Ng and Colwill score as Cardiff beat Bristol City

Perry Ng has scored in successive matches for the first time in his Cardiff career

Perry Ng continued his impressive goalscoring run and Rubin Colwill produced a fine individual goal to give Cardiff City victory in the Severnside derby.

But substitute Colwill produced a rare moment of class to seal the points late on as he danced between two defenders down the left flank before smashing a shot high into the net.

Harry Cornick had Bristol City's clearest sight of goal but was denied by Jak Alnwick.

Erol Bulut's Cardiff have won five of their seven home Championship fixtures this season, meaning they are already just one short of their final tally of league triumphs on this ground in 2022-23.

That sharp upturn in home form - the Bluebirds extended their unbeaten run on their patch to six games - is key to a growing feeling of optimism at Cardiff about their prospects for this campaign.

Bristol City, meanwhile, are left searching for improvement having succumbed to a fifth defeat in their last seven games.

Nigel Pearson's team drop to 15th in the table, while Cardiff climb to fifth.

This was a meeting of a Cardiff side with one of the better attacks in the second tier and a Bristol City team who boast one of the division's meanest defences.

Yet it was the Robins who threatened first, as Dimitrios Goutas lost possession deep in home territory and Cornick's shot flashed wide of the target thanks to a slight touch from Cardiff goalkeeper Alnwick.

It was a first half of few opportunities at either end, but from that point on Cardiff looked the more likely scorers.

Callum Robinson was denied a chance to shoot at goal when he was chopped down just outside the box by Rob Dickie, before Karlan Grant's far-post volley was gathered by goalkeeper Max O'Leary.

Cardiff, on their best home run since an eight-game unbeaten streak in the 2019-20 campaign, broke the deadlock in fairly simple fashion when Joe Ralls' right-wing corner was headed in from point-blank range by Ng.

Perry Ng rises high to head Cardiff into the lead

The former Crewe player has scored only 12 goals in a senior career spanning eight years, with three of those coming in the last month.

Bristol City's cause is not being helped by a lengthy injury list, yet Pearson's team came back into the contest in the second half.

Jason Knight's 25-yard drive drew a sharp save from Alnwick, then Andreas Weimann hooked one effort off target before heading over the bar.

Bristol City substitute Ephraim Yeboah saw penalty appeals turned down before Wales international Colwill, who has struggled for game-time this season, gave a reminder of his undoubted quality with his first league goal of the season.