Cardiff stay focussed

Boss pleased Bluebirds are concentrating on league form

Last updated: 22nd March 2008

Peter Whittingham goal Cardiff v Bristol City

Peter Whittingham rifles home Cardiff's winner

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Cardiff's hard-fought 2-1 win at home to Bristol City today proved to manager Dave Jones his team are not allowing thoughts of FA Cup glory to deflect their attention from the Championship.

Goals from Roger Johnson and Peter Whittingham gave the Bluebirds victory - although a Dele Adebola equaliser in the 73rd minute seemed likely to have rescued a point for the promotion-chasing Robins.

"Anyone who thought my players have their minds on Wembley were proved wrong," said Jones.

"It was a tough game against a good side, but we got our noses in front in the first half.

"Bristol are not at the top because they lie down - but it was still a poor goal for us to give away.

"But we came back at them, won the penalty and have taken three points off the joint league leaders."

The visitors thought they had taken the lead just minutes before Whittingham's winner - but Steve Brooker was ruled offside.

Steve Thompson had gone close for the Bluebirds early on, and Bradley Orr curled in a cross on the half-hour for the visitors that struck the base of the post before being cleared.

Cardiff went ahead just before the interval when Whittingham curled a free-kick to the far post, and Johnson rose high to head home in majestic style.

The Bluebirds made good use of the conditions in the second half with Whittingham and Joe Ledley going close as Cardiff looked to increase their lead.

They should have done so in the 55th minute when they broke away at speed but failed to take advantage of their numerical superiority as the Robins cleared.

Rocked

The home side were rocked when the unmarked Adebola headed home a Jamie McAllister cross - and in the 79th minute they could have been behind but for the linesman's intervention.

Cardiff responded by going straight back up the field for Stephen McPhail to be upended in the box by Marvin Elliott.

Whittingham's spot-kick was pushed away by Adriano Basso only for the Cardiff midfielder to follow up and side-foot the rebound into the net.

In a bizarre incident soon after Cardiff's winner, Robins manager Gary Johnson was sent to the stand for arguing with the fourth official.

"I was sent off for trying to get the ball back into play," he said.

"The fourth official was holding on to the ball too long - and all I did was try to grab it off him.

"It was a difficult afternoon all-round for us - because one minute we thought we had won it and then a few minutes later we conceded a penalty and went behind.

"We have to get over it. There are six games left for us to obtain the points we need for promotion."