Erol Bulut not getting carried away despite Cardiff’s impressive run

By Sports Desk September 30, 2023

Cardiff manager Erol Bulut played down his team’s outstanding form after a 2-0 win over Rotherham.

The Bluebirds advanced into the Championship play-off places with a fourth successive league victory.

It was hardly a scintillating display from the Bluebirds who struggled to break down limited opponents in the first half.

But once striker Kion Etete put the hosts in front with a 56th-minute header, the result never looked in doubt.

Defender Perry Ng made certain with a second in the 89th minute.

Bulut said: “Nothing is easy, but it is perfect to have four wins. We have our fighting spirit back, it is going really well but we cannot stop.

“It wasn’t easy to open their defence and there’s always the danger of getting caught on the counter-attack.

“I am pleased for Kion after his goal but it is good that other players are chipping in with goals too.

“It is up to us now to keep things going and to continue to work hard and improve.”

For Rotherham, it was an afternoon to forget. They barely laid a glove on their opponents in the Welsh capital.

The Millers have just one win from their opening nine games and already look relegation candidates.

A Rotherham equaliser never looked likely, with the Bluebirds defence rock solid.

Manager Matt Taylor admitted his side had offered little threat but stressed Championship life will “always be a struggle” for the club.

Taylor said: “We have to make games ugly and scruffy away from home, and we tried to chase the game.

“But we needed a bit of luck to go our way around the opposition goal.

“We know we are short of certain types of players, but we have to see that’s the best we have been for an hour. We just have to convert that to 90 minutes.

“In terms of where we have been for our first four away games that was an improvement. Our league position is a concern, but we are always going to be fighting at Rotherham.

“Our home form suggests we are good enough. But something has to change away from home. That did happen for an hour, but we’re still sat here having been beaten.”

Taylor was serving a one-game touchline ban at the Cardiff City Stadium after picking up a third yellow card of the season during his side’s draw with Preston last weekend.

But he revealed he was a lot nearer the action than he expected.

“I was meant to be out of earshot and communicating via a walkie-talkie, but I was put in a seat only about 10 rows back,” said Taylor.

“It was nothing to do with me, that’s where they put me.”

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