cardiff city vs afc wimbledon: Cardiff cruise to 4-1 victory as Colwill, Ng and Tanner shine
Updated Feb. 17, 2026 at 5: 02 p. m. ET — Cardiff City produced a commanding performance to beat AFC Wimbledon 4-1 at CCS, stretching their unbeaten run to 12 matches and preserving a four-point lead at the top of League One.
Dominant display and decisive moments
Cardiff took charge early and opened the scoring in the 22nd minute when Joe Colwill met a low corner from Alex Robertson and lashed a first-time strike into the near post. The hosts were the more threatening side throughout the first half, crafting a sequence of chances that gave the opener an inevitability about it.
Wimbledon struck back at the very end of first-half injury time when substitute Matty Stevens volleyed in unmarked from a Steve Seddon delivery to level, but that brief setback was quickly erased after the break. Within 16 minutes of the restart the gulf between the teams was clear: Perry Ng powered home a header from an Ollie Tanner corner and then turned provider himself, finding Tanner with a precise pass for the winger to turn and finish instinctively.
Omari Kellyman wrapped up the scoring late on, calmly slotting home after collecting a pass from substitute Callum Robinson to make it 4-1 and underline Cardiff's growing confidence in attack.
Key performers and tactical control
Ollie Tanner continued his excellent spell of form, contributing both a goal and numerous attacking outlets — he has now registered eight assists and one goal across his last seven appearances. Tanner’s delivery and movement were central to Cardiff’s pressure, and Perry Ng’s headed goal plus his assist showcased his importance going forward from a defensive position.
Colwill’s opening finish highlighted Cardiff’s fluency from set plays, while Kellyman’s composed finish late on reflected the squad’s depth and ability to close out matches. Overall, the hosts combined patient passing with moments of pace to control possession and deny Wimbledon sustained momentum.
Standings impact and context
The victory keeps the leaders four points clear of the chasing pack and marks their eighth win in this 12-game unbeaten run. Second-place Lincoln City won their fixture to keep the pressure on, but a draw for Bolton left that club 12 points shy of the summit, widening the gap behind the top two.
For Wimbledon, the result halts a brief resurgence and drops them to 16th in the table. Their earlier surprise 5-1 victory over Cardiff in the EFL Trophy in December proved no guide to this league meeting; Cardiff fielded a much-changed side in that cup tie, and the teams were effectively unrecognisable from one another on this occasion.
After a first half in which Cardiff carved out the clearer chances and Wimbledon offered a couple of dangerous counters, the second half underlined the quality difference. Aside from a late Seddon header that hit the post, Wimbledon rarely threatened a comeback as the hosts maintained control and picked their moments to strike.
Managerial decisions and substitutions also played a part: Cardiff’s use of Callum Robinson as an impact option reaped rewards with his assist for the fourth goal, while Wimbledon’s changes produced the equaliser at the break but could not alter the course of the contest thereafter.
Cardiff now look well placed as the business end of the season approaches, riding a long unbeaten run and displaying balance across defence and attack. Wimbledon will need to regroup quickly if they are to climb away from midtable and rediscover the form that delivered their promotion the previous season’s play-offs.
