Cardiff City have beaten Nottingham Forest 2-1 at the City Ground following goals from strike partners Kenwyne Jones and Joe Mason.

Mason had an early penalty appeal waved away for the visitors by referee Oliver Langford following a challenge from Jack Hobbs.

Michail Antonio then threatened for Forest, forcing Fabio to smuggle the ball behind for a corner which resulted in little more.

There were half chances from Anthony Pilkington and Mason before Cardiff took the lead with a Peter Whittingham cross finding the head of Jones, who scored his second goal of the season after 23 minutes.

Mason continued to intimidate the Forest defence and forced keeper Dorus de Vries into a save after a powerful shot from an acute angle.

Forest's Tyler Walker stung the palms of Cardiff keeper David Marshall and captain Matt Mills had a chance to equalise shortly after the break, but the first half finished with the Bluebirds in the lead.

The home side had an chance early in the second half as substitute Ben Osborn forced Marshall into a save, but Cardiff doubled their lead minutes later when Mason picked up a deserved goal by diverting a Pilkington shot into the Forest net.

Marshall was called into action again 15 minutes later as Forest enjoyed a spell of possession, with winger Antonio forcing the Scotland international into a left-handed save following a good run.

Substitute Dexter Blackstock then had his own chance five minutes after coming on for the home side, but could only head the ball into the grasp of Marshall following an Osborn cross.

Antonio was eventually rewarded for his positive second-half play with four minutes to go as the winger slotted the ball beyond Marshall to halve the deficit and give Forest a fighting chance of picking up the draw.

Despite six additional minutes being added, it was Cardiff who ultimately pressed and finished off as winners.

Written by
Miles Jolliffe