Nottm Forest 1-2 Cardiff

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Cardiff City saw off Nottingham Forest at the City Ground thanks to early goals from Rob Earnshaw and skipper Graham Kavanagh.

The Bluebirds were in front with less than two minutes gone thanks to goal-poacher Earnshaw's predatory strike.

Kavanagh doubled the advantage six minutes later with a gloriously executed free-kick which rippled the net after having been dispatched from 20 yards out.

Marlon Harewood breached the Cardiff defence in the second-half but his 71st-minute strike served merely as consolation for Paul Hart's men.

The visitors had raced into their early lead after Forest defender Michael Dawson, who was making his first appearance of the season, lost track of Earnshaw inside the right channel.

With the England Under-21 central defender grasping in vain for Earnshaw's shirt, he wriggled free to make the penalty area and screw a scuffed shot past keeper Darren Ward.

Six minutes later and Cardiff has doubled their advantage, this time courtesy of Kavanagh who took advantage from a free-kick awarded two yards outside the Forest penalty area.

Kavanagh launched a delicate curling effort into the top right corner of Ward's net.

Striker David Johnson saw the hosts' best effort of the half go wide of the woodwork after he had fired across the mouth of the Cardiff goal.

Bluebirds midfielder Willie Boland went close with an audacious effort which rose inches over the beleaguered Ward's crossbar.

Tempers boiled over in the 23rd minute when Cardiff midfielder John Robinson, who had already been booked, clashed with Matthieu Louis-Jean.

But the hosts were soon reeling under yet more pressure as the half closed with Earnshaw shooting just over the bar.

Forest came out fired up for the second half, with Johnson giving the visitors a scare in the 50th minute with a fierce shot that was saved at his near post by Cardiff keeper Neil Alexander.

Harewood had seen a penalty appeal waved away by the referee after being felled in the box by Gabbidon.

He raised hopes of a Forest rival by blazing a powerful half-volley through a populated Cardiff box and past the helpless Alexander.

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Nottm Forest: Ward, Louis-Jean, Dawson, Thompson, Oyen, Williams, Stewart, Reid, Jess, Johnson, Harewood. Subs: Morgan, Roche, Bopp, Westcarr, Sonner.

Cardiff: Alexander, Weston, Vidmar, Gabbidon, Barker, Langley, Kavanagh, Robinson, Boland, Lee, Earnshaw. Subs: Thorne, Collins, Whalley, Bonner, Margetson.

Referee: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire)