Neil Warnock had called for a comeback in the style of Tiger Woods. It might be said, quite possibly by himself, that what he got on an evening of renewed hope was altogether more unlikely.
That’s less to do with the surprise of seeing two goals scored by a gun-shy side and more to do with the reprieve of a referee. Through his career it’s been his gripe, the go-to complaint, the lament and the distraction tactic, and in recent weeks it has often been with justification.
But one went his way here. And it was a biggie. So big, perhaps, that when the scrapping is done, if they somehow pull off a great escape, it might prove a key moment. That is because for all the world it appeared that Brighton should have had a penalty at 0-0, 10 minutes in.
Victor Camarasa delivered an inviting free-kick deep and Sean Morrison powerfully headed home for second goal
Centre-back Morrison scored his first goal in almost a year in front of the travelling support on Tuesday night
Brighton (4-4-1-1): Ryan 6; Bruno 7, Duffy 6.5, Dunk 5, Bernardo 6; Jahanbakhsh 5.5 (Izquierdo 69, 6), Stephens 5.5, Propper 6, March 7; Gross 5.5 (Andone 54, 6), Murray 5.5
Subs not used: Button, Burn, Bong, Kayal, Locadia
Booked:
Chris Hughton 5.5
Cardiff (4-2-3-1): Etheridge 7; Peltier 5, Morrison 8, Manga 6, Bennett 6; Gunnarsson 6.5 (Bacuna 54, 6), Ralls 7; Mendez-Laing 7.5 (Harris 80), Camarasa 6.5, Hoilett 6.5; Niasse 6 (Zohore 85)
Subs not used: Murphy, Reid, Murphy, Healey
Booked: Bennett
Neil Warnock 7
Ref: Andre Marriner 5
MOM: Sean Morrison
Att: 30,226
The move for the first Brighton goal scored by Nathaniel Mendez-Laing. For more stats visit the match zone.
Bruno Manga had his hands all over Lewis Dunk at a set-piece, clear as day. When Dunk hit the deck, it was with no little force. It was a pull and a pretty hefty one. So was the appeal, but unlike Chelsea at home and Burnley away, this one went for Cardiff. They say these calls even out over a season; this call might have saved one, given it was the platform from which Nathaniel Mendez-Laing scored a beauty for 1-0 and Sean Morrison got the goal for security.
On that front, consider how unlikely it is that this team with six defeats in their previous seven games should score twice. They previously had scored only nine away goals all season. Fine timing to get it right on the night against their only real rival at this point.
All of which puts Brighton in deep trouble. They still have a two-point advantage and a game in hand but who could predict anything from their respective runs-in?
