Cardiff City 2-2 Burnley

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Matt Connolly (left) holds his head after scoring Burnley's equaliserImage source, Huw Evans picture agency
Image caption,

Matt Connolly (left) was responsible for Burnley's equaliser

Burnley staged a dramatic late comeback to draw at Cardiff and extend their unbeaten run to nine games.

Aron Gunnarsson's header gave Cardiff a 1-0 half-time lead, before Sean Morrison nodded in from a corner to double their advantage.

But Rouwen Hennings struck for the Clarets with five minutes left and Matt Connolly's injury-time own goal salvaged an unlikely point.

Cardiff stay 10th in the Championship table, while Burnley remain fifth.

Having seen Derby beat Hull on Friday, Burnley knew victory and other results going their way could see them rise as high as second.

But with Brighton beating Birmingham to replace Derby at the summit, Sean Dyche's Clarets side find themselves four points behind the new league leaders.

Cardiff, meanwhile, are now two points behind Birmingham, who occupy the final play-off spot.

Goals had been scarce for Russell Slade's side this season, mustering only 17 from their 17 Championship matches and just three from their previous seven.

Image source, Huw Evans picture agency
Image caption,

Cardiff looked well set to win after Sean Morrison gave them a two-goal cushion

The Bluebirds signed striker Tony Watt on loan from Charlton in an effort to improve that record, and the former Celtic forward went straight into the starting line-up.

The 21-year-old was close to marking his debut with a goal after 20 minutes, driving towards the visitors' defence before firing a low shot narrowly wide.

Cardiff dominated the early exchanges but were thwarted by former Bluebirds goalkeeper Tom Heaton, who made two fine saves to deny Morrison and Craig Noone.

Burnley eventually came to life with two chances in quick succession for George Boyd, who saw one shot cleared off the line by Connolly and another deflected over with the Clarets appealing in vain for handball.

Cardiff took the lead four minutes before the break as Joe Ralls' inswinging free-kick was nodded low into the net by Gunnarsson.

Torrential rain and strong winds made conditions difficult but it was from another set-piece that Cardiff extended their advantage as Peter Whittingham's corner was converted from close range by Morrison.

Scoring opportunities were rare from then on but Burnley substitute Hennings found himself in space in the Cardiff penalty area and shot powerfully into the net despite goalkeeper David Marshall's attempted save.

The Clarets then snatched a scrappy equaliser in added time as Michael Keane's header was dragged over his own line by Cardiff defender Connolly.

Cardiff boss Russell Slade: "It is really, really hard to take. We were the better side for long periods and the better side didn't win.

"We should have defended the first goal better and David (Marshall) is disappointed he didn't save that.

"But the second goal was just bizarre. It was going a mile wide but then it came off Matthew and rolled right into the net. It was crazy.

"You could see how much it hurt the players who had worked so hard to get the better of a very good team."

Burnley boss Sean Dyche: "It's my job to never think the game is over and I'm pleased that my players don't either. We showed belief to keep going.

"Cardiff are very good at home but we knew a goal would rattle them and it did. The whole stadium was rattled.

"Then we had a moment of skill for the first goal and then made our own luck for the second by finding a way to come back. It's not a fluke because we've done it before and we earned that point."

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