Cardiff City 1-1 Millwall: Moore rescues Bluebirds after Flint's own goal

Kieffer Moore has scored twice as many goals for Cardiff this season as any other City player

Kieffer Moore's goal saw Cardiff City fight back to earn a point against Millwall as the two sides shared the spoils for a seventh successive match.

Aden Flint's own goal gave the visitors the lead at the interval but Moore's cool finish earned a point in manager Mick McCarthy's first home game.

Ex-Cardiff striker Kenneth Zohore could have won it for the visitors, but missed two golden chances.

The point sees Cardiff remain 15th, one place above Gary Rowett's side.

The Championship table suggested this would be a close contest and the history books did as well, with the last six league matches between the sides ending in a draw, with the points now shared in 14 of the last 19 meetings.

Millwall's record in Wales leaves plenty to be desired, coming into this contest with only five wins from their past 46 visits to the country, including a 2-1 defeat at Swansea earlier in the campaign.

However, the Lions would have been encouraged by Cardiff's poor form at home this season, where they have already lost seven games, although McCarthy had won five of his last six home matches against his former side.

McCarthy made two changes with the Bluebirds recalling captain Sean Morrison and defender Joe Bennett as they opted to change their system and switch to a 5-3-2 formation.

The visitors, who matched Cardiff by playing three central defenders, started the brighter of the two sides in the Welsh capital, though the hosts only had themselves to blame for the manner of the opening goal.

The Bluebirds cheaply conceded possession through Morrison's error and Wallace was alert, driving into the Cardiff area and crossing, with Flint only able to divert the ball past Alex Smithies.

The hosts were angered by the manner of the goal and tried to drive forward, with Leandro Bacuna played in an advanced position looking the biggest threat, but Bartosz Bialkowski was equal to his effort.

A golden chance to level did arrive for Cardiff just past the half hour mark when Bennett's cross was perfect for Moore, but the Wales striker surprisingly spurned the opportunity by heading over.

Millwall then missed their own clear-cut chance when Wallace again tore Cardiff apart, this time down the right and his cross was perfect for former Cardiff forward Zohore, but he fired wide.

Moore's header at the other end was cleared off the line by Maikel Kieftenbeld before Bialkowski saved Joe Ralls' header, as the Lions held on to lead at half-time.

Both teams missed good chances within 10 minutes of the restart, with Zohore racing clear but seeing his shot deflected wide by Smithies' leg, while Bennett should have done much better when he headed over from Will Vaulks' pinpoint cross.

McCarthy introduced Harry Wilson and Josh Murphy on the hour mark to bolster Cardiff's attack, but their lack of inspiration was best summed up by an appalling dive by Bennett as he sought a penalty and was rightly booked for simulation.

However, the breakthrough duly came with 20 minutes remaining as Wilson sliced through Millwall and released Moore who finished with aplomb.

Neither side pushed hard for a winner, with a shot off target by Wilson as close as either team came.

Cardiff City boss Mick McCarthy told BBC Sport Wales:

"We played well today. We got off to a difficult start. We gave a really sloppy goal away and we had to respond and be active and I thought we did that.

"We had the best of the game and certainly deserved at least a point.

"I loved the reaction from Harry Wilson (to being dropped) he came on and changed the game.

"I thought playing three central defenders suited us.

"It would be a big help to stop going behind every game, but I didn't think we started slowly."

Millwall assistant boss Adam Barrett said:

"We dealt with their threat excellently and the guys defended very very well and we looked a real threat on the counter attack, which is where the goal came from.

"We were delighted to be 1-0 up and the frustrating thing is that we created some glorious opportunities to take the game away from them.

"We made one mistake, gave the ball away in the middle of the pitch and we got punished for it.

"We're frustrated because it's a game we thought we should be getting three points from. It's the story of our season really."