By Gareth James
Cardiff City manager Steve Morison accused his Fulham counterpart Marco Silva of “kicking off” over an alleged elbow incident involving Bluebirds defender Perry Ng.
The clash between the players came near the end of Cardiff’s 1-0 home defeat to the Championship leaders.
Morison praised his players for their resolve and determination against a background of seven players falling ill with a sickness bug, but was irritated by Silva’s actions.
The Fulham boss gestured with a flying elbow towards the fourth official after Ng had bumped into Fulham substitute Ivan Cavaleiro.
“Their manager was kicking off,” said Morison.
“Come one! Let’s get it right. I have watched it back 10 times and Perry Ng has brushed him. It’s pathetic.
“It was handbags. We were on the attack on the halfway line and they pulled it back for a player who was in danger, apparently. That decision was just ridiculous.”
Aleksandar Mitrovic showed once again that if you give the Serb an inch, he will take away your smile.
If I had to play for Cardiff, I’d be trying to get banned too. Naughty Perry NG. #ffc pic.twitter.com/izm0XGIBLn
— FulHambone (@FulHambone) February 27, 2022
The Fulham striker scored his 34th league goal of an all-conquering season to extend his club’s lead at the top of the Championship.
It was not the deadly marksman’s best performance of the campaign, but it was good enough because Cardiff must have had their fingers in their ears in the days beforehand.
Mitrovic had been given plenty of praise on every airwave for setting a new record for goals in a single Championship season, with 14 matches still to go.
But the amount of space given to the forward at the back post four minutes before the break was unforgivable – although Cardiff boss Morison claimed his defenders had been blocked off the ball.
Mitrovic headed home from Harry Wilson’s cross and that was enough to give Marco Silva’s men their eighth league victory in their last 10 matches.
Cardiff managed to raise a late assault and they did spurn an early opportunity when striker James Collins shot straight at Fulham keeper Marek Rodak.
But with a sickness bug having ruled out seven players and left others feeling below par, they lacked the cohesion to make the most of their moments of pressure.
Mitrovic was subdued for much of the game, but he sprang to life just before the interval to provide the game’s decisive moment.
He escaped the attention of Aden Flint at the far post and was picked out perfectly by a cross from Wilson.
Steve Morison will be fuming at half time as @CardiffCityFC wasted plenty of good work just before half time by leaving @FulhamFC’s Alex Mitrovic – of all people – free to head home at far post. Earlier James Collins should have put #Bluebirds ahead. Lapse so costly. HT0-1
— Rob Phillips (@robphillipshere) February 26, 2022
That must have hurt the Bluebirds – not just conceding but the fact that creator Wilson was a player they had once wanted to buy, but could not afford, after a loan spell from Liverpool.
Silva said: “As we expected it was tough, it is always hard to come here and play.
“We knew what type of game it would be. We always expect first and second balls and balls in our box.
“Apart from one moment when we slept completely, we dealt really well with the situation.
“We controlled big parts of the match and although were a bit slower than I wanted but we created enough, we were the best team and deserved the three points.”
Morison, whose team have stalled again and are without a win in their last three games, was pleased given the circumstances of the bug.
“I couldn’t be prouder of my players, I thought we were fantastic,” said Morison.
“We went toe-to toe with the best team in the league and we limited them to the least amount of shots they have managed this season.
“Mitrovic got free from a well-worked corner, he had one moment and he scored. That’s why he’s a goal scorer and why he’s top of the league.”
