Single goal ends run

Middlesbrough suffered a first defeat in ten games after Matthew Connolly scored the only goal of the game for promotion rivals Cardiff City.

That proved sufficient to earn the home side a record-equalling ninth successive win in front of their own supporters as the two clubs exchanged places in the Championship table.

Connolly was on hand at the far post to head in Peter Whittingham’s nineteenth-minute corner and that was ultimately the difference between the two sides.

The goal had arrived in between a couple of enforced changes from the hosts. Boro midfielder Grant Leadbitter immediately tried to take advantage with a 25-yard effort that had goalkeeper David Marshall backtracking in order to turn over.

The visitors themselves lost Faris Haroun due to a knock and he was replaced by Richard Smallwood. But it was soon Emmanuel Ledesma catching the top of the crossbar from a free-kick. He also sent in Scott McDonald to lift comfortably over just before the interval.

The duo combined again upon the restart, although McDonald’s finish once again didn’t seriously test Marshall. The Australian international also headed over after managing to get in front of the keeper while Lukas Jutkiewicz similarly missed the target before making way for Marvin Emnes.

Cardiff had strong claims for a penalty ignored when Andre Bikey challenged Joe Mason inside the area before the visitors were required to withdraw the limping George Friend in favour of Nicky Bailey.

But it was Emnes the threat on a couple of separate occasions before the end when heading over from McDonald and then seeing his low drive turned wide as a crucial equaliser still failed to materialise.

Cardiff City: Marshall, Taylor (Ralls 26), Hudson, Turner (Nugent 14), Connolly, Whittingham, Kim Bo-Kyung, Noone, Gunnarsson (Bellamy 61), Mason, Helguson

subs (unused): Lewis, Conway, Frei, Gestede

Goals: Connolly (19)

Middlesbrough: Steele, Hoyte, Hines, Bikey, Friend (Bailey 71), Leadbitter, McEachran, Haroun (Smallwood 30), Ledesma, Jutkiewicz (Emnes 60), McDonald

subs (unused): Leutwiler, Thomson, L. Williams, Miller

Ref: Langford

Att: 21,578