CARDIFF'S CURRENT FORM ...
West Brom 0 Cardiff 2
DECEMBER 8: Coca-Cola Championship at The Hawthorns.
Cardiff 1 Preston 0
DECEMBER 5: Coca-Cola Championship at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Cardiff 1 Ipswich 2
NOVEMBER 29: Coca-Cola Championship at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Barnsley 1 Cardiff 0
NOVEMBER 21: Coca-Cola Championship at Oakwell.
Swansea 3 Cardiff 2
NOVEMBER 7: Coca-Cola Championship at the Liberty Stadium.
Cardiff City 1 Nottingham Forest 1
NOVEMBER 1: Coca-Cola Championship at the Cardiff City Stadium.
CARDIFF'S LAST FIXTURE ... WEST BROM 0 CARDIFF 2
CARDIFF: Marshall, McNaughton (Kennedy 84), Gerrard, Hudson,Quinn, Burke, Rae, Scimeca (Wildig 46), Whittingham, Chopra,Etuhu (McCormack 58).
Cardiff dented West Brom's promotion charge by securing their first victory at The Hawthorns since 1957 in a game that ended in controversy.
The visitors were already one goal to the good eight minutes from time when Albion goalkeeper Scott Carson inexplicably head-butted Michael Chopra after going face-to-face with the striker, earning a red card in the process.
Substitute goalkeeper Dean Kiely saved the resulting penalty from Peter Whittingham although the Bluebirds midfielder pounced on the rebound to register his 12th league goal of the season.
Livewire winger Chris Burke had already capped a man-of-the-match performance with his second in as many games after 18 minutes, although he was helped by a hesitant Baggies rearguard who failed to challenge his roaming run.
It was a bad night for Albion who lost their six-match unbeaten run and did not look a side sitting second in the Coca-Cola Championship.
It was a second successive triumph for Cardiff after a run of three straight defeats, taking them up to third in the table.
In-form Albion midfielder Graham Dorrans stung the fingertips of David Marshall with just two minutes gone as the rain came down.
But Cardiff had not come to the Black Country to sit back and both Kelvin Etuhu and Burke lashed efforts narrowly over the bar inside the opening 10 minutes.
Marshall saved well at the feet of Roman Bednar with a free-flowing encounter going from end to end, and it was Carson's turn to get involved in the action shortly after as he tipped Gavin Rae's well-hit strike over the bar.
Cardiff were starting to dominate matters in the middle of the park and it was no surprise when Burke drilled them in front.
However Baggies manager Roberto Di Matteo will have been furious with the way in which his defenders backed off, allowing Burke to run 20 yards or more unchallenged before firing into the bottom corner.
Although the chances dried up as half wore on, the visitors were still looking the more likely to score with the ring-rusty Bednar and Simon Cox getting little change out of Anthony Gerrard and Mark Hudson.
Albion did enjoy a period of pressure prior to the interval but it was Cardiff who went into half-time with their noses in front.
It was Albion who started the stronger after the break and Bednar found himself with a great chance to level matters in the 49th minute when he worked free of his marker in the penalty area and was found by Cox.
But not for the first time, the Czech Republic international's touch let him down and the chance was gone.
Albion were looking better as Dorrans flashed an effort inches wide of Marshall's left-hand post.
Yet the early impetus at the start of the half was soon lost and row z of the Birmingham Road End was being kept busy.
Chris Brunt went closer with a low effort as the game approached the 70-minute mark but Cardiff were still looking comfortable without even testing Carson in the slightest at the opposite end.
But the England keeper was firmly in the middle of things in the final eight minutes as he saw red following a 50/50 challenge with Chopra, leaving Whittingham to wrap up the points.