Grant hell
CANARIES ACE CAUGHT FLAPPING
NORWICH saw skipper Grant Hanley sent off in a nightmare return to the Championship.
The Canaries are among the title favourites after dropping down from the Premier League.
But they will need to be far better than this to bounce straight back.
Hanley got his marching orders with a second yellow card five minutes from time on a miserable day at both ends.
The captain was first booked after flooring Perry Ng in a mass brawl as frustrations boiled over.
Ng was also booked and also saw a second yellow for a foul moments later in the 73rd minute.
But Hanley lost his cool as Norwich failed to make their advantage count.
Norwich boss Dean Smith has few complaints with the sending off and was more frustrated at starting life back in the second tier with a loss.
“I’m more frustrated with the result, we should be leaving with a point so it’s not a good start,” he said.
It was little wonder tempers flared in a game of little quality that was settled by an opportunist strike from distance from Romaine Sawyers on his Cardiff debut in the 49th minute.
Bluebirds boss Steve Morison said: “The lads are absolutely buzzing with the result. To a man we were excellent and we showed fight and spirit.”
CARDIFF: Allsop 7; Collins 6, Ng 5, Romeo 7, Kipre 8; Rinomhota 6 (Sang (80) 5), Wintle 7; Ojo 6 (Nelson (73) 5), Sawyers 7 (Harris (58) 6), O’dowda 6 (Whyte (80) 5); Watters 5 (Ralls 58, 6) NORWICH: Krul 6; Giannoulis 6 (Hernandez (83) 5), Hanley 5, Omobamidele 5, Aarons 6; Cantwell 6, Mclean 6, Sorensen 5 (Gibbs (71) 5); Sargent 5 (Sinani (71) 5), Pukki 5 (Hugill (78) 5), Rashica 5 (Mccallum (83) 5) STAR MAN: Cedric Kipre. Centre-back proved a rock in Cardiff’s defence and snuffed out any Norwich chance. REF: T Robinson 6