Cardiff pounce on Villa defeat

CARDIFF CITY moved into the Championship top two yesterday as Wolves and Aston Villa’s promotion push stumbled.

Sean Morrison’s solitary strike was enough to give Cardiff a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough to leapfrog Villa, who lost 2-0 at Fulham.

Wolves remain 11 points clear at the top, but failed to cash in on a man advantage for the final half hour in a 1-1 draw at Preston.

Villa had won seven league games in a row to storm into contention for automatic promotion prior to their visit to Craven Cottage.

However, Fulham are another of the division’s form teams and consolidated their place in the playoffs, six points off Cardiff, with a dominant second-half display.

Morrison (pix) out-muscled Ben Gibson to head home Junior Hoilett’s freekick after 34 minutes.

“Kevin Blackwell told me we’re now 11 points clear of seventh, but I asked him how far off Wolves we are now,” said Cardiff manager Neil 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.

“I just think 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.

“That’s our 15th clean sheet so we’re only one off our target of 16, the concentration levels were really good.

“Sean has got better and better. In his own box and the opposition’s, he’s grown as the season has gone on. It was a very mature performance.”

At the bottom, Sunderland slipped closer towards a second consecutive relegation as Brentford ran out comfortable 2-0 winners at the Stadium of Light through first-half goals from Kamohelo Mokotjo and Neal Maupay.

Burton Albion are now just below Sunderland on goal difference at the foot of the table, but will rue a missed opportunity as they failed to break down a Forest side down to 10 men for over an hour following Eric Lichaj’s red card in a 0-0 draw. – Agencies