Alex Robertson’s second-half goal proved decisive as the Bluebirds claimed a vital Boxing Day triumph, extending their lead at the summit of League One to four points and securing their first Christmas fixture win since 2012.
A Resilient Cardiff Display in Difficult Conditions
Boxing Day football has proven a troublesome prospect for Cardiff City in recent years, but this time around, Brian Barry-Murphy’s side dispelled the ghosts of past festive failures with a commanding performance against a stubborn Exeter City side. The victory, secured through a clinical second-half finish from Alex Robertson, proved sufficient to maintain the Bluebirds’ position at the top of the league table, now holding a commanding four-point advantage over second-placed Lincoln City.
The match itself represented a fascinating contest on a bitterly cold afternoon in South Wales. Cardiff dominated possession throughout, controlling roughly 60% of the ball overall, yet found themselves unable to break down the resolute defensive structure that Gary Caldwell’s Exeter had assembled, for large periods of the game. The Grecians, positioned in 20th place, belied their lowly position with a disciplined, defensive performance that frustrated the Bluebirds.
🔢@CalumChambers95 and Isaak come into the City starting XI! 💙#CityAsOne pic.twitter.com/8g5uDG66T9
— Cardiff City FC (@CardiffCityFC) December 26, 2025
Cardiff’s Early Dominance and Missed Opportunities
The Bluebirds emerged with clear intent from the opening whistle, immediately pressing for a breakthrough. Within the opening six minutes, the hosts had already crafted two half-chances that tested Exeter’s goalkeeper Joe Whitworth. A free kick from Perry Ng from 30 yards out required a smart save from Whitworth, who tipped the effort over the crossbar, before the goalkeeper was called upon again from the resulting corner when he saved from Ryan Wintle.
Cardiff’s attacking intent continued to mount, with Isaak Davies spurring into action in the 18th minute. The winger powered into the box with evident intention, but Whitworth proved equal to the task, making a superb save with his feet to deny what would have been the opener. Moments later, a deflected long-range strike from Omari Kellyman again found the Exeter keeper ready, diving to his right to palm the effort away.
Despite their dominance, Cardiff struggled to convert their territorial advantage into clear-cut opportunities. The attacking play, while fluid at times, lacked the clinical edge required against such a well-organised opponent. Exeter, meanwhile, demonstrated the fruits of their defensive discipline. While the Grecians offered little in the way of attacking threat, they created occasional moments of concern for the Cardiff backline, with Luca Woodhouse coming close after half an hour when his low strike from the left was cleared from near the goal-line.
🎄 Your Boxing Day Reds to take on @CardiffCityFC ⬇️
— Exeter City FC (@OfficialECFC) December 26, 2025
Brought to you by @HuntersExeter #ECFC #SemperFidelis pic.twitter.com/vZRFK41DN4
The Decisive Second-Half Breakthrough
The deadlock remained intact as the teams trudged toward halftime, with the scoreline reflecting the balance of play—one side dominant in possession but blunt in execution, the other compact and resilient but offering minimal attacking hope. However, the second half would prove a different proposition entirely.
Just eight minutes after the restart, Cardiff broke through the Exeter resistance with a goal of genuine quality. Dylan Lawlor, the 19-year-old centre-back operating in a more advanced capacity within Barry-Murphy’s tactical setup, delivered a perfectly weighted pass from the halfway line, finding Alex Robertson’s run in behind the Exeter defense. Robertson, who had toiled unsuccessfully for chances throughout the first half, took the opportunity with aplomb. The midfielder took the ball down with his right foot before composing himself and finishing clinically past Whitworth with his left, demonstrating the kind of clinical finishing that had been absent from Cardiff’s play prior to that moment.
Off the mark for 2025/26 ✅#CityAsOne | @alexrobertson03 pic.twitter.com/7uQSf1klVr
— Cardiff City FC (@CardiffCityFC) December 27, 2025
Cardiff Push for the Second and Exeter’s Late Rally
Buoyed by their breakthrough, Cardiff sought to consolidate their advantage and secure the fixture. The home side came inches away from doubling their lead in the 69th minute when Cian Ashford struck the post from inside the area, with Yousef Salech unable to convert the rebound as Whitworth recovered superbly to tip the ball over the bar.
Exeter, sensing the match slipping away, rallied in the closing stages. Gary Caldwell introduced Reece Cole in an attempt to inject fresh attacking impetus, and the substitute fashioned the Grecians’ best opportunity of the second half. In the 93rd minute, with Cardiff’s defense appearing to waver momentarily, Cole found space on the edge of the box but saw his effort sail over the bar—a miss that would prove costly as Cardiff secured the victory.
The final stages of the encounter saw the Bluebirds manage the game with composure and discipline, preventing any late scrambles and seeing out the remaining minutes with professionalism befitting a team accustomed to the pressures of a title race.
That full-time feeling 💙#CityAsOne pic.twitter.com/ZBdcUPnK4W
— Cardiff City FC (@CardiffCityFC) December 27, 2025
What’s Next?
With barely a 72-hour turnaround before the next fixture, Cardiff face an immediate test of their physical and mental stamina when Stevenage visit the Cardiff City Stadium on the 29th, to round out Cardiff’s 2025 festive fixture list. The Hertfordshire side represents a formidable and familiar opponent for the league leaders, having already faced Barry-Murphy’s men just 20 days ago.
Stevenage arrive at the Cardiff City Stadium in mixed form, having only won 1 of their last 5 games. However for most of the season, they have been in exceptional form, sitting fourth in the League One table with 36 points from their opening 20 matches—a significant achievement for a club who were initially seeking to consolidate their status at this level. Under the management of Alex Revell, Stevenage have established themselves as genuine promotion contenders, with a remarkable defensive record complemented by an increasingly potent attacking threat. The side boast an exceptional away record in the league, with 18 points gathered from 11 away fixtures, only bettered by Stockport.
The reverse fixture, contested at Broadhall Way earlier this month, proved particularly fruitful for the Bluebirds. Cardiff prevailed 1-0 through a late Callum Robinson strike, but only after Stevenage had mounted a resolute defensive display that limited the Bluebirds to slim pickings in terms of clear opportunities.
