Brentford seventh after beating Cardiff

Brentford 2 Cardiff 1

Ollie Watkins netted again and Bryan Mbeumo extended his scoring streak to six goals from 10 games as Brentford survived a Cardiff comeback to climb above their opponents to seventh place in the Championship.

Mbeumo netted the opening goal for the third consecutive match – and then set up Watkins for his 14th of the season, before Marlon Pack’s 25-yard free-kick for the visitors ensured a nervy finish.

The lively Said Benrahma set up Brentford’s opening goal in the 25th minute, wriggling free and feinting to shoot before threading a pass for Mbeumo to tuck his left-foot finish beyond Neil Etheridge.

Benrahma almost made it 2-0 on the stroke of half-time with another mazy run and shot that Etheridge parried straight to Watkins, but Curtis Nelson threw himself in front of the ball to divert it over.

However, it took the home side only 55 seconds to double their lead after the restart, with Mbeumo supplying a cross from the right for Watkins to direct his glancing header neatly into the far corner.

It looked as if Brentford might put the game to bed, with further chances for Mbeumo, Benrahma and Rico Henry, but the Bluebirds belatedly began to threaten, with half-time substitute Josh Murphy twice going close.

They halved the deficit in the 64th minute when Lee Tomlin won a free-kick and rolled the ball to Pack, who drilled it past the motionless David Raya.

But the Bees were indebted to their goalkeeper for two vital interventions in the closing stages when he tipped Tomlin’s volley over the bar and then raced out to foil substitute Callum Paterson.