Cardiff City Snatch Dramatic Point at Edgeley Park

Cardiff City maintained their unbeaten League One record with a dramatic 1-1 draw at Stockport County, courtesy of Yousef Salech’s stoppage-time equaliser that cancelled out Oliver Norwood’s first-half penalty. The result keeps Brian Barry-Murphy’s side top of the table, though they were forced to dig deep against a spirited Hatters display.

Team Changes and Tactical Adjustments

Brian Barry-Murphy made two alterations from the side that demolished Plymouth Argyle 4-0 in their previous outing. The most significant change saw Perry Ng earn his first League One start of the 2025/26 season, stepping into the defensive setup alongside Calum Chambers, who also returned to the starting eleven.

The bench featured considerable depth with Wales internationals Dylan Lawlor and Ronan Kpakio named among the substitutes following their recent international duty with Wales. This provided Barry-Murphy with an option of being able to rest the pair but also quality options as the game progressed, particularly given both players’ impressive early-season form.

🔢

Perry and Chambo come into the City starting XI, with Gabriel Osho and David Turnbull amongst the substitutes. 💙
#CityAsOne pic.twitter.com/BcBZLACzJP

— Cardiff City FC (@CardiffCityFC) September 13, 2025

Stockport made an array of changes including Owen Moxon, Callum Connolly, Jayden Fevrier and Nathan Lowe dropping to the bench. Odin Bailey, Joseph Olowu, Brad Hills and Benoný Andrésson took these spots in the XI, respectively.

📋 Your County team to take on Cardiff City 🔵⚪#StockportCounty | @VibePay pic.twitter.com/4bJQgUznUc

— Stockport County (@StockportCounty) September 13, 2025

Early Pressure and Penalty Drama

The afternoon began quietly at Edgeley Park before bursting into life midway through the first half. Stockport’s Beno Andrésson emerged as the game’s most threatening figure, striking the post on 25 minutes after latching onto Kyle Wootton’s clever flick-on. The Icelandic forward continued to torment Cardiff’s defence, forcing Nathan Trott into a smart reflex save with a powerful close-range header moments later.

Cardiff’s defensive struggles became costly eight minutes after Andrésson’s near-miss. The same player was adjudged to have been hauled down in the penalty area by Perry Ng, with referee Simon Mather pointing to the spot despite Cardiff’s protests about unpunished fouls in the build-up. Norwood stepped up to dispatch the penalty, sending Trott the wrong way to give Stockport a deserved 34th-minute lead.

Second Half Struggles and Late Drama

The second half followed a similar pattern, with Stockport continuing to create the clearer chances. Jack Diamond was denied by the alert Trott, while Ben Osborn fired wide as the Hatters sought to extend their advantage. Cardiff thought they had found an equaliser through Salech on 55 minutes, but the striker’s tap-in was ruled out for Chris Willock’s offside position in the build-up.

Recognising his team’s struggles, Barry-Murphy turned to his bench just after the hour mark. David Turnbull and Isaak Davies replaced Joel Colwill and Cian Ashford, injecting fresh impetus into Cardiff’s attacking play. Further reinforcements arrived in the form of Callum Robinson, Kpakio, and Lawlor as the manager sought to salvage something from the fixture.

Stockport’s disciplined defence appeared destined to secure all three points. Dave Challinor’s side had executed their game plan to perfection, pressing aggressively and disrupting Cardiff’s rhythm throughout. However, football’s capacity for late drama was about to manifest itself in the most dramatic fashion.

Salech’s Moment of Magic

Deep into the seven minutes of stoppage time, Cardiff finally found their moment. Willock, who had endured a frustrating afternoon, delivered a perfectly weighted cross from the left flank. The ball found Salech unmarked in the middle, and the striker made no mistake with a deft header that Corey Addai misjudged and nestled into the net to the delight of the travelling Cardiff supporters.

The equaliser represented Salech’s second goal of the campaign and extended Cardiff’s remarkable unbeaten run to nine matches across all competitions. Speaking after the match, the striker expressed his relief at finding the net after a slow start to the season.

“I haven’t been scoring like I wanted through the start of the season,” Salech admitted. “Scoring goals is what I always want to do to help the team, and today that helped us stay unbeaten for another game. It’s not the first time I’ve scored that late - I enjoy scoring late, deciding games, equalising or winning games.”

⌛️ @CardiffCityFC rescue a point in the final seconds!#EFL | #SkyBetLeagueOne pic.twitter.com/QhQ7R3XEfA

— Sky Bet League One (@SkyBetLeagueOne) September 13, 2025

League Standings and Unbeaten Run

The draw maintains Cardiff’s position at the summit of League One, though their lead has been reduced with other results going against them. The Bluebirds now have 17 points from seven matches, having won five and drawn two since the season began.

Cardiff’s defensive record remains impressive despite the goal conceded, with just two goals allowed in their seven league fixtures and none of them having been conceded from open play. Nathan Trott’s contribution between the posts has been significant, with the goalkeeper making several crucial saves throughout the campaign.

The unbeaten start represents a remarkable turnaround for a club that suffered relegation from the Championship just months earlier. Barry-Murphy’s appointment has transformed the team’s mentality, with players expressing confidence about not just winning promotion but dominating the division entirely.

Looking Forward

This result serves as a valuable learning experience for Cardiff as they navigate their first season back in League One. The late equaliser demonstrates the character and determination that will prove essential in their promotion quest, while also highlighting areas requiring improvement.

Barry-Murphy’s honest assessment suggests the management team recognises the need for better performances against well-organised opposition. The manager’s willingness to make bold substitutions and tactical adjustments proved crucial in securing the point.

"We're playing against a team who are very strong at home. We didn't find our rhythm early on.

"For us to show the character that we did in the second half and bounce back from what wasn't, to our standards, a great first half is testament to the players. The commitment and ability to keep going until the end was what pleased us most."

For Stockport, the draw represents a missed opportunity to close the gap on the league leaders. However, their performance demonstrated they possess the quality and organisation to compete with the division’s top teams throughout the campaign.

The result ensures Cardiff’s unbeaten record remains intact as they prepare for their next fixture, armed with renewed confidence from their dramatic escape and valuable lessons learned from 90 minutes of adversity at Edgeley Park.