Cardiff goalscoring hero Peter Whittingham is expecting a Leicester City backlash tomorrow night.

The midfielder, whose free kick has given the Bluebirds a one-goal advantage going into the second leg at the Cardiff City Stadium, believes Dave Jones' side should prepare for a City bombardment as Nigel Pearson's men look to overturn the deficit and keep their Wembley dream alive.

However, he said Cardiff will look to take advantage and kill off City by hitting them on the break.

"This lead won't count for anything if we don't do our job at home," he said.

"We know Leicester are a good team and we know they are going to come right at us.

"We just have to withstand the pressure and play our own game. Hopefully, then we will create some more chances and finish them off."

Whittingham finished the regular season as the Championship's top scorer and he took his tally for the campaign to 24 with his 77th-minute strike, a curling free-kick which beat City keeper Chris Weale and went in off the near post.

It has handed Cardiff a precious lead, but Whittingham is fully aware the tie is not yet over and Cardiff have work to do before they can book a return to Wembley for the third time in three years.

"It's a massive goal for the team and a massive result for us," he said. "The lads were telling me to put it into the box but I fancied it. Thankfully it went in.

"When I placed the ball I was trying to gain a couple of yards. The linesman caught me and the ref made me move the ball back. In the end I'm pretty happy he did that. It changed the angle a bit and it worked out well for me.

"But we know it's just half-time and that's what the gaffer was stressing after the game.

"It's an old cliché but we know we need to finish the job on Wednesday. Winning this game alone doesn't get us anywhere.

"Leicester proved they can create as many chances as we can but, thankfully, we have the goal lead.

"Marshy (goalkeeper David Marshall) made a few good saves and we got a bit of luck that you need to get through these play-offs.

"The gaffer said before if we played our best and do as well as we can then we will win the game, but I am sure the Leicester manager would have said the same.

"At the end of the day we got the result we wanted and are looking forward to Wednesday."