Wycombe Wanderers 2-1 Cardiff City: Tafazolli and Wheeler give bottom side win

Ryan Tafazolli celebrates with team mates after scoring Wycombe's first goal against Cardiff

Championship bottom side Wycombe Wanderers earned just a third win of the season as they dealt Cardiff City's play-off hopes another blow.

Ryan Tafazolli headed the hosts in front from a first-half corner by their captain and ex-Bluebird Joe Jacobson.

David Wheeler doubled their lead with a thumping header after the break, only Wycombe's seventh home goal this term.

Cardiff barely threatened in a limp display, save for Junior Hoilett nodding in deep into added time.

The substitute's goal did little to improve a dire night for the Welsh club, compounded when their manager Neil Harris was sent off for dissent.

Wycombe remain at the foot of the table but they have closed the gap on second-from-bottom Rotherham United to one point, while they are a further three points from safety.

Cardiff, meanwhile, slip further away from the play-offs, seven points adrift having fallen to 15th place in the Championship table.

That will increase the pressure on Harris, who has overseen four defeats in Cardiff's past five matches.

Harris had admitted during an earlier lean spell this season that he was battling to save his job and, considering chairman Mehmet Dalman said Cardiff would be "disappointed" if they were not in the top six by January, the former Millwall boss may be fearing for his future again.

This current downturn in form will be particularly frustrating for Harris as it has come off the back of four successive wins, ended abruptly by a derby loss to Swansea City earlier this month.

Having lost their way since then, Cardiff may have viewed a match at Wycombe - victorious only twice all season - as an ideal opportunity to rediscover their winning touch.

But that never looked like happening as they produced a lifeless performance at Adams Park.

Their evening started badly when captain and centre-back Sean Morrison was forced off injured after 20 minutes, replaced by Filip Benkovic, who was making his debut after joining on loan from Leicester.

Morrison is a highly influential player for the Bluebirds, dominant defensively and a threat in opposition penalty areas from set-pieces - and Cardiff clearly missed his aerial prowess when they fell behind.

Wycombe's opening goal came from a corner by Jacobson, floated to the back post where Tafazolli rose above Benkovic and headed in.

That was only a sixth home goal of the season for Wycombe, and a notable assist for their skipper Jacobson playing against his boyhood club for the first time in his career.

The home side did not create many chances but they deserved their lead, playing with far more purpose and energy than their listless opponents.

Cardiff at least mustered a couple of efforts on goal in the second half, Sheyi Ojo forcing Ryan Allsop into a save and Harry Wilson shooting wide.

But those were rare attacks from the visitors, who failed to truly trouble a Wycombe defence which had gone eight games without a clean sheet.

Just as Cardiff thought they might be able to force their way back into the match, their fate was sealed by the home side's second goal.

Garath McCleary delivered a fine cross from the left wing and Wheeler connected with a powerful header which flew into the top corner.

There was no way back for Cardiff from that point. When Hoilett headed in off the post three minutes into injury time, the game as done.

By that stage, Harris had been sent off for dissent, the frustration of the evening - and perhaps the potential implications for his own position - getting the better of the Cardiff manager.