The visitors went in front when Harry Wilson’s inswinging free-kick from the right was met with a close-range header from Curtis Nelson.
More wretched defending by the hosts allowed Kieffer Moore yards of space to head his 11th goal of the season from Sheyi Ojo’s 25th-minute cross and the result was never in doubt from then on.
The only downside for Cardiff was losing goalkeeper Alex Smithies, who had to be substituted after only 11 minutes because he was feeling unwell.
McCarthy said: “Alex looked really ill when he came off and to watch him leave on a stretcher was not good.
“But I have just seen him sitting up in the dressing room and it doesn’t look too bad. We have no idea what the problem was.
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