Sat Oct 18, 2025 5:15 pm
BBC:
Cardiff City 2 Reading 1
Analysis: Cardiff recover from another slow start
Although results elsewhere went Cardiff's way, Brian Barry-Murphy's side had looked like squandering the opportunity to reclaim top spot as they made another slow start at Cardiff City Stadium.
As was the case in their 4-3 defeat by Leyton Orient here a fortnight ago, Cardiff not only failed to pose much of a threat in attack but also invited pressure with a series of individual mistakes.
Centre-back Gabriel Osho, at fault for one of Orient's goals, was the worst offender again. His misplaced pass gave Lane a glorious opportunity to put Reading ahead, only for Trott to make an excellent save.
Wing, who had earlier hit the crossbar with a deflected free-kick, then wrongfooted Trott with a sweetly struck low shot from 35 yards to give Reading a deserved lead.
Osho continued to give the ball away and was put out of his misery when he was replaced by Fish, though Cardiff kept conceding chances and getting bailed out by Trott.
There was a touch of fortune to their equaliser as Kellyman cut inside on to his left foot and hit a low shot which took a deflection and squirmed under Stevens.
But the goal that proved to be Cardiff's winner was all about their quality, with substitute Isaak Davies darting into the box and passing to Kpakio, whose low cross was coolly fired in first time by Salech.
The home side rode their luck in holding on to their lead – with Trott the star of the show once again – and it was important that they did because four teams are hot on their trail, just one point behind the Bluebirds at the top of League One.