Barry-Murphy adamant Cardiff can still 'improve a lot'

Cardiff boss Brian Barry-Murphy insists his League One leaders still have "a lot" of improving to do despite extending their unbeaten run to five matches with a 1-1 draw at struggling Leyton Orient on Saturday.

A rare error from goalkeeper Nathan Trott gifted Orient the opener, but the on-loan FC Copenhagen stopper responded impressively.

"He played really well after he made a great save for us and in the second half his performance was pretty flawless," Barry-Murphy said.

"There's no shame in that situation in playing longer and getting the ball away from where the opponents are at their most dangerous. He recognised that well and showed good maturity, which is a sign of his growth."

A superb Yousef Salech solo goal pulled Cardiff level but Barry-Murphy felt his side lacked composure in front of goal.

"I know we scored from Callum Chambers' rocket last week against Wigan, but some of our shooting against Leyton Orient was a bit wild and reckless," he added.

"We want to shoot from good areas centrally. I feel as if we can improve a lot."

With Omari Kellyman forced off with a suspected groin issue and Dylan Lawlor unable to play in east London as "he wasn't fully fit from a hamstring issue last week", Barry-Murphy stressed that setbacks create opportunities.

One player pushing for more minutes is Joel Colwill, who the Irish coach says has trained "exceptionally" in recent weeks.

While the manager was not fully satisfied with his side's overall display, he was encouraged by the Bluebird's response after the break.

"As the game wore on, the team performed admirably," said Barry-Murphy.

"We understood what was needed in the second half much better, and I'm very pleased with how the players handled that."

Cardiff now turn their attention to a crucial trip to third-placed Bradford on 17 January as they look to strengthen their grip on top spot.