Championship
CardiffCardiff City2BoltonBolton Wanderers0

Cardiff City 2-0 Bolton Wanderers

By Dafydd PritchardBBC Sport Wales at Cardiff City Stadium
Armand Traore fires the ball past Ben Alnwick in the Bolton goal
Armand Traore fires the ball past Ben Alnwick in the Bolton goal

Cardiff City moved within a point of the Championship automatic promotion places with an efficient win over Bolton Wanderers.

Armand Traore's first goal for the club and a headed rebound by Sean Morrison gave the hosts a 2-0 half-time lead.

They coasted through the second half, Bruno Ecuele Manga almost adding a third with a header against the bar.

Bolton limply accepted their fate and remain in 19th place, two points above the relegation zone.

Cardiff stay fourth in the table, level on points with Derby in third place and one behind Aston Villa in second.

Perhaps of equal significance is the increased strength of the Bluebirds' hold on a play-off spot, nine points clear of seventh-placed Preston.

This result also extended Cardiff's unbeaten run in the Championship to five games, an impressive response to a December wobble which had seen them lose four consecutive league matches.

Sean Morrison heads Cardiff into a 2-0 lead against Bolton
Sean Morrison heads Cardiff into a 2-0 lead against Bolton

Neil Warnock's men made an assertive start against a Bolton side themselves unbeaten in three fixtures.

Callum Paterson's long throws were Cardiff's weapon of choice, one setting up Morrison for a header well saved by Ben Alnwick before another fell to Traore, whose shot on the turn looped into the far corner to give the former Arsenal left-back his first goal since 2014.

The Bluebirds struck again from a set-piece shortly before half-time, this time a free-kick from Joe Ralls swung in towards Morrison, whose initial header was saved before he nodded in the rebound.

This was rudimentary football, but it was effective.

In fairness to the hosts, they did not need to produce an exhilarating display against a passive Bolton side who rarely ventured out of their own half with much intent.

The visitors almost fell further behind from yet another set-piece after the interval, as Ecuele Manga headed Junior Hoilett's free-kick against the crossbar.

Hoilett himself was the next to threaten, skilfully rounding Alnwick but seeing his shot from an acute angle blocked by Mark Beevers.

Those misses proved to be inconsequential as Cardiff strolled to victory with almost embarrassing ease.

Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock said:

"I thought we were professional. These are always difficult games but I'd said to the lads we had to be strong, not give anything away because if we went a goal down to these it would be hard work.

"But I thought we were very thorough at the back and obviously took our chances. They were two good goals: the great finish for Armand [Traore] and then the bravery of [Sean] Morrison to get the second typifies him as captain."

Bolton Wanderers manager Phil Parkinson said:

"I thought Cardiff played very well. We were second best in that first period and in the basic things in the game, which we're normally good at.

"But we weren't as good as we needed to be against a team we know can overpower sides.

"You need to stand strong against them, like we did at home [when Bolton won earlier this season]. Tonight we didn't do that as well and got punished."

Line-ups

Cardiff

Formation 4-3-3

  • 25Etheridge
  • 2Peltier
  • 4Morrison
  • 5Ecuele Manga
  • 32Traore
  • 18Paterson
  • 24Grujic
  • 8Ralls
  • 33HoilettSubstituted forBambaat 88'minutes
  • 10ZohoreSubstituted forPilkingtonat 84'minutes
  • 29WardSubstituted forWildschutat 13'minutes

Substitutes

  • 3Bennett
  • 12Feeney
  • 13Pilkington
  • 14Bamba
  • 20Damour
  • 28Murphy
  • 35Wildschut

Bolton

Formation 3-5-2

  • 13Alnwick
  • 4Dervite
  • 32BurkeSubstituted forWheaterat 45'minutes
  • 5BeeversBooked at 43mins
  • 22Morais
  • 17DerikSubstituted forCloughat 69'minutes
  • 24Henry
  • 6Vela
  • 15Robinson
  • 9Le Fondre
  • 10AmeobiSubstituted forWalkerat 86'minutes

Substitutes

  • 2Little
  • 3Taylor
  • 8Karacan
  • 19Walker
  • 31Wheater
  • 33Howard
  • 40Clough
Referee:
Tim Robinson
Attendance:
16,013

Match Stats

Home TeamCardiffAway TeamBolton
Possession
Home50%
Away50%
Shots
Home24
Away4
Shots on Target
Home11
Away0
Corners
Home4
Away3
Fouls
Home11
Away16

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Cardiff City 2, Bolton Wanderers 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Cardiff City 2, Bolton Wanderers 0.

  3. Post update

    Foul by Sol Bamba (Cardiff City).

  4. Post update

    Adam Le Fondre (Bolton Wanderers) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  5. Post update

    Attempt missed. Anthony Pilkington (Cardiff City) left footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Yanic Wildschut following a fast break.

  6. Post update

    Attempt missed. Marko Grujic (Cardiff City) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left following a set piece situation.

  7. Post update

    Anthony Pilkington (Cardiff City) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  8. Post update

    Foul by Dorian Dervite (Bolton Wanderers).

  9. Substitution

    Substitution, Cardiff City. Sol Bamba replaces David Junior Hoilett.

  10. Post update

    David Junior Hoilett (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  11. Post update

    Foul by Karl Henry (Bolton Wanderers).

  12. Substitution

    Substitution, Bolton Wanderers. Tyler Walker replaces Sammy Ameobi.

  13. Post update

    Foul by Anthony Pilkington (Cardiff City).

  14. Post update

    David Wheater (Bolton Wanderers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  15. Post update

    Foul by Yanic Wildschut (Cardiff City).

  16. Post update

    Mark Beevers (Bolton Wanderers) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  17. Substitution

    Substitution, Cardiff City. Anthony Pilkington replaces Kenneth Zohore.

  18. Post update

    Attempt blocked. David Junior Hoilett (Cardiff City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Kenneth Zohore.

  19. Post update

    Kenneth Zohore (Cardiff City) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  20. Post update

    Foul by David Wheater (Bolton Wanderers).

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As It Stood

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Wolves31225456233371
2Aston Villa31178648272159
3Derby321610648262258
4Cardiff31177747272058
5Fulham311410752361652
6Bristol City31141074536952
7Preston31121363830849
8Sheff Utd31154124437749
9Middlesbrough311461140291148
10Brentford31111194340344
11Leeds31135134239344
12Ipswich31135134341244
13Norwich31128113134-344
14Millwall31912103634239
15Sheff Wed32813113438-437
16QPR3199133344-1136
17Nottm Forest31112183550-1535
18Reading3188153441-732
19Bolton3179152849-2130
20Birmingham3186172243-2130
21Hull31611144247-529
22Barnsley31610153045-1528
23Sunderland31511153455-2126
24Burton3167182458-3425
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