What Brian Barry-Murphy said on Tuesday night must shock Cardiff City fans | OneFootball

Cardiff City head coach Brian Barry-Murphy made a surprising - but hugely-exciting - post-match admission after his side's 4-1 win over AFC Wimbledon

Cardiff City edged closer in their pursuit of the League One title with a commanding 4-1 victory over AFC Wimbledon on Tuesday evening, stretching an unbeaten run to 12 matches.

The Bluebirds headed into the encounter in rich form, having claimed three victories - scoring three or more goals in each of those - over Luton Town, Rotherham United and Barnsley in their previous four fixtures.

Though Cardiff struggled to get going in the first-half and headed into the interval on level terms after Matty Stevens equalised following Joel Colwill's opener, a flurry of late strikes from in-form trio Perry Ng, Ollie Tanner and Omari Kellyman put the hosts three goals to the good and ensured yet another resounding set of three points.

Cardiff were, of course, powerless to control results elsewhere, as Lincoln City's 4-0 rout of Northampton Town kept them firmly on the heels of Brian Barry-Murphy's title-advancing side in second-place.

However, a last-grasp 1-1 draw at Reading for third-placed Bolton Wanderers has now opened up a 12-point cushion in Cardiff's automatic promotion pursuit, with the added advantage of a game in hand over the Trotters meaning that, barring a throwaway for the ages, Wales' capital club will be back in the Championship at the very first time of asking next term.

They have ascended from strength to strength in recent months, summoning experience and pedigree in the mightily-impressive squad depth at Barry-Murphy's disposal to assert their dominance in League One and open up an almighty advantage over third-place.

Cardiff are simply getting better and better and, for supporters, it can't get too much better right now either - which is exactly why Barry-Murphy's post-match admission will receive surprise, albeit for the right reasons.

Brian Barry-Murphy's post-AFC Wimbledon comments must shock Cardiff City fans - it's no bad thing

Speaking after Cardiff's second-half rout of Wimbledon, Barry-Murphy admitted that he wasn't anticipating a straightforward evening against Johnnie Jackson's side but was pleased by the manner in which his team approached the contest and fought back to run away with proceedings as the game grew on.

Perhaps most interestingly, though, the Irishman explained how he still feels Cardiff have the potential to "improve so much". Indeed, by Barry-Murphy's own admission, that's exactly what the Bluebirds are focusing on at this moment in time as they bid to extend their lead at the top of the table with 14 games to spare and prepare for life back in the Championship.

There is a feeling among supporters that Cardiff won't be there to simply make up the numbers and battle for survival, with many growing in confidence of exactly what the Bluebirds could conjure up in the second-tier with a young, hungry and talented squad led by such an innovative and progressive head coach in Barry-Murphy - and that may just be where the ex-Manchester City academy lead was going where his comments

Barry-Murphy explained: "I didn't think in the first half our attacking play was of the same quality as it was on Saturday against Luton,” he explained.

"I thought we got to where we wanted to get to in terms of 1v1 situations in wide areas and central areas. But our technique in terms of how we crossed the pass needed to be improved.

"And in the second half we did that and got the rewards we needed to. But I guess it's just a sign that we have the potential to improve so much and that's probably the biggest thing in our focus at the moment."

Cardiff City's future under Brian Barry-Murphy is exciting

Cardiff supporters are firmly focused on the bigger picture in the Barry-Murphy era, which has been a richly-exciting one to date and extends far beyond simply gaining promotion out of League One.

That's just the first step in what fans collectively believe to be a long-term, upwardly-mobile project, offering refreshing reinvigoration following years of turmoil and frustration in the lower reaches of the Championship.

Courtesy of Barry-Murphy, Cardiff now represent a reared-and-readied second-tier outfit once more, and they will be hoping and preparing to attack the division with intent once promotion is sealed.

With an impressive and gifted young squad featuring many homegrown academy products, coupled with more experienced performers in the likes of Calum Chambers, Ng, Chris Willock and Ryan Wintle, the balance is virtually perfect and the sky may just be the limit from here on in - especially if Cardiff can reach their anticipated levels and fulfil what Barry-Murphy believes is the room for improvement.