Cardiff City have finished 11th in the Championship after beating Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, despite ending the match with 10 men.

Joe Ralls put the Bluebirds ahead with a close-range finish on 14 minutes that flew past a helpless Karl Darlow in the Forest goal.

City doubled their lead midway through the first half when a Matthew Kennedy cross presented Eoin Doyle with a free header at goal and the former Chesterfield frontman duly netted his fourth goal in as many games.

Cardiff could have been out of sight before half time when a Ralls free kick was inches away from giving the visitors a three-goal lead.

Dougie Freedman decided to introduce Arsenal loanee Chuba Akpom in a bid to bring Forest back into the game, and the youngster almost pulled one back for the Reds when his effort fizzed narrowly wide inside the first minute of the second half.

The home side's attempts at a fightback were helped when keeper David Marshall was sent off for violent conduct after reacting badly to Jack Hobbs's challenge.

That red card led to a late flurry of Forest chances, with Dexter Blackstock having an effort saved by substitute keeper Simon Moore before Michael Mancienne and Jamie Paterson fired wide.

Blackstock did find the back of the net in stoppage time, but Cardiff were able to hold on for a victory that sees them finish 11th in the table.