge.

The Frenchman cut an animated figure on the sideline, coaching his new team through every pass, in stark contrast to his brooding opposite number Paul Ince. It was not surprising given the Reading boss had little to be cheerful about.

Cardiff enjoyed plenty of success down both wings but Jaden Philogene's delivery deserved better than Sory Kaba's tame effort, before the striker headed Callum O'Dowda's cross straight at the goalkeeper.

The Guinea international, on loan from Danish club Midtjylland, saw plenty of the ball as the home side dominated but struggled for the finishing touch.

His strike partner Kion Etete faired little better, even when handed a chance by Reading defender Amadou Mbengue's stray pass.

Instead it was defender Perry NG who came closest to the opening the scoring, rippling the side-netting with a free-kick on 28 minutes.

But it was promising nevertheless for Cardiff who showed a new enthusiasm that belied their precarious position.

Femi Azeez was the lynchpin for Reading but they were one-dimensional in their efforts to provide Andy Carroll ammunition and managed just one effort in the first half.

As the stalemate wore on both managers looked to players on the bench, Cardiff to new signing Conor Whickham and Reading to top-scorer Tom Ince as well as Yakou Meite.

Cardiff's goalkeeper will be grateful Meite was not a yard quicker after a horrible blunder almost gifted the opener.

Ryan Allsop collected a back pass with his first touch and then missed the ball completely with an attempted second before nudging the ball away as the Royals striker closed.

Cardiff then hit the woodwork twice in search of a winner.

Robinson exchanged passes with Ryan Wintle before unleashing a curling effort that left Joe Lumley rooted to the spot but rebounded off the crossbar.

Lumley was again beaten moments later when Sheyi Ojo's effort deflected off Mbengue and over the keeper only to hit the bar once more.

Cardiff knew a point would do little to aid their cause and threw bodies forward as the clock ticked past 90 minutes and were rewarded for their bravery.

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