Cardiff's long wait for a first win on their Championship
return is finally over after Republic of Ireland star Jack Moylan scored a
brace in their 3-1 home victory over Charlton.
The Bluebirds had gone a record-equalling seven games without a win despite dominating a number of their previous matches, but they were full value for their triumph after taking a 2-0 lead in the opening quarter against a Charlton side that came into the fixture sitting in sixth place with only one league defeat.
Moylan scored the first goal in the eighth minute, teed up
Yousef Salech for the second in the 24th and then thundered in his second, and
Cardiff's third, in the 61st after Tyreece Campbell had reduced the deficit.
Charlton's physicality and pressing meant it took Cardiff
some time to settle into their passing rhythm and the first chance of the game
fell to Miles Leaburn after good work down the left flank from Karlan Grant and
Campbell.
Once they found their composure, the Bluebirds conjured up a
a great first goal from Moylan. It started, as with so many of Cardiff's best
moves, with Chris Willock on the left edge of box before moving infield to Andy
Robertson.
Robertson then passed forward, Moylan stepped over the ball
to let it roll on to Salech, who then passed back to the Irishman on the edge
of the 'D' to give him a clear shot on goal and he buried the ball in the
right-hand corner to give his side a dream start.
Willock had a shot that was heading into the same corner
pushed wide by Arthur Okonkwo in the Charlton goal, but Cardiff came again and
doubled their lead in the 24th minute.
This time it was Moylan who returned the favour to Salech as he sent an inch-perfect pass across the six-yard box to allow the striker to tap home his fifth goal of the season in all competitions.
Charlton looked stunned, but they were quick to respond and
five minutes later Campbell ran on to a superb through ball from Tyler Bindon
that cut the Cardiff lines and gave his striker a one-on-one with Nathan Trott
in the home goal and he made no mistake.
Okonkwo was called on to pull off a great save from Salech
before the break and Joel Colwill should have done better in front of goal when
he had a chance to add to Cardiff's tally.
There was still all to play for after the break and things
might have been different had Cardiff old boy Grant not hit the side-netting
instead of the back of the net after picking up a poor back pass.
Then came Moylan's second just past the hour mark. He worked
the ball out of Ollie Tanner on the right edge of the box, took a return pass
and fired home an unstoppable shot into the top-right corner to make the game
safe.
Cardiff City: Trott; Ng (c), Bielik, Osho (Moreno
83), Bagan; Robertson, J.Colwill; Tanner (Ashford 70), Moylan (Scanlon 82),
Willock (Turnbull 62); Salech
Subs (not used): Tryer, Tankiewicz, Kpakio, Robinson,
Lawlor
Goals: Moylan 8, 61 Salech 24
Assists: Salech 8, Moylan 24, Tanner 61
Booked: Robertson 27 (foul on Grant), Tanner 33 (foul
on Alli), Bagan 45+5 (foul on Campbell), Ashford 90+4 (pushing Mesík), Colwill
90+6 (foul on Bell)
Charlton: Okonkwo; McNamara (Edwards 83), Jones (c),
Bindon (Bell 46), Mesík; Coventry (Kelman 70), Skipp; Alli (Ouma 46), Grant,
Campbell; Leaburn (Carey 83)
Subs (not used): Brooks, Rankin-Costello, Knibbs,
Nkeng
Goal: Campbell 29
Assist: Bindon 29
Booked: McNamara 35 (foul on Colwill), Skipp 51 (foul
on Moylan), Mesík 90+4 (pushing Ashford)
Referee: Elliot Bell
Attendance: 21,108
