Match ends, Bristol City 0, Cardiff City 1.
Cardiff City claimed victory over Bristol City in the Severnside derby thanks to a second-half header from Perry Ng.
Defender Ng showed strength and desire to score his sixth goal of the season - making him the Bluebirds' joint leading scorer - from David Turnbull's corner.
The goal settled a game of few chances, with Bristol City left frustrated late on when Tommy Conway turned the ball home only to be denied by an offside flag.
After last weekend's timely win over Stoke City - Cardiff's first victory in five matches - Erol Bulut's side are celebrating back-to-back Championship triumphs for the first time since October.
For Bristol City, by contrast, this was a third successive league defeat.
They slip into the bottom half of the table, with Cardiff up to 11th with the day's later fixtures still to come.
Bristol City were within four points of the top six after ending Southampton's long unbeaten run last month, but they have lost pace in the play-off race thanks to dispiriting defeats by Queens Park Rangers, Sheffield Wednesday and now Cardiff.
Only goal difference separated Liam Manning's side and their Welsh neighbours at kick-off, so perhaps it was no surprise that there was little between the teams in what was a tepid first half.
The home side briefly threatened when Andy King and Taylor Gardner-Hickman saw shots blocked, before Haydon Roberts' corner reached Mark Sykes and his crisp effort was beaten away by Cardiff goalkeeper Ethan Horvath.
Cardiff rarely threatened, either, with the recalled Turnbull prodding harmlessly wide from Josh Bowler's low cross.
The best attempt of the first half came from Ng, but the defender's beautifully struck long-range shot arrowed into the arms of Bristol City goalkeeper Max O'Leary.
The pattern of the contest continued after the break, with two sides who have struggled to score goals this season looking short of attacking inspiration.
But Cardiff's set-pieces have been a weapon throughout the campaign, and the breakthrough came from their first corner of the afternoon.
Turnbull delivered from the left and Ng rose above Joe Williams to head the ball low beyond the helpless O'Leary.
The hosts huffed and puffed as they chased an equaliser, with Sykes' header comfortably saved before Gardner-Hickman dragged a shot wide.
Gardner-Hickman then crossed for Rob Dickie, whose header was parried by Horvath, before Conway swept in the rebound.
The assistant referee's flag ended Conway's celebrations - and that ensured there were boos from some sections of the home crowd at full-time.
Bristol City head coach Liam Manning:
"I didn't think overall in the game there was a huge amount of quality which is something that's not new to us. We have been speaking about it too much.
"There's a reason we are one of the lowest scorers in the league. We had 17 shots, 12 inside the box, and we don't really test the keeper at all. We have to improve.
"We have to have everyone stepping up and taking responsibility because again it wasn't good enough.
"Possibly it's confidence. Being good enough is the next bit. Players have to step up and deliver and execute. We have done it before but we haven't done it consistently enough.
"In 30-odd games, our highest scorer is six goals I think. When you look at it, we haven't scored enough goals."
Cardiff manager Erol Bulut:
"We started good and we finished good. A goal from a set-piece again - I know we are one of the best teams from a set-piece.
"It was a game where whoever scored the first goal would win.
"We had some really bad moments [this season]. We had lost many games in a row. But we never stopped staying together.
"Together we can make great things, as we saw today and in the last game. I think we will push for many more wins."
Line-ups
Bristol City
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1O'Leary
- 2McCrorie
- 26Vyner
- 16Dickie
- 24RobertsSubstituted forPringat 82'minutes
- 10KingBooked at 48minsSubstituted forMehmetiat 61'minutes
- 8Williams
- 22Gardner-HickmanBooked at 76mins
- 12KnightSubstituted forCornickat 82'minutes
- 17SykesSubstituted forMebudeat 81'minutes
- 21WellsSubstituted forConwayat 62'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Pring
- 9Cornick
- 11Mehmeti
- 15Conway
- 23Bajic
- 27Knight-Lebel
- 47Mebude
Cardiff
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Horvath
- 38Ng
- 12Phillips
- 4Goutas
- 30Wilson-EsbrandBooked at 67minsSubstituted forCollinsat 77'minutes
- 23Siopis
- 8RallsSubstituted forWintleat 65'minutes
- 14BowlerSubstituted forTannerat 64'minutes
- 15Turnbull
- 27ColwillSubstituted forO'Dowdaat 78'minutes
- 9EteteBooked at 15minsSubstituted forMéïtéat 51'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Romeo
- 6Wintle
- 11O'Dowda
- 17Collins
- 20Diédhiou
- 22Méïté
- 32Tanner
- 41Turner
- 45Ashford
- Referee:
- Sam Allison
- Attendance:
- 24,035
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home59%
- Away41%
- Shots
- Home17
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away4
- Corners
- Home8
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home7
- Away14
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Bristol City 0, Cardiff City 1.
Post update
Attempt missed. Cameron Pring (Bristol City) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is too high. Assisted by Taylor Gardner-Hickman following a set piece situation.
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Anis Mehmeti (Bristol City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Callum O'Dowda (Cardiff City).
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Attempt missed. David Turnbull (Cardiff City) right footed shot from long range on the right is too high. Assisted by Perry Ng.
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Taylor Gardner-Hickman (Bristol City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Ollie Tanner (Cardiff City).
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Attempt missed. Zak Vyner (Bristol City) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
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Foul by Taylor Gardner-Hickman (Bristol City).
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Callum O'Dowda (Cardiff City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Attempt blocked. Rob Dickie (Bristol City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Taylor Gardner-Hickman.
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Corner, Bristol City. Conceded by Dimitrios Goutas.
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Corner, Bristol City. Conceded by Perry Ng.
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Attempt blocked. Anis Mehmeti (Bristol City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Taylor Gardner-Hickman.
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Offside, Bristol City. Tommy Conway is caught offside.
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Attempt saved. Rob Dickie (Bristol City) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Taylor Gardner-Hickman with a cross.
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Corner, Bristol City. Conceded by Perry Ng.
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Attempt missed. Taylor Gardner-Hickman (Bristol City) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.
Post update
Attempt missed. Rob Dickie (Bristol City) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Taylor Gardner-Hickman with a cross following a set piece situation.
Comments
Join the conversation
Mind the Gap ................ 99 years
Utter rubbish to watch right now. Disappointed in the atmosphere, but to be fair when you play like that in a big derby game it doesn't help.
UTG
Personally I think Manning is too much of a thinking man when football is a very simple game. Desperately need a bit of pace and power.
Seriously, like many I was against the Pearson sacking, but it's too early to be calling for another change. Didn't Gary Johnson lose nine in a row early before getting promotion & nearly another? Patience needed. That said, I thought the board poached LM cos they were sure City were playoff material NOW. Who was advising them?
Pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, pass, etc. (you get the drift) with no quality in the final third.
Opposition sit tight and be patient. They know we can’t score.
Then, chance comes and they take it.
Best thing about watching City at home?
Being able to catch up on my emails and not missing anything.