Championship: Alnwick shines in Cardiff win; Connolly stars for Hull
The former Sunderland academy player Jak Alnwick kept his old club at bay before Mark McGuinness headed home a late winner for the improving Cardiff at the Stadium of Light.
The 30-year-old goalkeeper, who left Sunderland to join Newcastle in 2008, made a string of fine saves to frustrate Tony Mowbray’s men. And with three minutes remaining the centreback McGuinness headed in the only goal of the game to make it four wins from five for the visitors. That was enough to bring an end to Sunderland’s five-match unbeaten and they remain fifth in the Championship.
Cardiff, who move up to seventh, had a couple of earlier half-chances but this was a fixture when they were thankful to Alnwick for keeping them in it.
Cardiff were set up to frustrate, with the home side quick to enjoy plenty of possession but chances were few and far between early on. After Karlan Grant had fired over from distance for Cardiff,
Sunderland started to get more joy at the other end and should have taken the lead 22 minutes in. Alnwick looked beaten when Alex Pritchard side-footed towards the bottom corner but the touch from the Cardiff defender Dimitrios Goutas was enough to take the effort inches wide of the upright after some clever play from Abdoullah Ba and Bellingham down the left created the opportunity.
Jack Clarke was next to go close when he skipped past two men and forced Alnwick into a low stop before half-time. The flow of the game continued that way after the restart. Alnwick was again on hand low to his right to stop Pritchard’s drive from the edge of the area.
While goalless the door was always open for Cardiff and Ike Ugbo turned and shot over. Sunderland kept pressing and Clarke’s excellent run and pass was followed by Alnwick saving from Patrick Roberts’ first-time shot, while the fellow substitute Adil Aouchiche’s
rebound was blocked by a defender.
Cardiff’s Kion Etete forced Anthony Patterson into a stop after a mazy run with 10 minutes remaining as the game suddenly opened up. And the ideal away performance was complete when McGuinness arrived at the back post to nod Ryan Wintle’s corner inside the bottom corner late on.
Hull extended their unbeaten run to seven league games with a comfortable 3-1 victory at Stoke. The Tigers leapt back into the playoff places thanks mainly to a quickfire double after the half-hour.
Aaron Connolly opened the scoring with his fifth goal of the season after good work from the former Potters loanee Jaden Philogene. The shellshocked hosts fell further behind a matter of seconds after the restart when Adama Traoré notched his first goal since April.
Regan Slater’s shot led to a Lynden Gooch own goal in the second half as Hull coasted towards a third successive Championship away victory for the first time since April 2013. Stoke notched a late consolation through the returning André Vidigal, but he could not prevent their winless run stretching to five league games.
The tone for the home side was set inside 13 minutes as Tyrese Campbell limped off to add to the Potters’ injury woes. Philogene – who spent six months in the Potteries in 2022 – overpowered Ben Wilmot to tee up Connolly for a simple finish as Hull took the lead. The bright Connolly was instrumental as the Tigers raced to double their advantage almost immediately.
The Republic of Ireland forward advanced dangerously from the goalkeeper Ryan Allsop’s long pass and his blocked strike popped up invitingly for Traoré, who drilled a first-time effort on the swivel into the corner.
The visitors added a third in the second half with a long-range Slater strike deflecting off Gooch and looping over a helpless Mark Travers.
The Potters’ shining light, Vidigal, then offered his side a lifeline as he marked his return with a fifth goal of the season. After skipping beyond the challenge of Jacob Greaves, the Portuguese forward finished accurately low into Allsop’s far corner, but it was too little, too late.
Stoke searched desperately for a late reprieve, but Hull held on for a first league victory in the Potteries since January 2006.