Preston North End 2-0 Cardiff City: Lilywhites down Bluebirds as Jak Alnwick sees red

Two second-half goals from Preston North End saw them defeat Cardiff City 2-0 in a game which saw the Bluebirds goalkeeper sent off for a second game in a row.

Despite a number of attacks from the visitors, Sabri Lamouchi's side just could not find the back of the net. The hosts, meanwhile, did just that thanks to Tom Cannon's effort.

And just as the game was petering out to its conclusion, a moment of madness from Jak Alnwick saw him clean out Cannon as he looked to go through on goal.

Debutant Rohan Luthra did well to stop the subsequent free-kick, but Ched Evans followed up well to tap home.

The big team news before the game was that neither captain Joe Ralls nor Connor Wickham were named in the match-day 18. Instead, Welsh trio Mark Harris, Rubin Colwill and Isaak Davies all got spots on the bench.

Jak Alnwick came in for the suspended Ryan Allsop in one of four changes for the Bluebirds, who opted for two big men in Sory Kaba and Kion Etete up front.

And Alnwick looked shaky early on, with a clear ploy from the hosts evident when it came to the set piece. The 'keeper flapped at two early corners, which were placed right on top of him by Daniel Johnson, but City managed to escaped unscathed on both occasions.

There was a flashpoint just after the half-hour mark which appeared to spark the game into life a little. Sory Kaba went into a crunching, but fair, challenge on Ben Woodburn, which saw the young Welshman hit the deck clutching his leg. Kaba took umbrage and screamed in Woodburn's face, telling him to get up. The crowd were naturally displeased and former Bluebirds Greg Cunningham came in for some afters with the City striker.

Cardiff then enjoyed a decent little spell before the break, with Kion Etete fizzing