Match Report: Boro 2 Cardiff City 3

Cardiff City clung on for victory at the Riverside after Boro staged a tremendous second half comeback.

On an evening when the Riverside paid its respects to the sad passing of HM Queen Elizabeth II, Chris Wilder’s side were 3-0 down at half-time, but two goals in two second half minutes gave hope and Boro threw everything bar the kitchen sink at the Welshmen in the hope of grabbing a point.

It took Cardiff just three minutes to snatch the lead. Callum O’Dowda was released down the Cardiff let he drove down the left-hand side before delivering an assured finish to fire the visitors ahead.

Boro looked to respond quickly and Jack Simpson had to clear a good ball in from the trusted left boot of Ryan Giles.

But the visitors came close to grabbing a second before the quarter-hour when Liam Roberts saved well to deny Mark Harris who found space at the far post to meet a good ball into the box.

Cardiff’s Simpson was called upon to make another good block when Paddy McNair looked to drill a ball into the danger zone, and the resultant corner managed to elude everyone include visiting goalkeeper Ryan Allsop, but just drifted wide.

Boro’s job got a whole lot harder when Cardiff won the ball deep in the Boro half and Harris had the space to pick his spot and drill the ball home.

Boro hustled and harried, but Simpson headed wide from a Ryan Wintle corner when Cardiff advanced again.

It was 3-0 before half-time, though, when Perry Ng cut his way inside to work himself an opening to score.

Wilder made two changes at half-time with Duncan Watmore and Anfernee Dijksteel coming on for Alex Mowatt and McNair.

Boro were facing a mammoth task and Matt Crooks sent an early wide after a Jonny Howson corner.

Wilder’s side applied most of the pressure, but Cardiff got men behind the ball and defended stoutly.

Boro’s third change of the night came when Marc Bola replaced Matt Clarke.

There were strong appeals for a penalty when Riley McGree appeared to be denied by the hands of Wintle, but referee James Lee awarded a corner as Boro continued to push for a way back.

There was a lifeline, though, 15 minutes from time. Isaiah Jones did well down the right and he played in Watmore who scored from a tight angle.

And unbelievably the arrears were reduced even further just 60 seconds later. Dijksteel was the provider and Rodrigo Muniz got up well to head home.

The flurry lifted the atmosphere and Boro surged forward looking for an equaliser.

Muniz went close after good work by Bola and Jones had a shot blocked, but there was to be no fairytale ending as Cardiff clung on for the points.