Goals:

0-1: Bryson (7, Etheridge’s goal-kick was flicked on by Zohore and then Mendez-Laing before Bryson applied the first time finish)

1-1: Gooch pen (53, cool spot-kick from the American after winning it himself)

1-2: Ralls pen (73, converted with power after Kone shoved Morrison to the floor)

Bookings: Cattermole (11, foul); Richards (19, foul); Browning (70, foul); Kone (73, foul); Ralls (80, foul)

Referee: Peter Bankes (Liverpool) – made a number of strange decisions even if his two penalty shouts were spot on. 5

Attendance: 25,733

Entertainment: **

Sund Card

Shots on 3 5

Shots off 4 5

Corners 2 4

Fouls 13 13

Offsides 2 2

SUNDERLAND (3-5-2):

6 Ruiter: Looked shaky at times but redeemed himself with a few good stops too;

6 Browning: Made a couple of decent blocks but was let down by others

4 Kone: Conceded a stupid penalty and was lucky to get away with another in first half

5 Wilson: Improved after a really edgy start that caused problems for himself and team;

5 Matthews: One driving run down the right in the first half but other than that had to do more defending;

5 Honeyman: Ran around a lot without really creating much in the final third to worry the Cardiff defence

5 Cattermole: Not as influential as he would like after having Bryson to contend with

5 Ndong: Looks like he has lost the vibrancy he had at the start of the season and lost his man for the opener

5 Oviedo: Started poorly and looked off the pace except for when he hit the post in the first half

7 GOOCH: Scored the penalty, won the penalty and provided a few nice moments in a pretty poor game;

6 Vaughan: Worked hard enough, won plenty headers but could do with more goals

Subs

McGeady (for Honeyman 60): didn’t have the impact he would have liked. 5

Asoro (for Ndong 79)

E Robson (for Oviedo 79)

(not used): Steele (gk), Galloway, O’Shea, Gibson.

CARDIFF CITY (4-2-3-1): Etheridge 6; Richards 6, Manga 7, Morrison 6, Bennett 6; Ralls 7, Gunnarsson 5 (Bamba 90); Feeney 6 (Hoilett 68, 5), Bryson 7, MENDEZ-LAING 7; Zohore 6 (Bogle 84). Subs (not used): Murphy (gk), Halford, Damour, Tomlin.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Nathaniel Mendez-Laing – was a real nuisance in the first half to the Sunderland defence and still stood out as the pick after that.