BLUEBIRDS IN SEVENTH HEAVEN AS MOORE HITS A DOUBLE
CARDIFF CITY 3
Moore 31, 38
Murphy 46
COVENTRY CITY 1
Hyam 81
KIEFFER Moore’s first-half brace inspired Cardiff City to a resounding 3-1 win over Coventry City at a snowy Cardiff City Stadium.
Mick McCarthy’s revival of the Bluebirds continued with another confident display in the capital, with Josh Murphy capping off a particularly sparkling showing by adding a third just after the break.
Cardiff’s opening goal just after half an hour was arguably as good as anything they’ve produced this season.
Murphy, handed a start following his impressive cameo in the win over Rotherham in midweek, won the ball brilliantly inside his own half before setting off on a driving run that allowed him to feed Moore in behind the Coventry defence, with the Wales striker then selling his man a fine dummy before slotting home.
Moore’s second, just before the break, was a little scrappier, although it was Murphy at the centre of things again, helping a Will Vaulks throw on for the forward, who stabbed into the net at the far post.
Murphy then earned himself the goal his performance deserved, taking advantage of a quick freekick to fire home, capping off a superb victory for McCarthy’s charges, although Coventry did muster up a response.
Leo Ostigard stung the crossbar with a powerful header just before the hour, before Dominic Hyam lashed home to deny Cardiff a clean sheet.
Nevertheless, a third straight win for the hosts was thoroughly deserved, and now brings them up to seventh in the table.
Chances were largely at a premium up until Moore’s opener, with Vaulks flashing a low drive wide during an attritional opening 10 minutes against a Coventry side that arrived in South Wales without an away win in their last three attempts.
The hosts thought they’d taken the lead when Aden Flint volleyed home at the far post on 12 minutes, following a terrific freekick from Vaulks, only for the centre-back’s effort to be ruled out for offside.
Perry Ng then cut inside before steering a curling effort wide, but Cardiff otherwise laboured to find that bit of quality needed to unlock a
stubborn Sky Blues defence.
That all changed with a moment of brilliance just after half an hour.
Murphy expertly slid in to win the ball in his own half before bolting down the left and slipping in a perfectly-timed pass for Moore, who kept his nerve to finish at the near post.
Cardiff were up and running and doubled their lead eight minutes later. Coventry goalkeeper Marko Marosi, in fairness, made an absolute dog’s dinner of Vaulks’ long throw at the near post, with an off-balance Murphy just doing enough to smuggle the ball to Moore at the far post, who was left with a simple finish for his 13th goal of the season.
The visitors perhaps should have pulled one back when Callum O’Hare flicked goalwards following a terrific low cross into the box, but he could only find the wrong side of the post.
And they were made to further regret that missed opportunity, when a quickly-taken Ng freekick allowed Murphy to scamper clear and slot home a deserved third goal.
Coventry nearly responded just two minutes later when Ostigard rattled the bar, while Curtis Nelson and Sean Morrison both kept the hosts at bay with some superb interventions.
Murphy came close to further extending the lead after rounding the keeper, but his effort from the byline was cleared off the line.
Had there been fans in the Cardiff City Stadium, Murphy would have undoubtedly received a standing ovation such was the standard of his performance. Perhaps his best for the Bluebirds so far.
With so many attacking players putting their hand up, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to see where injured duo Lee Tomlin and Jonny Williams will fit in when they return. A nice problem to have.
Cardiff’s defence deserved credit too, although McCarthy will likely be unhappy at their failure to keep a clean sheet, with Hyam rattling home a late consolation from close range.
Nevertheless, this was a very good day at the office for the hosts, who remain unbeaten under their new boss and are gradually emerging as serious play-off contenders.