Cardiff City and Swansea City both got back in the winning groove in the Championship on a good weekend for Wales’ two biggest clubs.

Erol Bulut put points above performance as he assessed a vital win for Cardiff that keeps them on the edge of the Championship play-offs.

The Bluebirds manager saw his team overcome Millwall 1-0 in the capital in a match that will not live long in the memory.

But the victory came after back-to-back defeats and was enough to leave Cardiff only outside the top six positions on goal difference.

“It was not the best game, but we knew they would be aggressive,” said Bulut.

“We have to manage games like this better. We didn’t play how I wanted in the first half, but we were more compact in the second.

“We’re having periods in games where we are playing well but that is not enough. But today whoever scored the first goal was going to win the game.

“We’ve scored many goals from set-pieces, it is a weapon for us in games and we will use it.”

Bulut’s team have won four out of their last eight matches, but remain inconsistent with three defeats and a draw in the same spell.

They rarely looked like losing to the toothless Lions, though, and now have matches against out-of-form Birmingham City and Hull to try and gain some momentum before the busy Christmas period.

Jerry Yates believes Swansea City showed their true personality in victory at Rotherham in their first match since the dismissal of Michael Duff.

Rotherham academy product Yates came back to haunt his former club as he grabbed the winner in the Swans’ 2-1 victory.

 

Defender Daniel Ayala was sent off for the Millers after 17 minutes and that changed the complexion of the game, with Swansea eventually taking full advantage to secure all three points.

It was a first win in his first match in charge for caretaker coach Alan Sheehan, who admitted he is in the dark over how long he will remain in the role.

“It’s always a tough place to come. I was here at the start of my career so I know about how hard it can be,” said Swansea striker Yates.

“The lads dug in, showed good personality and got this win so it’s a nice feeling.”

The victory lifted Swansea up to 16th in the table, five points clear of the relegation zone and six points adrift of the play-off positions.

Sheehan – who stepped up after the sacking of Duff last week – was reluctant to talk about whether he would want the job long-term.

“This will never be about me, it will be about Swansea City,” he said.

“If it’s another day or two or three, whatever, I’ll do it to the best of my ability.

“It’s a club effort. Everyone deserves the ability to celebrate with the fans. It’s important we have that connection with them because that win was for them.”

Wrexham were frustrated on their travels, but it had nothing to do with hosts Forest Green Rovers in League Two.

Instead, the heavy rain meant the match was postponed, but it wasn’t such a bad weekend for Phil Parkinson’s men.

With leaders Stockport held to a 1-1 draw by Morecambe, Wrexham are only six points behind Stockport with a game in hand.

Newport County manager Graham Coughlan must have wished their game had also fallen victim to the weather.

County played poorly, admitted Coughlan, and got what they deserved – a 2-1 defeat at Tranmere Rovers.

The Newport boss said: “In the second half, I don’t know what happened to us.

 

“We lost our composure, lost our ability to pass, we looked a totally different team. Saying that, we have got to take the opportunities we create.

“We seem to go 1-0 up in games and all of a sudden we think let’s sit back. That’s never been a recipe for success.

“I think we have chucked three points away today, through our naivety, lack of leadership, sinking deep and allowing people to shoot.”