BLUEBIRDS LEAVE NOTCH ‘BEST WIN
Warnock joy after Canaries clipped
NEIL Warnock thought his side produced their best result of the season with two late goals that kept automatic promotion in their own hands.
A win was crucial for the Bluebirds to keep pace with Fulham and it took two late goals from Kenneth Zahore and Junior Hoilett to overcome Norwich in what was a scrappy physical game.
Warnock’s team had dropped points in their last three games, but he hopes this win will trigger a continued upturn in form.
“It does feel like the best result of the season because Fulham can only be a point above us at the end of the day and that’s what we wanted,” he said.
“I’m as delighted as I was deflated in the last two games because you don’t always get what you deserve. Those two games, how we didn’t get four points from those two games I’ll never know.
“It’s been difficult this week to pick them up and we had a bit of a sluggish start and they’re a good side, Norwich.
“I watched them batter Villa and they’ve got some good players. So, we had to hang in there and we knew they’d have a lot of possession.
“I still thought we had the best chances in the first half when Norwich played the better stuff. With a bit more clinical finishing we could have taken two or three opportunities, but it was nice to create them today.”
Both sides failed to take their early chances with Josh Murphy having his shot blocked by Sol Bamba following an impressive run, and Craig Bryson firing over from the edge of the box after a flowing Cardiff move.
A quick corner from Moritz Leitner gave Dennis Srbeny the best opportunity of the first half, but his slight touch could only direct the ball onto the near post.
The Bluebirds winger was involved again with ten minutes remaining before half-time, latching onto a speculative long ball before playing a pass across to Zahore, who poked it wide of the left post, grazing the side-netting.
Zahore didn’t make the same mistake again with three minutes remaining. The substitute had a header well saved by Gunn who pushed the ball back to the striker. Zahore looked to cross but spotted Gunn creeping off his post and rolled it past him.
Cardiff secured the three points in the 93rd minute when Alex Tettey’s poor header clearing header bounced into the path of Hoilett, who hit an outstanding right-footed volley into the left-side of the goal.
Daniel Farke’s Norwich have struggled for form this season with good performances often ending in defeat, and the Canaries boss refused to blame Gunn’s mistake for this latest defeat.