Nottingham Forest 0-2 Cardiff City

Danny Ward has scored four goals since joining Cardiff from Rotherham in the summer

Cardiff closed the gap on Championship leaders Wolves to four points with victory at Nottingham Forest.

Junior Hoilett nodded the Bluebirds ahead from close range and Danny Ward found the top corner from 25 yards to double their lead before the break.

Forest struggled to find a response, as Tyler Walker shot tamely at visiting keeper Neil Etheridge and David Vaughan sent an effort over the bar.

Neil Warnock's Cardiff have now won four of their past five league games.

• Relive Cardiff's win at Forest as it happened

Nottingham Forest had been on a four-game winning run at the City Ground, but they could not find a breakthrough despite enjoying more possession in a scrappy encounter.

Daryl Murphy spurned the chance to equalise with the score 1-0 by blasting over from eight yards out, while Forest had penalty appeals turned down when Armand Traore's cross appeared to hit Bruno Ecuele Manga on the arm.

The hosts looked brighter when Mustapha Carayol came off the bench in the second half but they failed to seriously test Etheridge as Cardiff closed out the game comfortably.

Mark Warburton's side remain ninth in the table, five points off the play-off while Cardiff moved three points clear of third-placed Sheffield United.

Nottingham Forest boss Mark Warburton:

"I have to be careful what I say, because there was a clear foul on Tyler Walker in the build up to the first goal, right in front of us. It was inexplicable that it was not given.

"The second goal was a long punt. It was a very poor goal to give away.

"I thought it was a nailed on handball [by Bruno Ecuele Manga] having seen the replay. It has not been given and you cannot cry about it.

"You move on. But we were frustrated by many things."

Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock:

"I could not be any more pleased, particularly given that Forest had won their last four games at home.

"It is a fabulous week for us. It does not get any better than three wins in a week. You do not get many weeks like this in the Championship.

"We will not get carried away. Wolves will probably spend another £20m in January.

"We know it is going to be a long season and we are going to enjoy things while we can. Everyone is pulling together and we played some good stuff."