NAT’S MY BOY
Striker inspires first away win of season
NATHANIEL MendezLaing’s winner finally secured Cardiff’s first away victory of the season at the 10th attempt.
The Welsh side’s hoodoo over Nottingham Forest continued as Cardiff earned a fifth win in a row at the City Ground.
Cardiff boss Neil Harris (right) said: “I’m delighted because we’ve had a couple of close ones they’ve nearly won away from home.
“This is a tough place to come at any time of the season. We knew it was going to be a difficult game but our shape, our organisation and discipline were outstanding.”
Forest had the better of the early exchanges with Matty Cash and Joe Lolley combining well down their right, but the home side struggled to get shots on target.
Sammy Ameobi was the main culprit, fluffing his lines completely with the game’s first real chance.
The 27-year-old, who once spent a loan spell at Cardiff, finally got a shot on target late in the half but his effort was at a comfortable height for keeper Neil Etheridge. It took 14 minutes for Cardiff to carve out an opportunity at the other end, but when they did MendezLaing was far more clinical.
The midfielder manufactured some space on the edge of the area before curling a beauty into the bottom corner.
Forest started the second half well, with Cash winning a free-kick that Lolley fired in to test Etheridge. The keeper’s punched clearance fell for Jack Robinson who saw his shot deflected wide.
As the half wore on, Cardiff looked happy to protect their lead against an increasingly wasteful Forest side. The home side’s frustration was summed up when Joe Worrall tried his luck from 40 yards and saw his shot sail into the Trent End.
Forest boss Sabri Lamouchi said: “We worked a lot, we created a lot, we had good chances but, unfortunately, we weren’t clever enough.”