By Gareth James
Neil Harris hailed his Cardiff City battlers after the 2-1 comeback victory….on a miserably wet Tuesday night at Stoke City.
The win made it four wins on the trot for the Bluebirds lifting them up to ninth in the table.
Harris’ side are four points behind fourth-placed Swansea City – who drew 0-0 with Bournemouth – ahead of Saturday’s South Wales derby at CCS.
“It’s fantastic, I’m so pleased for the players,” said Harris. “It wasn’t a game for the purists – it was a really tough, physical battle between two good, aggressive Championship sides.
“The conditions were absolutely awful with the wind and the rain and the cold, so credit to my players for digging in and staying in it.
“To have the confidence and belief to come from behind against a team that’s been in top form, that was impressive.
“To get back-to-back wins and get six away points within the space of 72 hours is a great achievement on the back of two huge home wins as well.”
Cold, wet and windy Tuesday night at Stoke? Completed it ✅ https://t.co/xdoDGSOkua pic.twitter.com/opraySTBbO
— Dan Jardine 🏴 (@JardineOfficial) December 8, 2020
The game was one of lows then highs for City skipper Sean Morrison whose own goal gave the Potters the lead on 25 minutes.
Morrison then gave away a penalty in the second-half but Alex Smithies saved from Wales international Sam Vokes.
Sub Robert Glatzel then came off the bench to equalise with his second goal in three games on 66 minutes.
And then Morrison headed home the winner on 76 minutes from a corner to put City right back in the play-offs picture, just two points behind sixth-placed Stoke.
Tyrese Campbell was giving Cardiff plenty of problems and it was from his cross that Smithies looked to have got a touch but saw it deflect off Morrison into the net.
Wales centre-back James Chester then saw a header hit the bar before Morrison brought down Nick Powell only for Vokes’ spot-kick to be comfortably saved by Smithies.
Ten minutes later the visitors were level as Glatzel neatly controlled a Joe Ralls deep cross before finding the top corner with a neat finish.
City’s comeback was completed from another Ralls corner which Morrison met, his header bouncing into the ground and then the roof of the net.
But City are sweating over the fitness of Harry Wilson ahead of the derby as the Liverpool loanee went off with an arm injury to be replaced by Glatzel.
“It’s a really bizarre one,” said Harris. “It’s an arm injury. The muscle in the arm, the bicep, not because he’s been in the gym doing loads of weights. He’s not built like that!
“We’ll just have to see.
“I’ve picked the same team four games in a row. I’ve been really fortunate enough to do it, and we’ve had four positive results, obviously.
“I’m not sure that’s going to be the case going into the South Wales derby at the weekend with the walking wounded we’ve got in the dressing room at the moment.”
However, there is better news on fellow winger Junior Hoilett, who was left out of the matchday squad for the trip to the Potteries.
“We’re hoping to have Junior Hoilett back fit, which is a big bonus for us,” Harris added.
“He was missing tonight with a hip flexor injury, but we’ll have to see what unfolds and what happens in the next 72 hours before we pick the team for Saturday.
“Fingers crossed, the lads who have got knocks aren’t too serious and they’re available Saturday or very soon afterwards.”