Cardiff City claimed all three points in the Severnside Derby for the second time this season.
Perry Ng’s second-half header was the defining moment for the visitors.
Tommy Conway came closest for City having a goal ruled out for offside late on.
Liam Manning and his side now shift their attention to Ipswich Town on Tuesday evening.
The opening stages of the eagerly anticipated fixture were cagey, with neither side creating goal scoring opportunities.
Kion Etete was shown a yellow card for bringing down Knight as City were on the break.
Sam Allison waved away shouts of handball after Gardner-Hickman’s shot was blocked by the Cardiff defender.
City’s first chance would come in the 20th minute after a loose ball fell to him from a City corner before firing the ball directly at Ethan Hovarth in the Cardiff goal.
Moments later the visitors had their first sight at goal after Josh Bowler picked out David Turnbull whose first time effort went wide of the target.
A period of good pressure by Cardiff saw Perry Ng strike from distance, but Max O’Leary saved well.
With five minutes of the half remaining, Sykes had another effort blocked, this time by Ng after Knight picked him out well on the counter attack.
The even contest continued into the second half with City’s only opportunity in the first ten minutes being a corner.
Knight turned excellently on the half way line and spread the ball to McCrorie who picked out Gardner-Hickman running into the area, but his effort deflected safely into the hands of Hovarth.
Liam Manning made a double substitution on the hour mark which saw Andy King and Nahki Wells make way for Anis Mehmeti and Tommy Conway.
Knight found himself with space in the 63rd minute and dribbled past before shooting from range.
The visitors took the lead in the 66th minute after Rubin Colwill did well to win a corner before Ng wrestled free inside the area to guide a header past O’Leary from Turnbull’s ball in.
City responded well and after a display of quick feet from Williams, McCrorie was freed down the right-hand side before playing a back post cross which Sykes headed straight at the Bluebirds keeper.
Cardiff substitute Yakou Méïté’s left footed effort in the 75th was saved well by O’Leary who subsequently set City on the counter. The attack broke down and Gardner-Hickman entered the referee’s book for a foul in the middle of the park.
Manning made a triple substitution in the 80th minute which saw Sykes, Roberts and Knight make way for Dire Mebude, Cam Pring and Harry Cornick.
Rob Dickie’s header in the 87th minute was saved brilliantly by Hovarth – Conway tapped home the rebound, but the goal was disallowed for offside.
The home side’s final opportunity saw Gardner-Hickman deliver a delightful ball from a central free-kick which Pring met with a volley but fired over.
Starting XI: O’Leary, McCrorie, Vyner, Dickie, Roberts (Mebude 80’), King (Mehmeti 60’), Williams, Gardner-Hickman, Knight (c) (Cornick 80’), Sykes (Pring 80’), Wells (Conway 60’).
Substitutes: Bajic, Knight-Lebel.
Att: 24,035
Sophie Anderson, a UK-based writer, is your guide to the latest trends, viral sensations, and internet phenomena. With a finger on the pulse of digital culture, she explores what’s trending across social media and pop culture, keeping readers in the know about the latest online sensations.
