DIG FOR VICTORY
Cardiff skipper’s call ahead of vital Derby grudge match
It Will be cardiff’s bulletproof mindset more than their footballing ability that takes them back to the Premier league, insists captain sean morrison.
neil Warnock’s men are two wins from the promised land after their icelandic warrior, aron gunnarsson, netted a late winner against nottingham Forest.
Fulham’s 22-game undefeated run will count for nothing if the bluebirds beat Derby tomorrow and Hull on saturday, and morrison reckons his men have the mental strength to take a giant step towards promotion in their grudge match at Pride Park.
‘ it’s all about results now,’ said morrison. ‘Prior to the Forest game, we knew three wins from our remaining four games would do. it’s about ticking them off, but there are no easy games in this league.
‘i don’t mind the three-game weeks. it’s tough on the body and mind but i like to get the games done.
‘We’ll rest up and recover for Derby. our biggest strength is the togetherness in this team.’ it looked as if the hosts would cruise to victory when morrison headed in his fifth goal of the season at the back post after surviving a nervy start at the cardiff city stadium.
Forest levelled through an unlikely source when ben osborn outpaced sol bamba to set up liam bridcutt, who stabbed the ball past neil etheridge for his first goal in seven years.
it looked as if cardiff were about to surrender their position in the automatic promotion places until their combative midfielder, gunnarsson, pounced on bamba’s header across goal to fire the ball into the net.
He then put his body on the line at the other end to get in the way of apostolos Vellios’s effort to keep Warnock on track for a record eighth promotion.
another victory for cardiff will taste all the sweeter after Derby called off march’s scheduled meeting at the last minute after a sprinkling of snow, leaving Warnock fuming.
then a video emerged of morrison goading Derby stars Richard keogh and alex Pearce to add extra spice to the encounter.
Fulham could go 24 games unbeaten by the end of the season but still not have enough points to get promoted.
and the cardiff skipper says his side just have to keep grinding out results to keep slavisa Jokanovic’s men at bay.
‘Derby are a good side with ambitions to get into the play- offs — it’ll be a tough game. We need to dig in, be professional and do our jobs.
‘We’ve dug in when it’s mattered this season and we need to keep digging in, be professional and do our jobs.’
Forest boss aitor karanka said the game was a learning experience for his side. ‘it’s a game we could have won 2-1 or 3-1. it’s frustrating for me,’ he said.
‘it is a game to learn from, for next season because we cannot make these same mistakes. We have improved, but we need to score when we create.
‘We must add more quality to the team and ensure we can compete against every team next season.’