Cardiff v Huddersfield

FT 90 +7
HT 0-0

Cardiff captain Mark Hudson struck in injury time to kill off battling Championship newcomers Huddersfield's challenge at Cardiff City Stadium.

The visitors seemed destined to draw on their return to the league after a 12-year absence.

But Hudson's low, hard, close-range shot ended the Terriers' hopes.

Cardiff's win came after a summer dominated by rebranding from blue to red and the recent arrival of Craig Bellamy.

But as well as Hudson's opportunism, the hosts had another solid servant in goalkeeper David Marshall to thank for keeping Simon Grayson's side at bay.

Marshall won the man-of-the-match award after keeping a clean sheet despite the best efforts of Oliver Norwood, Scott Arfield and Keith Southern.

Moments before Hudson hit home, Marshall reacted superbly to deflect Arfield's powerful 20-yard shot.

However, the home 'keeper did not have to contend with Scottish striker striker Jordan Rhodes, who was a late withdrawal because of injury, having been the subject of a transfer bid by Blackburn in the build-up.

Cardiff welcomed back Kevin McNaughton, Hudson, Ben Turner and Andrew Taylor after the quartet missed their midweek League Cup defeat at Northampton through injury.

Eight players also return after being on international duty, including new signing from Liverpool Bellamy and Heidar Helguson was the only survivor from Wednesday's setback.

The visitors were also without winger Danny Ward (ankle) while Cardiff's South Korean summer signing Kim Bo-Kyung was also unavailable as he arranges a work permit.

Having reached the second tier via the play-offs, Huddersfield could have been forgiven for succumbing early on to a side that has been in the Championship for 10 years and been promotion candidates for the last three seasons.

But Cardiff were rarely able to bring Bellamy and Whittingham's influence to bear, relying on long balls to Helguson, which Huddersfield were equal to.

Midway through the second period visiting keeper Alex Smithies deflected the Jordan Mutch's shot into Helguson's path, but with a simple tap-in to complete he was denied by Peter Clarke's alert intervention.

At the death, a deflection off substitute Joe Mason's shoulder gave Hudson the chance to display his killer instinct and Huddersfield did not have enough time to respond.

VIEW FROM THE BENCH

Cardiff City manager Malky Mackay:

"It was a tough game.

"They frustrated us, got everyone behind the ball and tried to break on the counter and made a couple of chances of their own and we had to make sure David Marshall was on his toes with those.

"But I thought we were brave, brave on the ball to keep going, to keep probing and to keep trying to find those spaces.

"And I think near the end we had two or three chances that nearly were knocking at the door and eventually we got the break."

Lineup, Bookings (4) & Substitutions (4)

Cardiff City

01 Marshall
02 McNaughton
03 Taylor
05 Hudson
06 Turner
07 Whittingham Booked
08 Cowie (Mason - 78' )
17 Gunnarsson
18 Mutch (Kiss - 85' )
22 Helguson
39 Bellamy

Substitutes

32 Lewis
04 Kiss
11 Conway
23 Blake
09 Velikonja
10 Earnshaw
20 Mason

Huddersfield Town

01 Smithies
03 Dixon
05 P Clarke
32 Hunt
33 Lynch
04 Norwood
08 Clayton Booked
16 Arfield (Gerrard - 90' Booked )
24 Southern Booked
07 Scannell (Spencer - 90' )
09 Novak

Substitutes

13 Bennett
02 Woods
06 Gerrard
22 Robinson
19 Lee
27 Higginbotham
30 Spencer

Ref: East

Att: 21,127

Match Stats

Possession 52 48

Shots

13 12

On target

5 6

Corners

7 4

Fouls

11 8

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +6:03 Full time

Full Time The final whistle is blown by the referee.

90:00 +4:52

Craig Bellamy takes the direct free kick.

90:00 +4:52 Booking

Booking Anthony Gerrard is shown a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.

90:00 +4:40

Anthony Gerrard gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Filip Kiss.

90:00 +3:53 Substitution

Substitution James Spencer on for Sean Scannell.

90:00 +3:40

Adam Clayton has an effort at goal from just outside the penalty box which goes wide of the left-hand post.

90:00 +3:13

Unfair challenge on Peter Clarke by Filip Kiss results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Alex Smithies.

90:00 +1:51 Substitution

Substitution Anthony Gerrard is brought on as a substitute for Scott Arfield.

90:00 +0:56

Assist by Aron Gunnarsson.

90:00 +0:56 Goal scored

Goal - Mark Hudson - Cardiff 1 - 0 Huddersfld Goal scored by Mark Hudson from close range to the bottom right corner of the goal. Cardiff 1-0 Huddersfield.

90:00 +0:23

Corner taken by Craig Bellamy from the left by-line to the near post, clearance made by Lee Novak.

88:35

Joe Mason produces a left-footed shot from inside the area that goes over the bar.

85:46

Peter Whittingham takes the inswinging corner, Unfair challenge on Joel Lynch by Andrew Taylor results in a free kick. Alex Smithies takes the direct free kick.

84:36 Substitution

Substitution Filip Kiss on for Jordon Mutch.

83:08

Effort on goal by Scott Arfield from just inside the area clears the bar.

82:49

Inswinging corner taken by Oliver Norwood.

82:34

Shot from 18 yards from Scott Arfield. Save made by David Marshall.

78:57

Heidar Helguson takes a shot. Alex Smithies makes a comfortable save.

77:56 Substitution

Substitution Peter Whittingham leaves the field to be replaced by Joe Mason.

77:55 Substitution

Substitution Joe Mason replaces Don Cowie.

75:41

Oliver Norwood takes the inswinging corner, save made by David Marshall.

75:29

Lee Novak takes a shot. Blocked by Mark Hudson.

74:00

Free kick awarded for a foul by Scott Arfield on Andrew Taylor. Peter Whittingham crosses the ball, Header by Andrew Taylor from deep inside the penalty area misses to the left of the target.

72:55

Adam Clayton crosses the ball from the free kick right-footed from right channel, David Marshall fouled by Lee Novak, the ref awards a free kick. David Marshall restarts play with the free kick.

72:55 Booking

Booking Booking for Peter Whittingham for unsporting behaviour.