Taylor winner turns up heat on Harris

NOT even playing on their favourite away ground could keep Cardiff in the FA Cup and piled the pressure on boss Neil Harris.

The Bluebirds looked barely awake for the noon kick-off and it turned into a nightmare for Harris when they went one down to Forest in only the third minute.

For the rest of the tie Cardiff got the ball and kept it. They ran Forest around the City Ground, where the Welsh club have won their last six games – including one this season – in the league.

They do not have a better record at any away ground in the country, but even that didn’t rescue Harris.

It is four successive defeats now in all competitions and he is fighting for his job.

“I can’t control that – I understand the question about my job but I’d rather focus on the players,” he said.

“It was a much better performance. Unless I’m told otherwise I have the club’s support.

“I speak all the time with the chief exec and the chairman. They know what I want to improve on. But we’ve got an injury nightmare at the moment.”

Cardiff were in trouble the moment Gaetan Bong was given all the time he needed.

He raided down the left inside three minutes and when he offered Lyle Taylor a chance he volleyed in a fierce right-footed drive to score Forest’s winner.

“It was a battle,” said victorious boss Chris Hughton.

“We probably made hard work of it but I’m pleased to get through.

“It’s a clean sheet and I’m delighted with the way we defended in the second half. We kept ourselves under a lot of pressure by giving the ball away a lot.”

Smith 6; Jenkinson 6, Worrall 9, McKenna 8, Bong 7; Cafu 6, Arter 6 (Sow, 84th); Lolley 6, Guerrero 5 (Yates (66th) 5), Ameobi 6 (Mighten (59th) 6); Taylor 7

Phillips 6; Bacuna 6, Nelson

7, Bennett 7, Bagan 6; Pack 7 (M Wilson 83rd); H Wilson 7, Vaulks 6 (Hoilett (63rd) 5), Ralls 6,Murphy 6 (Ojo

(78th) 5); Glatzer 6.

Joe Worrall

D Webb