Cardiff’s second smash and grab raid at home against a top four team in the Championship in the space of six weeks sent Southampton’s hopes of automatic promotion into a tailspin.

It was a goal from Callum O’Dowda in the 100th minute that sank Ipswich Town 2-1 on March 9 and a first league goal for teenager Cian Ashford in the 96th minute of his first full appearance sent Saints marching home after a similar 2-1 defeat at Cardiff City Stadium.

“It’s unacceptable to lose a game like that. With the amount of chances we had we should have been out of sight by half-time,” said frustrated Southampton boss Russell Martin.

“We started the second half well and had some more chances. We played some amazing football but it won’t matter one bit because we lost.

“If you’re not going to have the conviction and ruthlessness, be clinical in their box, and then not defend your own properly that’s what happens.

“Today has done us a lot of harm in terms of chasing the automatic spot, but we have to react properly now. We’ve got three games left and we can still get over 90 points.

“I expect a big reaction from everyone on Tuesday night. If it means our season’s going to be extended, so be it, and we have to get ready for that.

“We’ve spent a little time in the top three, but we have been outsiders for automatic promotion for a long time.”

The Cardiff fans let the board of directors know their feelings about manager Erol Bulut, who has yet to secure an extension to his one-year contract, by chanting ‘We want you to stay’ for long periods of the second half as goals from Famara Diedhiou in the 68th minute and Ashford at the death saw their side take the points.

“Sometimes it’s good when you’re not pushing for something or at the bottom, so the players can play freely. I said to my team before today I wanted only positive things, even if they make mistakes,” said Bulut.

“I told them to play freely and I think they did a really good job. After 90 minutes, Cardiff had three youngsters, new players, on the field. This is important for the future of the club.

“The academy did a really good job, so thanks to them. It’s a message to the academy that we always have an eye on them.

“I think that is a moment Cian Ashford will never forget. I spoke about what we’ve seen in training from him, he is doing really well.

“He played 15, 20 minutes in previous games and had some good movements. But today, for 90 minutes, he was great.”

Cian Ashford struck a 96th-minute winner for Cardiff as they put a huge dent in Southampton’s bid for automatic promotion with a 2-1 win at Cardiff City Stadium.

The Saints took an early lead through Joe Aribo and looked comfortable for much of the game before they were overhauled by a tremendous fightback from the Bluebirds.

Southampton came into the game on the back of picking up nine points from three games in a week.

They saw Leicester go top of the table with their 2-0 home win over West Brom prior to their kick-off and were chasing a fourth win in a row to go level on points with Leeds in third.

Saints boss Russell Martin saw his team get off to a flying start with a goal in the 12th minute.

Prior to that Stuart Armstrong’s shot across the home goal had hit the post, but there was no stopping Aribo’s shot as he gave the Saints the lead. Ethan Horvath had managed to keep out Adam Armstrong’s initial effort, but Aribo showed good composure to strike the rebound home.

If it had not have been for the heroics of American goalkeeper Horvath the game could have been out of sight by the break. His form, and the lack of finishing skills from Southampton’s players, meant there was still only a goal in it at half-time.

Two terrible back passes, firstly from Rubin Colwill and then from Ollie Tanner, put Horvath under huge pressure. He saw Adam Armstrong shoot over the top from the first and then watched in amazement and relief as David Brooks failed to beat him from point blank range with the second.

It ended up as 12 shots to four in favour of the visitors in the first half alone, with six of them on target.

The pressure continued after the break with shot after shot whistling past the home posts.

Just short of the hour mark Adam Armstrong had a diving header at the far post from a Che Adams cross superbly saved on the line by Horvath as Cardiff once again rode their luck.

With the score still delicately poised going into the final quarter Southampton were in danger of getting caught out due to their failure to finish their chances and so it proved in the 68th minute when a neat raid down the right flank saw 21-year-old substitute wing back Raheem Conte make a name for himself on his debut.

He raced to the byline, crossed into the danger zone and Famara Diedhiou side-footed home the equaliser.

What had been a stroll in the park for much of the game suddenly turned into a dog fight for the Saints in their battle for automatic promotion.

Alex McCarthy was then forced to tip over a a vicious shot from the right by Yakou Mete to keep the scores level and Cardiff became bolder and bolder as they pushed forward looking for a second.

It almost came from Diedhiou early on in the nine minutes of added time when he headed down from a Joe Ralls free kick on the right to force McCarthy into another important save.

Then came Ashford’s pile-driver from 25 yards that was helped on its way with a deflection past McCarthy.

Cardiff claimed a third successive Championship win by beating Huddersfield 1-0 at home.

Famara Diedhiou’s first goal in English football since a brace for Bristol City at Middlesbrough in February 2021 moved Cardiff to within seven points of the play-off places.

The on-loan Senegal striker converted Josh Bowler’s cross on the half-hour mark to put his name on a Championship scoresheet again after spells in Turkey and Spain.

Huddersfield were left to bemoan a curious second-half decision by referee Matthew Donohue when they might have been awarded a penalty.

Perry Ng appeared to kick out at Michal Helik at a corner and was booked by Donohue, who was looking at the incident, but the official chose to take no further punishment.

Huddersfield had not lost under new manager Andre Breitenreiter, with the German having taken four points from his first two games.

Confidence from winning at Watford and holding promotion-chasing Leeds to a draw was reflected by a bright start that saw Ben Wiles fire over after Joe Ralls made a mess of clearing Delano Burgzorg’s centre.

As the half wore on, Huddersfield’s best moments were restricted to Sorba Thomas’ dead-ball delivery.

Dimitrios Goutas, Cardiff’s Greek centre-half, got an invaluable touch on one Thomas free-kick sent into a crowded six-yard box.

Another fine ball from the Wales international ended with a Brodie Spencer header that home goalkeeper Ethan Horvath grasped.

Cardiff’s own attacks often petered out, despite Bowler being a regular threat down the right flank.

But Lee Nicholls reacted well at his near post after Karlan Grant had cut back on to his right foot to deliver both power and accuracy.

The deadlock was broken after 30 minutes as Cardiff produced a superb sweeping move out of keeping with the contest.

Ryan Wintle’s excellent cross-field pass was matched by the touch of Bowler and Diedhiou guided his cross beyond the diving Nicholls.

Huddersfield made a double change at the break – Jaheim Headley and Alex Matos replacing Spencer and Wiles – and carved out a couple of half-chances.

Burgzorg tested Horvath and Jack Rudoni headed over as Cardiff toiled to clear a corner.

Nicholls comfortably held David Turnbull’s free-kick and, after Helik had complained of being kicked by Ng, tempers continued to fray.

Cardiff goalkeeping coach Mario Galinovic was shown a red card and banished from the dugout as Huddersfield pushed for an equaliser.

Danny Ward miskicked in front of an open goal to secure his old club’s third consecutive win for the first time since September.

Huddersfield remain deep in relegation trouble, just above the bottom three by virtue of having scored more goals than 22nd-placed Stoke.