Cardiff City 2-0 Huddersfield Town

Anthony Pilkington scored his first goal of the season to put Cardiff ahead against his former club

Cardiff preserved their unbeaten start to the season as two second-half goals saw them overcome winless Huddersfield.

The hosts started brightly with chances for Kenwyne Jones and Joe Mason but both sides struggled for fluency in a goalless first half low on quality.

Anthony Pilkington made the breakthrough with 20 minutes left as he fired neatly into the bottom corner.

Joe Mason then finished into an empty net to lift Russell Slade's side into second place in the Championship table.

For Huddersfield, meanwhile, a second successive defeat leaves Chris Powell's side still searching for a first league victory of the season.

They handed debuts to three new signings in the Welsh capital and one of those, goalkeeper Jed Steer, was called into action after just two minutes as he saved Jones' firm 12-yard shot.

Substitute Sammy Ameobi had a hand in both Cardiff goals after coming on

Although Cardiff fashioned another chance for Mason, who fired wide, they defended nervously and almost fell behind when Sean Scannell's fizzing ball across the six-yard box was cleared by Fabio.

The first half rather petered out from that point, becoming a sluggish affair in which neither team was able to hold on to possession for any meaningful length of time.

There was more urgency after the break, Huddersfield's Harry Bunn darting into the box and seeing his low effort blocked by Sean Morrison.

Jones had a glorious opportunity to put Cardiff in front but, clear on goal after Joe Ralls' through ball, the Trinidadian striker shot tamely at Steer.

He was soon replaced by Sammy Ameobi, and the substitute had an instant impact as he found Pilkington, who turned and shot in one slick movement to score against his former club.

Ameobi, on loan from Newcastle, was involved in the second goal eight minutes later as he prodded the ball beyond Steer for Mason to score into an empty net from a tight angle.

That sealed a third straight league win for Cardiff, the first time the Bluebirds have achieved that feat since the 2012-13 season in which they were promoted to the Premier League.

Cardiff City manager Russell Slade said:

"It took a while to get some element of control of this game against resolute opposition.

"The impact Sammy [Ameobi] made was excellent and he had a hand in getting us the goals. After that we settled down and were comfortable enough.

"At times we were a bit sloppy and the fine detail was not quite where we have been in recent weeks, but we had enough belief to get the result.

"We are looking solid and difficult to break down as well as creating chances."

Huddersfield boss Chris Powell:

"That (not being awarded a penalty for a foul on Harry Bunn) was the turning point in the game. Before that we dominated the first period but failed to find the final product.

"It petered out in the second half but we felt that was a penalty straight away. "If the defender had got the ball then it would have deviated, but the ball continues along the same line.

"Then you're talking 1-0 to us instead of 1-0 down just seconds later and then we're chasing the game. That's just the way it's going for us right now.

"It's not the start to the season that we wanted, but we've had to deal with a lot of players coming and going and we're trying to gel as a team as quickly as possible."