Cardiff hit back to see off Norwich
CARDIFF sealed a 3-1 comeback win over Norwich on Friday thanks to goals from Joe Ralls, Junior Hoilett and Omar Bogle as they made it a 69th birthday to remember for manager Neil Warnock.
All three home strikes came in the second half as the Bluebirds overturned a 1-0 halftime deficit following Marco Stiepermann’s opener for Norwich.
The victory was Cardiff’s 13th in the league this season and moved them to within a point of leaders Wolves.
Cardiff were much better after the break, helped by the halftime introduction of forward duo Lee Tomlin and Bogle. Almost immediately, they were level.
Joe Bennett’s corner was headed in by Sol Bamba, but referee Andy Davies had already blown for pushing at the back post to give Cardiff a penalty.
Ralls converted the spotkick to give his team some priceless momentum. All of a sudden, the Bluebirds were dominant.
And at the end Cardiff’s fans sang happy birthday to Warnock as their team kept their promotion hope well and truly alive.
Bristol City moved into third place following a 2-1 win at home to Mid- dlesbrough on Saturday.
Goals from Joe Bryan and Jamie Paterson in the space of three secondhalf minutes saw the southwest side to victory, with Hordur Magnusson’s owngoal scant consolation for a Boro side who have now lost three of their last four games.
City’s fifth win in seven Championship matches left manager Lee Johnson’s side six points off the top two automatic promotion places while leaders Wolves are not in action again until today when they meet Birmingham.
At the other end of the division, Gary Nadine scored twice as Bolton moved off the bottom of the table with a 3-1 win at home to Barnsley.
The striker put Bolton ahead in the 20th minute only for Barnsley to equalise with a penalty soon afterwards.
But Bolton scored a penalty of their own through Nadine to go 2-1 up before the break and Mark Little’s superb solo goal put the result beyond doubt.
Nigel Clough’s Burton Albion side dropped to the bottom following a 1-0 defeat at Derby County -- the club where his father Brian made his name as a manager. – Agencies