Blackburn Rovers 1-0 Cardiff City: Rankin-Costello strike consigns Bluebirds to defeat after Goutas' disallowed goal

Cardiff City resumed their Championship campaign after the international break with a disappointing 1-0 defeat at Blackburn Rovers.

The Bluebirds extended their winless run to three games thanks to a clinical strike from Joe Rankin-Costello in the second half, but it could have been different had Dimitrios Goutas' header not been ruled out for an offside call against Karlan Grant.

Erol Bulut clearly set his team up to soak up pressure and hit on the counter-attack and as a result it was a first half of very few chances and low on quality from both sides, who were feeding off scraps, by and large.

Rovers dominated possession but the Bluebirds arguably had the better of the early chances, with Josh Bowler, back in the team for his first start since August, dragging a shot narrowly wide of the post from 20 yards out after that trademark cut inside off the wing.

It felt inevitable that Rovers would have their opportunities though and Joe Rankin-Costello had the first big chance for the hosts. He was found by a low cross towards the six-yard box and he slid in and tried to turn it goalward, but it flew past the post thanks to pressure applied from Mark McGuinness.

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The huge flashpoint of the first half, though, came after the half-hour mark. Joe Ralls whipped in a corner and Dimitrios Goutas towered above his opposite number before burying his header past Leo Wahlstedt. City had wheeled away in celebration before Robert Madley blew his whistle, having been told to disallow the goal for offside. It seemed that Karlan Grant was standing in an offside position and interfering with the goalkeeper's line of vision when