Can you feel the surge? Blackburn secured a gritty 2-1 home win over Cardiff, marking consecutive victories.
Tony Mowbray’s men were merciless in the first half, converting two chances into goals while Cardiff dominated possession.
Andri Gudjohnsen opened the scoring with a calm finish just before the 30‑minute mark, and ten minutes later Todd Cantwell doubled the lead, firing a shot that left keeper Nathan Trott helpless.
The visitors pulled one back early in the second half via Callum Robinson’s first league goal, yet Blackburn pressed on and held firm to climb into the table’s upper half.
The pattern unfolded as expected: Cardiff kept the ball, while Blackburn prowled for errors. In my view, the Rovers’ discipline made the difference.
After a quiet start, the plan paid off in the 28th minute when a misplaced pass allowed Cantwell’s through ball to be cleared to Gudjohnsen, who struck from 12 yards for his fourth league tally.
Ten minutes later Rovers doubled the lead; Dapo Afolayan’s incisive pass freed Ryoya Morishita on the right, whose low cross met Cantwell’s first‑time strike, barely missing Trott’s outstretched hand.
Cardiff sparked life in the 53rd minute as Jack Moylan gathered a loose ball, surged past Sean McLoughlin and squared to Robinson, who tucked it into the bottom left corner.
The final half‑hour turned chaotic, with chances at both ends. Substitute Jayden Fevrier came close in the 64th, linking with Cantwell before rounding Trott, only for Dylan Lawlor to clear.
Elsewhere, a sloppy pass let Chris Willock sprint forward, but his delivery lacked the weight needed to set up Robinson.
Fevrier then saw his shot blocked by Trott’s legs, and from the ensuing corner the Cardiff keeper produced a spectacular reflex save, parrying McLoughlin’s near‑post header.
Cardiff’s best chance fell to Moylan, who cut inside from the left in the 76th minute, only to have his shot deflected wide by Hayden Carter.
Returning Augustus Kargbo threatened ten minutes from time, but Trott’s outstretched leg diverted his rasping effort.
In stoppage time Trott palmed away a rising Cantwell strike, and substitute Isaak Davies headed over, snuffing Cardiff’s last hope.
Both coaches
Blackburn manager Tony Mowbray:
To follow…
Cardiff manager Brian Barry‑Murphy:
To follow…