WARNOCK: WE’RE HUNTING WOLVES Cardiff have an eye on leaders
CARDIFF manager Neil Warnock has his sights set firmly on Championship front-runners Wolverhampton Wanderers after moving back into the automatic promotion places.
The veteran manager is on course to earn a record eighth promotion thanks to Bluebirds captain Sean Morrison, who headed home to seal a 1-0 victory over Middlesborough.
Defeats for Aston Villa and Derby have allowed Cardiff to open up a two-point gap on the play-offs, but Warnock is only looking up.
“Kevin Blackwell told me we’re now 11 points clear of seventh, but I asked him how far off Wolves we are now,” said Warnock.
“That win is as good as it gets. We restricted them to one shot in the first half, had to defend long throws, could have scored more goals but we never make things simple.
“We can get better. We have players coming back from injury, so I can change two or three to give boys a breather. We’re in a good place, but we can get better.
“I’m quite pleased to just tick along. I listened to others talking about Derby and Villa’s credentials, so long may that continue.”
A small earthquake shook the Welsh capital before kickoff but there was little to get the pulses racing at the Cardiff City Stadium in the opening half-hour.
But Cardiff’s muscle overpowered Tony Pulis’s stubborn Middlesborough side after 34 minutes.
Hoilett swung a dangerous delivery towards the far post after Kenneth Zohore was hauled down on the edge of the box, and Bluebirds skipper Morrison towered over Ben Gibson to guide the ball past Darren Randolph for a 1-0 lead.
Joe Ralls battled past Grant Leadbitter to get a sight on goal before his left-footed shot flashed wide as the first half ended with Cardiff on track to leapfrog Derby and Villa.
Their slender advantage was almost snuffed out after the interval when Leadbitter sparked a swift counter-attack with an inch-perfect pass to Stuart Downing.
The former England winger advanced towards Neil Etheridge’s goal but failed to crown his 300th start for Boro with a goal as he dragged his effort wide.
Some Randolph heroics stopped Hoilett from adding a goal to his earlier assist as he spread himself to deny the Canada international from close range.
Substitute Loic Damour volleyed an effort straight into the clutches of Randolph in the final 10 minutes, and the hosts held out to keep their 15th clean sheet of the season in what could be a crucial victory in the race for the Premier League.
Middlesborough manager Pulis believes Morrison fouled Gibson in the act of scoring Cardiff ’s crucial winner.
He said: “First half we found it difficult to cope with Cardiff, they’re very good at what they do, they have an identity and they play to that identity.
“Set-plays were always going to be important. Morrison was all over Gibson but we didn’t get that decision and that was the decisive moment.
"Cardiff have five or six players over six foot three let alone six foot so it was always going to difficult for us. The pitch was difficult for the players today.
“We have 14 games to go and we have to put a run together.”