Will Fish has challenged Cardiff City to take their formidable home form on the road as they prepare for a tough test at Middlesbrough. The 24-year-old defender made his first appearance of the season in Tuesday's 5-1 win over Watford, stepping in after Dylan Lawlor suffered a hamstring injury.

Fish is recovering from hernia surgery and admits he is not yet at full fitness. "Definitely. We play good football at home, and I think we blow teams away at times," he said. "If we can take that into our away performances, I think we will be in a really good place."

Defensive concerns ahead of Middlesbrough

Cardiff's defensive resources are stretched for the trip to the Riverside Stadium. Lawlor, who was forced off after 29 minutes against Watford, is awaiting a scan and has been ruled out. Midfielder Rubin Colwill is also unavailable for Saturday's fixture.

The team has yet to keep a clean sheet since winning promotion back to the Championship, conceding in every league game. This record will be tested against a Middlesbrough side managed by Kim Hellberg, who rank among the division's best for shots on goal and touches in the opposition box.

Building on strong home form

Despite their 19th-place standing with 10 points from 10 games, Cardiff's home form provides a platform. They remain unbeaten at the Cardiff City Stadium this season, following the Watford thrashing with a 3-1 victory over Charlton. The team has registered the most shots and highest average possession in the Championship.

Jack Moylan, the club's top scorer with five goals this season, netted twice in the midweek win. Callum Robinson also found the net, continuing his contribution from the recent 2-1 defeat at Blackburn.

Fish eyes first away win of the season

Cardiff have lost four of their five league games on the road this season, a stark contrast to their home results. Their next challenge is significant: Middlesbrough are second in the table and are unbeaten at home. Fish wants his side to become the first away team to win at the Riverside this campaign.

"I feel ready to help the team," Fish stated, acknowledging the gap between home and away performances needs to close. The 5-1 win over Watford was marred slightly by conceding a late consolation goal, a detail Fish noted with disappointment.

Cardiff City travel to face Middlesbrough on Saturday, October 17, with kick-off at 12:30 BST. The squad's current injuries situation will be a key factor in their attempt to secure a first away victory.

Read the full report at bbc.com