League One leaders Cardiff City underlined their
promotion credentials with an emphatic dismantling of Barnsley to extend their
unbeaten run to eight games.
Perry Ng fired the hosts ahead in the third minute, stretching to control Ollie Tanner's reverse pass before smashing a half-volley into the roof of the net.
Cardiff clinically doubled their lead in first-half stoppage
time as Omari Kellyman drove forward and fed Chris Willock, who cut inside and
finished calmly into the bottom far corner.
Willock returned the favour after the interval as he slipped
a neat pass for Kellyman to roll in the Bluebirds' third, before Willock
scampered clear and dinked a cheeky finish over Barnsley goalkeeper Owen
Goodman to make it four.
Cardiff stay four points ahead of second-placed Lincoln City
following the Imps' win over Bradford City, and 10 points clear of Bolton
Wanderers in third.
Barnsley, who have now won only one of their past seven
league matches, remain 15th in the table, three points clear of the relegation
zone.
Analysis: Imperious Cardiff resume home winning streak
Prior to Saturday's 1-1 draw with promotion rivals Stockport
County, Cardiff had won their previous eight home league games.
Eager to resume their winning streak, Brian Barry-Murphy's
side flew out of the traps to take control of this encounter.
They opened the scoring with a well-crafted goal. Makeshift
forward Kellyman swept the ball wide to the right, where Tanner moved infield
and found the overlapping Ng, who did well to control the ball and rifle high
into the net.
Cardiff should have doubled their lead in the 15th minute
when Willock's pinpoint cross from the left fell to an unmarked Tanner, but he
miscued his close-range volley and it dribbled wide.
Barnsley showed glimpses of attacking threat, with Davis
Keillor-Dunn's 25-yard strike drawing an excellent save from Nathan Trott.
Otherwise, Conor Hourihane's men were well beaten.
Willock's first goal shortly before half-time put the home
side well and truly on top, and there was no doubt about the result when he
played a big role in the Bluebirds' third.
After Barnsley had been tempted to try and play their way
out of defence, Cardiff pounced with David Turnbull spreading the ball left for
Willock, who ran towards the penalty area and fed Kellyman, whose finish was
assured.
Willock made his second and Cardiff's fourth goal look easy.
Barnsley's Tennai Watson sold himself short with a failed sliding tackle,
leaving Willock to advance on goal and insolently lift the ball over the
onrushing Goodman.
Substitute Callum Robinson was inches away from making it
five when Goodman tipped his effort on to the bar.
Nonetheless, this was still a joint-biggest win of the
season for Cardiff, who continue to set an impressive pace at the summit of
League One.
Cardiff City: Trott, Ng, Chambers, Fish, Bagan
(Kpakio 79’), Wintle, Robertson (Turnbull 46’), J.Colwill (Davies 71’), Tanner
(Ashford 71’), Willock, Kellyman (Robinson 71’). Subs Not Used: Tyrer,
Osho.
Barnsley: Goodman, Watson (de Gevigney 73’),
O’Connell, Shepherd, O’Keeffe, Bland (Yoganathan 61’), Connell, Kelly, Phillips
(Farrell 73’), Cleary (Ogbeta 31’), Keillor-Dunn. Subs Not Used: Flavell,
Roberts, Lennon.
