Ainsworth flops can still give him a lift
GARETH AINSWORTH challenged his Wycombe team to avoid finishing bottom of the table.
The Chairboys are virtually relegated after Kieffer Moore’s double gave Cardiff victory.
They will have to win their last two games, hope Derby lose theirs and overturn a 13-goal deficit.
Moore made it 20 goals for the season but Ainsworth said: “I’m never going to admit defeat – crazier things have happened. There is a glimmer of hope.
“I’m confident this club will be challenging for promotion again now we’ve had this experience. We know what it’s about and we won’t be losing our first seven games next time.
“My challenge now is not finishing bottom of the Championship – what an achievement that would be.”
Cardiff took the lead when Moore cut in from the right and unleashed a powerful low shot on 22 minutes.
Wycombe equalised just before the break. Perry Ng lost possession and Fred Onyedinma drove forwards before he was felled by Sean Morrison and captain Joe Jacobson converted from the spot.
Moore got the winner in the 71st minute before Cardiff’s Will Vaulks came on in stoppage time and was promptly sent off for a nasty challenge on Curtis Thompson.
Cardiff manager Mick McCarthy hailed Moore. He said: “He’s been terrific. We have not got a replacement so he has played all the games.”
CARDIFF: Smithies 6; Morrison 5, Flint 5, Nelson 5; Ng 4 (Osei-Tutu (46th) 6), Ralls
6 (Vaulks 90th), Pack 6, Brown 6; Colwill
7 (Williams (62nd) 6); Murphy 5 (Bacuna
(62nd) 6), Moore 8
WYCOMBE: Stockdale 6; Grimmer 6 (Tafazolli 76th), Stewart 6, Jacobson 7; McCarthy 6, Adeniran 5 (Wheeler 76th), Thompson 6, Onyedinma 7; McCleary 7 (Samuel 89th); Muskwe 6 (Mehmeti 76th), Ikpeazu 6
STAR MAN: Kieffer Moore
REF: M Donohue