Steven Schumacher praised his players for finding a way to win as they struck late to secure a second Championship victory of the season.
The Whites looked to be hanging on just to bring an end to a run of four straight losses as Cardiff chased their first win since winning promotion along with Steven Schumacher’s men.
Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu produced an inspired performance and Thierry Gale’s last-minute header then gave Wanderers a 1-0 success which Schumacher felt was a fitting reward for their recent efforts on the back of a 3-2 defeat to league leaders West Ham.
“Football's a mad game, isn't it?” said the Wanderers’ boss. “I think out of the five games that we've just had in the last two weeks that's probably the most pressure we've been under.
“It’s the worst we've passed the ball, but we looked a little bit tired. Tuesday night took a lot out of us. We had to play with an amazing amount of energy and work and then to try and replicate that on Saturday on an early kick-off is really difficult.
“You can see we looked a bit tired and we're probably playing the worst team that you can play when you're a little bit jaded because they stress you out with the ball because of how high and how well they pass you.
“We've played a lot better than that, haven't we? But today we found a way to get three points. I'm so pleased for them because they've deserved a result. The way we've played over the last two weeks we've been excellent and there's no denying that. Everyone can see what we're trying to do.
“I said to them before the game, because of how we thought it would develop against a possession-based team, that you're going to have to show heart, you're going to have to show courage to try and play, but, most of all, show togetherness and stick in it because it was going to be difficult. It was and the lads have been brilliant and they've found a way to take out a result.”
Recent recruit Bazunu was the key man for the Whites as he made a number of outstanding saves on his second Wanderers’ start.
The former Southampton keeper was at fault for West Ham’s mid-week winner but was impassable against the Bluebirds as a second clean sheet of the season laid the platform for substitute Gale to mark his 50th appearance for the club with a dramatic headed winner.
“We had to really dig in and, obviously, needed our goalkeeper who was outstanding. He was brilliant today,” added Schumacher. “Goalkeepers are heroes and sometimes they're the villain.
“On Tuesday night I thought Gavin's performance was excellent, apart from the last goal. He knows that, he doesn't need anyone to highlight that. But he's a top goalkeeper.
“He was really calm and composed with a lot of his play. He collected things, punched things from set-pieces and the saves that he made were outstanding. That’s why we brought him here because we think he improves us.”
Watch full post-match interviews with the boss and Gavin Bazunu on Wanderers TV.