Cardiff City’s Sol Bamba netted a dramatic late goal after a goalmouth scramble as they snatched a 2-1 win over 10-man Brighton & Hove Albion to move out of the Premier League relegation zone on Saturday.
With seconds left Bamba’s overhead kick come back off the post and the rebound fell to Callum Paterson whose effort cannoned off the bar. But Bamba made no mistake third time round when he fired the ball into the roof of the net.
It completed a day to remember for Neil Warnock, who was celebrating 100 games in charge of Cardiff, as the Welsh club recorded their second top-flight victory of the season after Brighton’s Dale Stephens was sent off in the first half.
The hosts did it the hard way after Brighton went in front in the sixth minute when England defender Lewis Dunk was left unmarked at the far post to head into the corner of the net after Solly March delivered a perfect free-kick from the left.
Cardiff showed their fighting qualities when they drew level after 28 minutes. Kadeem Harris weaved into the penalty box and chipped the ball into the path of Paterson whose header took a slight deflection as it flew past keeper Mathew Ryan.
Their cause was helped when mid-table Brighton went down to 10 men in the 34th. Stephens took a heavy touch and in trying to win back the ball he flew into a challenge with Greg Cunningham and was shown a red card by referee Martin Atkinson.