Cardiff City 2-0 Preston North End

Kenneth Zohore scored on his 23rd birthday with a chip over the goalkeeper

Cardiff City made it three Championship home wins on the bounce with a comfortable defeat of Preston.

Peter Whittingham scored from the penalty spot and a fine individual goal from Kenneth Zohore earned the points for Neil Warnock's side.

The result was a blow to the play-off hopes of Preston who had lost just once in nine away games before the defeat.

The Bluebirds have pulled 11 points clear of the relegation places at the other end of the table and are 15th.

The visitors came closest to open the scoring early on when Jordan Hugill was just inches away from forcing home an Aiden McGeady cross.

But it was the Bluebirds who took the lead on 18 minutes when Daniel Johnson brought Junior Hoilett down in the box.

Whittingham stroked home coolly from the spot for his 97th goal in a decade at the Welsh club.

Just 10 minutes later Warnock's men doubled their advantage thanks to Zohore.

The Danish striker surged forward from the halfway line, beating three Preston players before dinking the ball over the advancing Chris Maxwell in the Preston goal.

It was the perfect way for Zohore to celebrate his 23rd birthday.

Preston almost got a goal back when Ben Pearson forced a good save from Allan McGregor, but then Cardiff saw Hoilett divert a Sean Morrison header onto the bar on the stroke of half-time.

Despite early Preston pressure at the start of the second period, Zohore almost scored again on the break on 63 minutes, but this time Maxwell made the save.

With striker Jermaine Beckford brought on at the interval Preston pushed to cut the deficit, but found the Cardiff defence, marshalled by the impressive Sol Bamba, in uncompromising form.

Warnock's side held out with the minimum of fuss to earn three home league victories on the bounce for the first time in two-and-a-half years.

Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock told BBC Radio Wales: "It was comfortable, quite professional. We could have been a bit more greedy and got a few more goals.

"It showed how far we have come really. In every area it was pleasing.

"You're only as good as your forwards and I thought they were all a threat. Midfield did well too. It was a pleasing night."

Preston North End manager Simon Grayson: "It was a disappointing performance and Cardiff haven't worked too hard for it tonight.

"We've based our success on being hard to beat and playing attractive football, but we didn't do that. We didn't get anything out of the game and that's what we deserved.

"You can't give teams easy goals. We should've managed the game better but we have to accept it, move on and be better."