Cardiff City 0-1 Stoke City: Bluebirds' Championship status hanging by a thread after disastrous defeat

Cardiff City’s Championship status is hanging by a thread following this disastrous defeat at the hands of relegation rivals Stoke City at the Cardiff City Stadium.

A Will Fish own goal five minutes from time was enough to condemn the Bluebirds to what could prove to be a decisive blow to their hopes of retaining their second tier status.

Cardiff, not for the first time this season, looked ordinary for long period of this contest, and the visitors duly took advantage as Ben Wilmot’s late effort was palmed by Ethan Horvath straight off Fish and into the net.

Stoke had already given their hosts plenty of warnings before this late bodyblow.

Jordan Thompson came closest to opening the scoring in an entertaining first half that was halted for around 15 minutes after a supporter was taken ill just after half an hour.

Million Manhoef similarly spurned several decent chances, after the break, while substitute Isaak Davies should have scored just before Stoke’s decisive opener, somehow conspiring to scoop his effort over from close range with the goal at his mercy.

Cardiff are now one point adrift of safety due to Derby County’s 2-2 draw with Portsmouth, with just four games to play.

The boos at full-time from the home crowd said it all, on a day that always felt pivotal in Cardiff’s efforts to stay up.

With so much at stake, one would have been forgiven for expecting a nervy and tense start to this contest, but both sides showed some early attacking intent.

Indeed, Lewis Baker probably should have done better after five minutes, blazing over the bar after being teed up by Bae Junho near the edge of the box.

Cardiff, to their credit, responded reasonably well. Will Fish sent a looping header over the bar two minutes later, before