Park Stadium against Derby. Earnshaw scored Forest's only goal in the 3–1 loss to Swansea City in the away leg of their play off semi final, also hitting the post in the dying minutes of the game, which would have levelled the scoreline at 2–2. In total he scored 43 goals in 111 appearances for Forest, making him one of their most successful strikers in recent years. Return to Cardiff City On 6 July 2011, Earnshaw rejoined boyhood club Cardiff City on a free transfer, following unsuccessful talks with Nottingham Forest regarding contract renewal. Earnshaw would become new Cardiff City manager Malky Mackay's fourth free transfer signing since joining the Bluebirds from Watford. Earnshaw made his second Cardiff debut in a 1–0 win over West Ham United on 7 August. Earnshaws' first goal since his return to the Bluebirds came the following Sunday in a 3–1 home victory over Bristol City in the Severnside derby. He scored his 200th career goal in a 1–1 draw with Burnley on 20 August, scoring the equaliser. A change of the system at Cardiff and an off form Earnshaw saw him dropped to the bench to make way for Kenny Miller in a single man attack. Earnshaw made his first start since October in a 4–2 defeat to former club West Bromwich Albion on 7 January 2012, in which he scored. A league appearance didn't feature until two more months where he found himself coming off the bench against Hull City, in a 3–0 defeat. He would continue making substitute appearance for the BlueBirds, mostly featuring in the dying minutes of the game, up to the season's end. Cardiff City did make the play-offs getting beat 5–0 on aggregate by West Ham United, with Earnshaw making a brief appearance. Maccabi Tel Aviv (loan) On 20 September, after dropping down the pecking order at Cardiff, Earnshaw moved to Israel with Maccabi Tel Aviv on a season-long loan, and was given the number 19 shirt. After joining Maccabi Tel Aviv, Earnshaw believed joining the club would make him a better player once he returned to Cardiff City and said he had a chance to work with the club's Sports Director Jordi Cruyff. He made his club debut, coming on as substitute in a second half, in a 4–0 win over Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona on 24 September 2012, and after two appearances, he scored his first