Cardiff City’s eight-match winning home run came to an end on Saturday afternoon as the Bluebirds were held to a 1-1 draw by promotion challengers Stockport County. However, the match will be remembered far more for a frightening injury sustained by leading scorer Yousef Salech than for tactical nuance or technical brilliance.
The draw—although not the ideal result—extends Cardiff’s cushion at the top of the League One table to ten points over Stockport—who sit 5th—following Bradford's defeat at Huddersfield. Yet, the real significance of this encounter will ultimately be determined by the extent of Salech’s recovery from a serious-looking neck injury sustained during a collision with County centre-back Brad Hills midway through the first half.
Early Setback
Cardiff began positively but were undone by a moment of sharp predatory instinct from the visiting side in the tenth minute. After Josh Dacres-Cogley’s initial effort was saved by goalkeeper Nathan Trott, Kyle Wootton reacted quickest to the loose ball and tucked away the rebound with the clinical efficiency that has made Stockport such a formidable opponent this season.
The Bluebirds, accustomed to controlling possession and dictating play from the outset, appeared somewhat disconcerted by the early setback. Brian Barry-Murphy’s side pressed forward in search of an immediate response, with Salech having a header saved by Stockport goalkeeper Ben Hinchliffe as they endeavoured to restore parity in the opening exchanges.
12th league goal of the season for Kyle Wootton⚡️#StockportCounty pic.twitter.com/0v1Y2eeEVX
— Stockport County (@StockportCounty) January 24, 2026
Injury Interruption
What transpired in the 27th minute, however, overshadowed all else. Following an aerial contest for possession near the halfway line, Salech collapsed to the ground, clutching his neck following a challenge from Hills. Referee Paul Howard did not award a free kick, seemingly satisfied that the challenge constituted fair play, yet the severity of the injury that followed suggested otherwise.
The Cardiff striker received treatment on the pitch for over thirteen minutes as medical staff from both sides worked frantically to stabilise his neck and assess the damage. With the entire stadium in visible distress, Salech was eventually carried off on a stretcher wearing a neck brace, receiving a sympathetic ovation from all four sides of the Cardiff City Stadium as he was transported to the hospital for precautionary scans.
The incident appeared to profoundly shake Cardiff’s focus and composure, yet Barry-Murphy praised his squad’s resilience in the face of such a distressing moment. Following the initial shock, the Bluebirds remarkably found their rhythm during an extended period of stoppage time and drew level through Joel Colwill in the 52nd minute of the first half (the seventh minute of added time).
— Burnett 🏴 (@Burnett__27) January 24, 2026
Colwill’s Equaliser
Ollie Tanner, showing admirable composure given the fraught circumstances, advanced down the right flank and delivered a low cross toward the penalty area. Colwill, the Welsh international midfielder, met the delivery with a powerful right-footed strike that deflected past Hinchliffe and into the bottom corner, restoring parity and allowing Cardiff to regain some composure.
The equaliser proved sufficiently timely to reset the psychological balance before half-time, though the broader shadow cast by Salech’s injury hung heavily over proceedings as the sides retreated to their dressing rooms.
⚽️🔨 Colwill hammers home the equaliser!#EFL | #SkyBetLeagueOne pic.twitter.com/arjOB7dMqa
— Sky Bet League One (@SkyBetLeagueOne) January 24, 2026
Second-Half Pressure
After the interval, Cardiff clearly sought the victory that would maintain their command at the CCS. The possession statistics reflected their intent, with the Bluebirds dominating the ball and creating a succession of opportunities through which they ought to have seized all three points.
Cian Ashford’s free-kick from the edge of the box whistled wide in the opening moments, whilst Joel Bagan’s long-range attempt similarly failed to trouble Hinchliffe. As the match progressed, Ashford inexplicably fired over the bar from a promising position in the 80th minute, whilst Callum Robinson—introduced as a substitute—had the clearest chance of the half only to see his effort smothered superbly by the County goalkeeper in the 88th minute.
Despite relentless pressure and possession that occasionally approached 70 per cent, Cardiff could not unlock Stockport’s stubborn defensive setup. The Hatters, managed by Dave Challinor, demonstrated admirable resolve, defending in numbers and denying the hosts the numerical overload they sought in the final third. Their compact shape and disciplined approach ultimately secured a creditable point away from home against the division’s leading side.
Barry-Murphy’s Frustration
In the post-match interviews, Barry-Murphy expressed considerable frustration regarding what he termed the “absurd” threshold for protecting players such as Salech. The manager claimed that Salech has endured consistent, unpunished fouling throughout the season as rival centre-backs have identified his vulnerability and targeted him with impunity.
“It’s been coming for months,” Barry-Murphy stated. “For months, it has been evident that referees have not provided him with adequate protection. We conduct extensive analysis on our matches. If I were coaching an opposing team, I would study what can and cannot be tolerated against a player of his calibre. He has been consistently fouled without receiving free-kicks.”
🗣️ “Yousef’s in hospital, just awaiting a scan on his neck as a precaution. The level of care and attention he got in that moment was brilliant.
— Cardiff City FC (@CardiffCityFC) January 24, 2026
"Once we settled down and started to play our game, the players showed how good they can be."
📺 https://t.co/M8kqJzXCoV… pic.twitter.com/pDrBP6AgQO
What's Next?
Cardiff now turn their attention to a tricky midweek trip to Oakwell this Tuesday, where Barnsley await in what already feels like another important marker in the promotion race. The Tykes have been particularly poor at Oakwell this season, with them placing 15th in the form table for home games, whereas they are 12th for away form. For Cardiff, this is a real opportunity to mitigate the frustrations of Stockport and put Barnsley to the sword.
For Brian Barry-Murphy, the key questions will centre on how his side copes without Yousef Salech if he is deemed not to be available, whether he opts for a more fluid front line with extra runners from midfield, and how quickly his players can emotionally reset after the Stockport drama. Take three points in South Yorkshire, and the Stockport draw will quickly be reframed as a resilient point; anything less, and the gap at the top will start to feel that little bit less comfortable.
