Cardiff City 0-2 Derby County

Cardiff goalkeeper Simon Moore saves Derby striker Chris Martin's penalty

Derby County moved level on points with Championship leaders Bournemouth thanks to victory at Cardiff.

Rams striker Chris Martin had an early penalty saved after Cardiff's Aaron Gunnarsson was judged to have caught him while clearing the ball away.

The visitors then took the lead when City's Scott Malone turned Jamie Ward's low cross into his own net.

Martin doubled Derby's lead in first-half injury time, heading home his 19th goal of the season.

Russell Slade's side have now lost their last four matches in all competitions and are 13th in the table, seven points above the relegation zone.

Derby dominated possession and passed the ball with the authority of a side who had only lost once since mid-December.

After Martin's spot-kick was saved by Simon Moore, Derby continued to push forward and looked to move the ball wide in an attempt to stretch and create gaps in the hosts' defence.

The tactic paid off as Cardiff full-back Malone turned Ward's low cross into his own net from the edge of the six-yard area.

Cardiff City defender Sean Morrison walks off the field dejected after the 2-0 home defeat by Derby

Cardiff struggled to trouble the Derby defence despite the best efforts of the hard-working Alex Revell up front.

He could only direct Cardiff's best chance of the half straight at Rams keeper Lee Grant from the edge of the area.

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McClaren on Cardiff v Derby County

Deep into first-half injury time Cyrus Christie's cross found Martin at the far post, who rose above Cardiff full-back Lee Peltier to head Derby 2-0 in front.

After the break Cardiff pushed forward in a bid to get back into the match and looked more threatening from set pieces.

The introduction of top scorer Kenwyne Jones nearly paid dividends just minutes after he was introduced as Grant excellently tipped the striker's header over the bar.

Mason Bennett nearly made the game safe for Derby, but Cardiff keeper Moore rushed out to block his shot from six yards out.

At the other end, Jones continued to be a threat as he ran towards goal from midway inside Derby's half. The ball broke to Revell but his shot was blocked thanks to a last-ditch challenge.

Derby manager Steve McClaren:

"It was a professional performance and we won the game in the first half. Missing that penalty would have affected us a year ago, but not now with the maturity of this team. They kept competing and got the two goals.

"I told the players at half-time to take it on and we had opportunities to get the third. But we got sloppy and too casual and should have scored again because anything can happen at 2-0."

Cardiff manager Russell Slade:

"I'm a positive person and I don't think we are getting dragged into a relegation fight.

"We need to stop this trend of losing but I don't see why we can't go and win next week and get some momentum.

"This has been a tricky period as we go through transition with players leaving and coming in, but it's not impossible to make the play-offs."

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Cardiff

• 33Moore
• 2Peltier
• 36Morrison
• 16ConnollyBooked at 72mins
• 4Malone
• 11Noone
• 22O'KeefeSubstituted forAdeyemiat 80'minutes
• 17GunnarssonBooked at 55minsSubstituted forJonesat 63'minutes
• 40K HarrisSubstituted forda Silvaat 71'minutesBooked at 90mins
• 7Whittingham
• 29Revell

Substitutes

• 3da Silva
• 5Ecuele Manga
• 9Jones
• 14Macheda
• 18Adeyemi
• 21Ralls
• 42Wilson

Derby

• 1Grant
• 32Shotton
• 6Keogh
• 5BuxtonSubstituted forChristieat 41'minutes
• 3Forsyth
• 8Hendrick
• 33Mascarell
• 19HughesBooked at 45mins
• 10WardSubstituted forBrysonat 77'minutes
• 9Martin
• 7DawkinsSubstituted forBennettat 58'minutesBooked at 59mins

Substitutes

• 2Christie
• 4Bryson
• 20Bennett
• 21Roos
• 27Calero
• 37Warnock
• 39Bent

Referee:

Paul Tierney

Attendance:

22,287

Match Stats

Home TeamCardiffAway TeamDerby

Possession

Home48%

Away52%

Shots

Home9

Away3

Shots on Target

Home5

Away3

Corners

Home3

Away2

Fouls

Home16

Away14

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Cardiff City 0, Derby County 2.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+5'

Second Half ends, Cardiff City 0, Derby County 2.

Posted at 90'+4'

Offside, Cardiff City. Simon Moore tries a through ball, but Fabio is caught offside.

Booking

Posted at 90'

Fabio (Cardiff City) is shown the yellow card.

Posted at 90'

Omar Mascarell (Derby County) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 90'

Foul by Fabio (Cardiff City).

Posted at 89'

Attempt saved. Kenwyne Jones (Cardiff City) header from very close range is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Peter Whittingham with a cross.

Posted at 89'

Foul by Mason Bennett (Derby County).

Posted at 89'

Lee Peltier (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 86'

Foul by Cyrus Christie (Derby County).

Posted at 86'

Craig Noone (Cardiff City) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 85'

Omar Mascarell (Derby County) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 85'

Foul by Tom Adeyemi (Cardiff City).

Substitution

Posted at 80'

Substitution, Cardiff City. Tom Adeyemi replaces Stuart O'Keefe.

Posted at 78'

Attempt saved. Alex Revell (Cardiff City) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

Posted at 78'

Attempt blocked. Peter Whittingham (Cardiff City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Fabio.

Substitution

Posted at 77'

Substitution, Derby County. Craig Bryson replaces Jamie Ward.

Booking

Posted at 72'

Matthew Connolly (Cardiff City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 72'

Will Hughes (Derby County) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 72'

Foul by Matthew Connolly (Cardiff City).

Substitution

Posted at 71'

Substitution, Cardiff City. Fabio replaces Kadeem Harris.

Posted at 69'

Attempt saved. Alex Revell (Cardiff City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

Posted at 67'

Corner, Derby County. Conceded by Simon Moore.

Posted at 66'

Attempt saved. Mason Bennett (Derby County) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Will Hughes.

Posted at 64'

Corner, Cardiff City. Conceded by Lee Grant.

Posted at 64'

Attempt saved. Kenwyne Jones (Cardiff City) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Craig Noone with a cross.

Substitution

Posted at 63'

Substitution, Cardiff City. Kenwyne Jones replaces Aron Gunnarsson.

Posted at 61'

Foul by Craig Forsyth (Derby County).

Posted at 61'

Kadeem Harris (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 60'

Foul by Chris Martin (Derby County).

Posted at 60'

Sean Morrison (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 59'

Attempt blocked. Craig Noone (Cardiff City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.

Booking

Posted at 59'

Mason Bennett (Derby County) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 59'

Foul by Mason Bennett (Derby County).

Posted at 59'

Lee Peltier (Cardiff City) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Substitution

Posted at 58'

Substitution, Derby County. Mason Bennett replaces Simon Dawkins.

Posted at 58'

Foul by Simon Dawkins (Derby County).

Posted at 58'

Sean Morrison (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 57'

Richard Keogh (Derby County) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 57'

Foul by Alex Revell (Cardiff City).

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