Cardiff City

Dafydd Pritchard
BBC Sport Wales

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Cardiff City head coach Brian Barry-Murphy was delighted his team were finally able to turn their domination into victory as they beat promotion rivals Bolton Wanderers.

The Bluebirds won 2-0 on Saturday, ending a three-match winless and goalless run at home, and a poor sequence of results overall which had yielded only two victories from eight games.

Second-place Cardiff moved 10 points clear of Bradford City in third, with Bolton manager Steven Schumacher admitting defeat had ended their automatic promotion hopes as they are now 11 points adrift of the Welsh side having played a game more.

Cardiff had bossed many of their recent games but a lack of cutting edge in the final third meant they had lost three and drawn three of their previous eight fixtures.

They corrected that with a convincing win over Bolton, with Omari Kellyman and Chris Willock scoring second-half goals.

"It's an incredible feeling. We had real awareness that our home results in the past few games haven't been what we wanted," said Barry-Murphy.

"To see the supporters return in such numbers today and give everybody ultimately what they wanted and craved is huge for us.

"I think we haven't been clinical enough in games previously. Today is a brilliant day for us, and we still could and should have scored more."

Next for Cardiff is a trip to Huddersfield Town on Tuesday. Victory in Yorkshire coupled with a defeat for Bradford at home to Stevenage on Saturday, and Stockport County dropping points at Wimbledon on Wednesday, would see the Bluebirds promoted on Wednesday.

Regardless of results elsewhere, Cardiff can guarantee promotion for themselves if they win at Huddersfield and at Reading the following Saturday.

Barry-Murphy's men still have three games to get the job done after the trip to Berkshire next weekend.

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Former Cardiff City boss Omer Riza has joined Italian second-tier side Cesena as an assistant coach to Ashley Cole.

Riza, 46, has been out of work since he was sacked by Cardiff last season, which ended with the club being relegated from the Championship.

Former Arsenal, Chelsea and England defender Cole was appointed Cesena manager last month.

The 45-year-old came through the Arsenal youth ranks at the same time as Riza, who spent a year at Cardiff, first as an assistant to Erol Bulut and then as head coach.

The former Watford coach shared a post on social media from his management team, which read: "Omer Riza has been appointed assistant head coach at Cesena FC - working alongside Ashley Cole in Serie B.

"From Arsenal's youth pitches to the England set-up. From the Championship dugout at Cardiff City to Italian football. The game rewards those who stay ready."

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Alex Robertson's sumptuous strike in Cardiff City's win at Exeter City has been nominated for the League One Goal of the Month award for March.

The midfielder rounded off a slick team move in style as the Bluebirds defeated the Grecians 4-0 at St James Park on 14 March.

Doncaster Rovers' Elliot Lee, on loan from Wrexham, Burton Albion's George Evans and Reading's Kamari Doyle are the other nominees for the award.

The winner - decided by fans and a judging panel - will be announced at 10:00 BST on Friday, 17 April.

Abi Cole
BBC Sport Wales

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Goalkeeper Nathan Trott says Cardiff City are still "100% confident" they will secure promotion despite a recent dip in form.

The Bluebirds host fellow promotion contenders Bolton Wanderers on Saturday (12:30 BST) having won only two of their past eight League One games.

Brian Barry-Murphy's side remain in the automatic promotion places, eight points ahead of Bolton, however goalkeeper Trott says belief inside the camp has not changed.

"The last few results haven't been the best but, ultimately, when you look back, we're still in a very strong position to get promoted," said Trott.

"For our standards, maybe we could be a little bit more critical on ourselves. But overall, it's been a really positive season.

"Everyone's confidence is super high, no one's worried about anything and we're all 100% confident that we can get over the line."

Cardiff were held to a 1-1 draw at Peterborough United on Monday despite dominating large parts of the game, and Trott admitted the result was frustrating.

"Being blunt, yes," he said when asked whether Cardiff should have won.

"I know how good we are, I know how good we've been all season.

"To leave with a point is a bit frustrating. But at the end of the day, going away and getting a point is not the worst situation ever."

Trott described Saturday's match against Bolton as "one of those six-point games" as Cardiff look to tighten their grip on an automatic promotion spot with six games remaining.

"I think to win at home would be really special for the fans and at this stage of the season will be a really big win," he said.

"I think that's what we're fully focused on right now."

Trott also suggested Cardiff's recent drop in results has come as opponents have changed their approach.

"Teams are a bit more comfortable with just sitting back, letting us have the ball," he said.

"It's a different challenge for us that we're going to have to get used to.

"We've been playing really good football. I think the last thing is just to put it in the net."

The goalkeeper also welcomed the return of Yousef Salech, saying the striker could be crucial during the run-in.

"He gives something different than a lot of players do in this league in general," Trott said.

"To have him back at this stage of the season where we really need him right now, it's a really good moment for us."

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Goalkeeper Nathan Trott says Saturday's match against League One promotion rivals Bolton Wanderers is a "six-point" game.

The second placed Bluebirds are eight points above Bolton, who sit fourth, and seven clear of third placed Bradford City.

Cardiff have one game in hand over both teams and Trott believes a win for the Bluebirds on Saturday could have a huge bearing on their automatic promotion hopes.

Trott said: "I think it's one of those six-point games where you know they're (Bolton) behind us and I think to win at home would be really special for the fans, and at this stage of the season it will be a really big win."

