Highlights of City's win at Rotherham

Last updated : 07 March 2015 By Michael Morris

 

Cardiff boss Russell Slade hailed a superb away performance as a first-half demolition of Rotherham earned them a 3-1 win in the Sky Bet Championship.

The Bluebirds, who made it four unbeaten on the road, benefited from some generous defending to score three times in 11 minutes before the break at the AESSEAL New York Stadium.

Bruno Ecuele Manga, Federico Macheda and Conor McAleny did the damage and Rotherham's improved showing after the break saw them grab a late consolation through Danny Ward.

"We are pleased, we had to weather a little bit of a storm in the first 10 minutes," Slade said. "We did that and got the ball down, created some good opportunities and we took them.

"The first goals are always important and we scored it.

"If you looked at the chances and opportunities, even in the second half, I thought it was a really good away performance. I thought we made the right decisions.

"Secondly we were ruthless in the final third when we had to be.

"I think it's a good sign going forward. When those opportunities came we took them and took them really well."

Cardiff's second goal came from a delightful finish from Macheda, who sweetly volleyed home from a long ball which dropped over his shoulder.

Slade hopes there is more to come from the former Manchester United man.

"You could only describe it as half a chance really," Slade said. "He was injured for a spell, he has trained for the last 10 days and he has got better and better.

"He is a good finisher, we know that. We were searching for a goal threat and we got it from Macheda."

It was a familiar story from Millers boss Steve Evans, who criticised the referee for three decisions which he believes changed the game.

Home striker Matt Derbyshire saw a goal disallowed for offside in the 10th minute, there were appeals for offside when Macheda stuck Cardiff's second and with the score at 3-1 in the final 10 minutes Connor Sammon was ruled to have fouled visiting keeper Simon Moore with Paul Green about to tap in.

"We don't live in a false world here where we think we are going to come back from three goals down like Roy of the Rovers does," Evans said.

"There's a key moment in the game where the goalkeeper spills it and the referee gives a foul when the DVD shows it wasn't a foul, so these are big decisions tonight.

"I'm not here defending my team based on decisions but decisions change games don't they?

"If the officials can't get simple decisions right then deary me, what are we supposed to do?

"Matt Derbyshire's goal, their second goal was offside and the Connor Sammon incident - they are decisions that are hard to take but not the reason we were all over the place for 10 minutes in the first half."