Callum Robinson made it six goals in his last six Sky Bet Championship games as he spearheaded Cardiff’s 2-1 win over Derby in the Welsh capital.
The Republic of Ireland striker finally broke the deadlock in a dour relegation battle in the 62nd minute as he beat Jacob Widell Zetterstrom in the Derby goal with his second touch after the keeper had saved his first flick on from Joe Ralls’ cross.
A minute later Robinson turned provider after Cian Ashford had raced up the right flank and sent the ball into his feet on the edge of the box. He then pushed the ball into the path of Anwar El Ghazi who stroked home the second goal.
Derby arrived having dropped into the relegation zone, while Cardiff, despite being unbeaten in their previous seven games, were only a point ahead of them.
A week earlier Omer Riza’s Bluebirds had played arch-rivals Swansea off the park in a 3-0 win, but there was little of the pride, passion and urgency in their lacklustre first-half performance. Instead, it was Derby who bossed proceedings.
Jerry Yates forced Jak Alnick into the first of a host of saves as early as the second minute, while skipper Ralls fired in a 25-yard special that meant Zetterstrom had to leap high to tip his shot over the bar.
Paul Warne made five changes to his starting XI in the wake of Tuesday night’s 1-0 defeat to Sunderland. The aim was to bring to an end a six-game losing streak in all competitions.
Yates thought he had broken the deadlock in the 11th minute when he hammered home a flicked header from Craig Forsyth at a free-kick, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
The game was still goalless at the break and in need of some inspiration. Robinson forced Zetterstrom into a good low save at his right-hand post and then El Ghazi entered the fray in the 55th minute.
It was his break up the left wing that helped to create the position for Robinson’s first goal and then the Dutch international added the second. Derby may have been down, but they were not out.
In the 70th minute a swift break out of defence led to Yates crossing from the right and Lars-Jorgen Salvesen headed home to give the Rams some hope.
A second header from the Norwegian striker brought out a good save from Alnwick, but it was Zetterstrom who had to perform the late heroics to save the visitors further punishment.
He got a boot to a shot from Ashford to push his goalbound effort just wide of the post, somehow kept out another El Ghazi shot from close range and finally denied Yousef Salech again with his feet in the fifth minute of added time.
