CARDIFF City strengthened their push for a play-off place on Saturday as they thrashed Preston North End 4-0 at the Cardiff City Stadium.
The Bluebirds are now three points off the play-off places with managerless Bournemouth well within reach after their 2-1 defeat to QPR at the weekend.
Cardiff were ahead as early as the second minute in their game with Preston as a penalty was given after Sean Morrison was brought down in the area.
Kieffer Moore fired the ball in for his fourteenth goal in a Cardiff shirt.
The home side came close to doubling their lead when Harry Wilson’s free kick was headed towards goal but Preston keeper Daniel Iversen made a good save to keep it out.
Preston striker Ched Evans also came close with a header but City keeper Dillon Phillips also made the save.
It remained 1-0 at the break but within a minute of the restart the Bluebirds did double their lead.
Wilson set up Josh Murphy who shot low into the far bottom corner.
Preston seemingly woke up after that goal and were awarded a penalty when Wilson brought down substitute Anthony Gordon.
City keeper Phillips guessed the right way to save Paul Gallagher’s spot kick but in the follow up, Aden Flint was judged to have fouled Gallagher and the referee pointed to the spot for a second time.
This time it was Ched Evans who took on the responsibility but Phillips again guessed the right way to make a second save in a matter of minutes.
That all but ended Preston’s brief fight back and the Bluebirds were soon three goals ahead.
A mix-up at the back saw Sheyi Ojo gain the ball and his cross found Moore whose header was saved by Iversen but the rebound was followed up by Marlon Pack who tapped in.
Cardiff were not done there though as sub Mark Harris latched on to a poor back pass and rounded the keeper and defenders to slot into an empty net to make it 4-0.
Swans suffer shock defeat in Yorkshire
SWANSEA City suffered a shock 4-1 defeat at the hands of Huddersfield Town on Saturday.
The Swans came into the game on the back of a win against Nottingham Forest the previous Wednesday.
They came up against a Huddersfield side though who had beaten them 2-1 at the Liberty earlier in the season and it was former Cardiff man Fraizer Campbell who put them ahead at the John Smiths Stadium.
Conor Hourihane did level for the Swans on the stroke of half time with an excellent free kick but that was as good as it got for Steve Cooper’s side.
The Terriers scored three goals in the space of ten minutes at the start of the second half to seal an emphatic win.
Lewis O’Brien put Huddersfield ahead and Duane Holmes then added a third. He saved the best for last though as his stunning strike found the top corner.
There was more disappointing news for the Swans after new signing Jordan Morris was taken off on a stretcher with boss Cooper saying it ‘doesn’t look good’.
Add Comment