BAMBA ON RESCUE MISSION
I’d give him 10 out of 10 for that overall performance.
“I’ve not seen a centre-half play like that for a long time. He dragged us through the game.”
If it felt like a winner for Warnock – putting his team back among the trio of clubs heading the Championship – then it must have felt like defeat for Carlos Carvalhal.
The Wednesday manager was edging along the touchline to offer a hand of commiseration to Warnock when Bamba struck after Keiren Westwood failed to hold a Lee Tomlin free-kick.
Carvalhal’s team dominated the first half and deserved their lead through Hooper’s glancing finish to Adam Reach’s pinpoint cross in the 39th minute, but should have made the points safe with a chance for striker Steven Fletcher that he blasted over 20 minutes from the end.
Warnock added: “It was like winning a game. I’ve been on the other end and you just feel distraught. It will happen to us at some stage this season and we’ll feel the same.
“But I thought we deserved it thanks to the second half. I think we had 12 efforts to their three.
“I was disappointed with the first half. We were not on the front foot and we would have been more vulnerable if they had gone after us.
“They’re a good side and they will have the measure of most sides between the boxes. They are going to have the possession. But it’s what you do with it that matters.”
Wednesday were so dominant in the opening half when their hosts were mere spectators.
But just like last season, they lack a killer instinct, although Carvalhal insisted he is not concerned. “In the four draws we have achieved so far we have played better than the opponents in all of them,” said the Portuguese chief.
“We are playing good football and the players are showing a big commitment. The displays have been good, which makes us feel confident for the future.
“Before the game, most of the teams in the Championship would say a draw in Cardiff is a good result – not a bad result.
“But after this game we are very disappointed as we lost two points.
“We played a very high level, especially in the first half of this game, and we gave Cardiff a lot of problems.” CARDIFF SHEFF WED 8 ............ Shots on Target ......... 2 4 ........... Shots off Target ......... 6 4 ............. Blocked Shots .......... 0 6 ................... Corners ................ 3 5 ...................... Fouls ................... 9 3 ................... Offsides ................ 0 1 ................ Yellow Cards ............ 2 0 ................. Red Cards .............. 0 63.9 ...... Passing Success ...79.9 17 ................... Tackles ................. 11 70.6 ....... Tackles Won % ..... 63.6 40 .............. Possession ........... 60 60.8 .... Territorial Adv % ..39.2 346 .......... Total Passes ........ 532 17 ............. Total Crosses .......... 10 36.2 ......... 1st Half Poss ........ 63.8 45.1 ......... 2nd Half Poss . ..... 54.9