Cardiff City climbed back to the top of League One as Ethan Wheatley scored at both ends in the Bluebirds' 3-1 victory over Northampton Town.

Joel Colwill's first Cardiff league goal gave Brian Barry-Murphy's team an early lead at Sixfields.

But they were made to work hard for their win, with Wheatley deservedly levelling for Northampton early in the second half.

Within three minutes of the equaliser, however, on-loan Manchester United teenager Wheatley attempted to clear Joel Bagan's corner and only succeeded in slicing the ball into his own net.

Northampton applied some pressure as they chased a second leveller but Cardiff sealed the points in added time when Ronan Kpakio fed Chris Willock and he finished expertly.

Cardiff's success, a welcome response after back-to-back league defeats, sees them jump from fifth to the summit of the table.

Northampton drop to 17th after a third defeat in their past four third-tier games.

Cardiff's opener came after Kpakio fed Joel Colwill, whose shot was precise enough to beat Ross Fitzsimons despite the Northampton goalkeeper getting a hand to the ball.

Yet the visitors failed for a while to build on the ideal start, with their cause not helped when the influential Rubin Colwill was forced off injured inside the opening quarter of the game.

Northampton seized the momentum, with Jack Perkins denied by a fine Nathan Trott save and Tom Eaves unfortunate to see his shot on the turn come off the post.

They were level when Wheatley drove in from the left flank before smashing in his third goal of the season.

But the 19-year-old's error quickly handed the initiative back to Cardiff, who thought they had a third goal when Yousef Salech headed in only for his effort to be ruled out for a push.

Elliott List missed a golden chance to make it 2-2 as he was denied by Trott, before Willock settled Cardiff nerves in the third minute of added time.

Northampton manager Kevin Nolan:

"Disappointed. Another game we have lost we should have got something out of.

"We have got to be more clinical in front of goal. They showed that with the clinical strikes for the first and the third goal.

"We asked them lots of questions but what we didn't do was put the ball in the back of the net in those critical moments.

"With the bench they have and the resources, they are going to be able to make changes and punish you."

Cardiff head coach Brian Barry-Murphy:

"Really pleasing. I am so happy for our supporters who have travelled so much with us over the last few weeks.

"We showed we had the mentality and ability to come to a stadium like his and to play a Northampton team who are very effective at what they do and to cope with that.

"The lads showed a really commendable attitude."