Joe Mason marked his return to the Cardiff City starting lineup with a third-minute opener as they entered the break with a 2-0 lead over visiting Burnley.

Craig Bellamy's absence with injury meant that Mason was handed a recall, and he rewarded manager Malky Mackay with the only goal of the first half.

After Craig Noone had cut inside and hit the post with his 30-yard effort, Mason was on hand to tap in the rebound for his second goal of the season.

He came close to adding to that tally later in a period that presented both sides with chances to add to the score.

Mason latched on to Peter Whittingham's searching cross-field ball before driving a shot against the foot of the post.

Burnley themselves struck the woodwork courtesy of top scorer Charlie Austin, who forced David Marshall to tip his audacious volley onto the crossbar.

Cardiff's lead was made more comfortable when Noone's second long-range strike of the half was parried into the net by Clarets stopper Lee Grant.