Cardiff waste chance to boost promotion push

LONDON: Cardiff’s bid for automatic promotion to the Premier League suffered a blow on Tuesday as Derby improved their play-off prospects with a crucial 3-1 win.

Neil Warnock’s second-placed side could have moved four points clear of third-placed Fulham with a win at Pride Park.With only two games left in the Championship season, that would have put the Bluebirds in pole position to join already-promoted Wolves in the top flight.

Cardiff were on course to achieve that target after Callum Paterson gave them a half-time lead.But defensive errors allowed Cameron Jerome to score twice either side of a Matej Vydra strike as Derby ended a run of three straight defeats to move back into sixth place above Millwall.

Barnsley are fighting for Championship survival after Nottingham Forest cruised to a 3-0 win at the City Ground.Lee Tomlin scored a spectacular goal before setting up another for Ben Brereton and sub Apostolos Vellios netted a late third.