Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Cardiff City and Nottingham Forest at the Cardiff City Stadium as James Garner's first-half strike sealed victory for Chris Hughton's side
Friday 2 April 2021 19:26, UK
Nottingham Forest ended their six-match winless run with a 1-0 victory at Cardiff thanks to James Garner's first-half strike.
The Manchester United loanee struck his second goal of the season to steer Chris Hughton's team a full 10 points clear of Sky Bet Championship relegation danger.
Cardiff failed to back up their south Wales derby victory as they fell further behind in the race for the play-off places. They are now five points adrift of Reading in sixth.
The hosts were without their influential leader Sean Morrison, who was still suffering the lasting effects of playing through pain in the triumph over Swansea.
The centre-back pulled his calf and suffered from a severe blister, which meant he missed out on a place in the matchday squad for this clash with the struggling East Midlands side.
Curtis Nelson replaced the injured skipper as Cardiff went in search of a second successive victory against a Forest side without a win in six.
Hughton made three changes to the side who delivered an improved performance in their draw with Brentford last time out.
Joe Worrall was fit to return in place of Tobias Figueiredo, Tyler Blackett came in for the injured Gaetan Bong and Ryan Yates replaced Filip Krovinovic in midfield.
Cardiff had the first clear-cut chance as both sides went on the front foot from the off. Kieffer Moore steered Ciaron Brown's long ball into the path of Harry Wilson, who surged forward and found Leandro Bacuna on the edge of the box, but the midfielder's shot was saved by Brice Samba.
But it was Forest who landed the first blow after 29 minutes. Cyrus Christie caught auxiliary wing-back Joe Ralls napping to get free down the right side and sent a low cross into the path of Garner, who steered the ball into the back of the net.
Will Vaulks sent a fizzing half-volley just wide from 25 yards out, but that was as close as Cardiff came to levelling the scores before half-time.
The man who created the Forest goal showcased his defensive strengths to save his side 12 minutes into the second half after Aden Flint's shot fell at the feet of Moore.
The Wales striker looked destined to end his month-long goal drought from 10 yards out, until Christie came across to get a vital block on the ball.
The Forest defence held firm under heavy pressure until the final five minutes when Josh Murphy's cross found the head of the unmarked Flint five yards from goal - but the defender headed inches over the bar.
Cardiff's Mick McCarthy: "If we can win on Monday and get back to winning ways, because that's what we'll have to do, then we will still be pecking away. I won't be giving it up. We just didn't have that bit of luck or bit of quality at the end to finish it.
"I'm pleased with the reaction second half, I thought they were very good, but we needed to start that way and we didn't. "But I have to give Forest some credit for that, there is a team on the pitch trying to stop us."
Nottingham Forest's Chris Hughton: "It's a good opportunity for [Alex Mighten] now. It's not just about what he can give us going forward, it's about him trying to be an integral part of the game and that doesn't just mean defensively, that means ball retention and looking to go forward and take players on when those moments come. It would have been a fantastic learning curve for him out there in a tough game with the responsibilities he had.
"What we expect from our wide players is to have good shape and defend, but to get forward and produce as well. One thing I would say about Alex is that he's one player who wants to do both, he wants to learn. That's a sign of someone who wants to do well."
