Yousef Salech scored a late winner as Cardiff City came from behind to beat promotion rivals Stevenage 2-1 at Cardiff City Stadium and maintain their three-point advantage at the League One summit.
It was a striking clash of styles between two of the division's promotion contenders: the free-scoring entertainers at the top of the table against League One's most miserly defence, mounting a top-six challenge relatively few would have predicted in pre-season. In the end, Cardiff's persistence proved decisive as they completed the double over Stevenage, having also won 1-0 on the road three weeks earlier.
A One-Sided Stalemate
Cardiff dominated possession and territory throughout, yet it was the visitors who came closest to scoring before the break. Harvey White's cross-come-shot of a third-minute free-kick struck the crossbar, the clearest opening of a first half in which Stevenage held less than 30% of the ball.