Cardiff have won just two of their last eight games, but Trott believes that the club are still in a strong position to achieve promotion back to the Championship.

"Of course fans are always going to feel the emotions a lot more than the players. I think through the course of the season there has been so many ups and downs with emotions," added Trott.

"I think ultimately, when you look at the position that we're in in the season and how well we're playing, when you watch the full games and how we're playing, everyone should feel really positive of the direction that we're going in.

"One win and then the mood changes again."

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Defender Perry Ng could move from full-back to centre-back amid Cardiff City's defensive issues for Saturday's match at home to League One promotion rivals Bolton Wanderers (12:30 BST).

Regular centre-backs Calum Chambers and Dylan Lawlor are recovering from injuries, while Gabriel Osho is serving the third of a three-match ban and will miss the Bolton game.

Ng has filled in at centre-back before, most recently during the second half in the 1-1 draw at Peterborough United.

"We have options. Perry's very flexible and did a really good job there," said head coach Brian Barry-Murphy.

"But throughout the course of the season, there's been many different things we have to deal with and this is just another one which would provide an opportunity for somebody else to step in."

Meanwhile, Chambers has undergone a scan after injuring his wrist against Peterborough and is awaiting results from a specialist.

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Cardiff City are facing a centre-back shortage for next weekend's League One match against promotion rivals Bolton Wanderers.

Bluebirds captain Calum Chambers was taken off at half-time during Monday's 1-1 draw at Peterborough United with a wrist injury.

Cardiff were already without Dylan Lawlor due to a toe injury sustained playing for Wales, while Gabriel Osho was serving the second game of a three-match suspension for the red card he was shown against Wycombe Wanderers last month.

The full extent of Chambers' injury is not yet known, but head coach Brian Barry-Murphy said: "He damaged that quite badly. We'll have to get that scanned and there might be an issue there.

"We're a bit stretched in that area with Dylan injured as well. Perry [Ng, usually a right-back] did a great job stepping in.

"With Gabriel Osho suspended and Dylan and Calum injured, we're quite stretched there."

Lawlor's injury is not thought to be serious, with Barry-Murphy adding: "There's no fracture but he's been in discomfort and there's a bit of swelling, so he wasn't really close [to playing] today."

Cardiff are second in League One but have won only two of their past eight matches, cutting the gap between them and the chasing pack outside the automatic promotion places from 11 points to seven.

However, they have a game in hand over Bradford City and Bolton in third and fourth place respectively, prior to Wanderers' visit to Cardiff next Saturday (12:30 BST).

Image source, Rex Features

Head coach Brian Barry-Murphy insists Cardiff City are still in a "brilliant position" to win promotion from League One despite their poor recent form.

The Bluebirds are second in the table but have had their lead over the teams outside the automatic promotion positions cut from 11 to seven points.

Cardiff could only manage a 1-1 draw at Peterborough United on Monday, meaning Barry-Murphy's side have only two wins from their past eight matches.

However, they have a game in hand over Bradford City and Bolton Wanderers in third and fourth place respectively, and Cardiff host Bolton next Saturday.

"We have to accept the results recently haven't been what we've wanted but our response has been to work incredibly hard," Barry-Murphy told BBC Sport Wales.

"We're in a brilliant position. If you'd have given us this position at the start of the season, we would have been ecstatic.

"Not a lot of our players will have experienced this situation and we're trying to be as aggressive and assertive in chasing the games in what is an exciting situation."

The game at Peterborough was a familiar tale of frustration for Cardiff, who had close to 60% possession and 29 shots, including eight on target.

But as has often been the case in recent weeks, the Welsh side were unable to make their dominance count.

"We created enough chances to win the game but we didn't take them," Barry-Murphy said.

"We've been working on our attacking play to create more clear-cut chances in the wake of our recent performances where we've had domination of the ball but not enough chances.

"That element of our game was really good today and the next bit is to convert those chances."

Image source, Huw Evans Agency

Former Wales international Iwan Roberts has told the Feast of Football podcast that Cardiff City defender Dylan Lawlor is "going to go to the top", following Wales' most recent international camp.

Lawlor, 20 was praised by head coach Craig Bellamy for his performance in Wales' World Cup play-off semi-final defeat against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

"After his first few performances this season, I said I think in 18 months he'll be playing in the Premier League," said Roberts

"I think he's got everything, comfortable on the ball, doesn't mind breaking the line, he's joining midfield. I think he's an absolute talent."

Former Wales striker Sam Vokes agrees the centre-back could be a huge asset for Wales.

"He's come on leaps and bounds this year, I think since we first saw him out in Kazakhstan at the heart of that defence, he's been a big player and can be a big player for us going forward.

"I think Joe Rodon has made the centre-half position his over the last few years and I think they can really strike up a partnership moving forward now for Wales."

Lawlor returns to club duty as Cardiff continue their push for automatic League One promotion against Peterborough United on Monday, 6 April. Brian Barry-Murphy's side go into the Easter weekend seven points adrift of leaders Lincoln City - but 11 clear of third-place Bolton Wanderers.

Vokes told the Feast of Football podcast that being part of a promotion winning-side will be a positive for the Bluebirds' defender.

"Hopefully, I'm sure he will be part of a successful year in a promotion and that will only add to his confidence."