Match Report | Cardiff City 4-0 Preston North End

With four goals, four scorers and two penalty saves, the Bluebirds made it five consecutive wins in a dramatic contest with Preston North End.

Goals from Kieffer Moore and Josh Murphy at the beginning of each half put City on course for three points.

In an action-packed second-half, Dillon Phillips made two sensational penalty saves, before Marlon Pack and Mark Harris sealed the win in style.

Mick McCarthy named an unchanged starting line-up, with Jonny Williams and Sheyi Ojo among the substitutes.

And with confidence and momentum behind them, City made an ideal start to the contest.

When Sean Morrison was fouled in the area inside a minute, the home side were awarded a spot-kick which Kieffer Moore clinically dispatched into the top corner.

While Morrison and Moore both had opportunities to extend the lead, the Bluebirds saved the majority of the action for after the break.

Indeed, they started the second half just as they had the first, doubling their advantage inside a minute. This time, a lovely flowing move led to Josh Murphy picking the ball up on the edge of the box and cooly finding the bottom corner.

While Daniel Iversen did well to deny Murphy and Aden Flint soon after, Phillips was alert at the other end to tip Alan Browne's header over.

Just after the hour mark, it appeared Preston had been handed a lifeline as they were awarded a spot-kick of their own. But incredibly, Phillips made successive penalty saves from both Paul Gallagher and Ched Evans, following Flint's challenge on the follow-up.

With their clean sheet preserved and the wind in their sails, City went up the other end and stretched their lead - Marlon Pack tapping home after Kieffer's close-range effort.

And just seconds after being introduced to the action, Harris put the icing on the cake. The Academy graduated picked up on a loose pass to round the 'keeper and pass into an empty net.

The full-time whistle signalled a fifth consecutive win as the Bluebirds continued their unbeaten run under McCarthy in some style.

Cardiff City: Phillips, Morrison, Flint, Nelson, Ng, Vaulks, Pack, Bennett, Wilson (Bacuna 69), Murphy (Ojo 60), Moore (Harris 77).

Subs Not Used: Smithies, Brown, Bagan, Sang, Williams, Watters.

Preston North End: Iversen, Browne (Rafferty 82), Storey, Lindsay, Hughes, Cunningham, Whiteman (Gallagher 60), Johnson (Gordon 60), Molumby (Potts 72), Evans, Riis (Barkhuizen 45).

Subs Not Used: Ripley, Ven den Berg, Huntington, Sinclair.