Bluebirds edge Rovers

CARDIFF City edged out a narrow 2-1 win over Forest Green Rovers at The New Lawn, thanks to second-half goals from James Collins and Gavin Whyte.

It was far from a complete performance, and when Jamille Matt equalised the hosts could well have gone on to win it, but Whyte’s winner five minutes from time was enough to seal the victory for Mick McCarthy’s men.

The hosts dominated the opening exchanges. From minute one, the League Two outfit looked far more cohesive and composed on the ball and consequently created far more opportunities.

The first chance presented itself after Kane Wilson, who was a thorn in Cardiff’s side, lofted a lovely ball over the City centre backs and on to the head of Jamille Matt, but his header was a nice height and saved comfortably by Dillon Phillips.

But the Cardiff goalkeeper was busy all half. Ben Stevenson tested Phillips from 25 yards before Wilson ghosted his way through the defence

before being denied smartly by a smothering save.

It was backs-to-the-wall stuff, really, especially when Regan Hendry’s free header at the back post should have been converted, but the Rovers man steered his effort wide of the upright.

Thankfully, Cardiff shot out of the traps after the break.

The accuracy returned and it resulted in a goal immediately after the restart, almost a carbon copy of that Collins missed chance before the break.

Giles looped around Bagan on the overlap before swinging in a superb cross to the back post, where Collins had the easiest of tap-ins to hand City the advantage.

But it didn’t last long and City slipped back into their first-half ways.

They got sloppy in defence and invited danger and soon paid the price from a corner.