Wednesday 25 February 2015 12:28, UK
Malky Mackay was left to rue another frustrating night in his current role with struggling Wigan, although the former Cardiff boss did find solace in having his name chanted by Bluebirds supporters at the DW Stadium.
Aron Gunnarsson, one of Mackay's first signings when he assumed the reins in south Wales in 2011, waltzed beyond three defenders before scoring the contest's only goal 20 minutes in to consign Latics to a 1-0 defeat, leaving them nine points from Sky Bet Championship safety with only 13 fixtures remaining.
It was a victory which would have been savoured by absent Cardiff owner Vincent Tan, who controversially sacked Mackay 14 months ago and opted to stay away from this fixture, along with other Bluebirds directors, in protest at the Football Association's handling of racism cases involving the Scot and Wigan chairman Dave Whelan.
The feud between Mackay and Tan dominated much of the pre-match agenda as a result but the Malaysian's views on Wigan's boss are clearly not shared by the Bluebirds support, who serenaded the man who took them to the top flight in 2013 with chants in the early stages.
"That was something that I was immensely proud of," said Mackay.
"I had a terrific time in Cardiff and I loved being in the city, being with the people and being at the football club.
"I had a good rapport with them and tried my best at every opportunity.
"To get that response was something that will live with me. It was terrific. Overall, I'm obviously disappointed we lost the game but I'm very proud of my team."
His disappointment stemmed from two disallowed goals, one in either half, for James McClean and substitute Martyn Waghorn.
The offside flag denied both and, upon seeing both decisions on television replay, Mackay was adamant the two efforts should have stood.
He added: "The head of the referee's association text me yesterday to apologise on behalf of the linesman for the first goal at Bournemouth, that he got it wrong.
"Then there's two tonight that are wrong as well and it cost us."
Despite all the intrigue surrounding Mackay's first meeting with his old club, current Bluebirds chief Russell Slade insisted it was just business as usual as far as his side were concerned.
"Honestly, we just prepared exactly the same," he stressed.
"You need to go in with the same focus, the same professionalism, which you saw throughout - both sides wanted to win the game for their own reasons."
Slade was able to reflect on a first victory in nine for Cardiff and conceded there was little to separate the two teams on Tuesday night.
"It was a difficult surface for both teams to play the football they ideally want to play," he noted.
"It was who dealt with those conditions best and whose decision making was the best out there, and there wasn't much in it.
"Wigan put up a really strong performance, particularly in the second period; for the first 20 minutes they put us under pressure as the home side and made life difficult for us. We got the all-important goal and that's what counts."
