Cardiff City were forced to settle for a draw against Stoke City after Sory Kaba's missed penalty spurned a chance for the Bluebirds to take all three points.
By Glen Williams
Stoke capitalised on another lacklustre start from the Bluebirds, with Josh Laurent heading home early to hand the Potters the lead.
However, it was that man Kaba who netted his eight goal in 13 games for City when he coolly dispatched a low shot to get the Bluebirds back on terms.
And Cardiff had a golden chance to win it when Jaden Philogene was brought down in the box. Kaba stepped up and hit a decent spot-kick, but it was met with an equally impressive save.
Cardiff will have felt the win was there for the taking, but four points from two games this week is not too shabby a return for a club fighting to avoid the drop.
Despite the rip-roaring performance away at Watford in midweek, this clash started with a flat atmosphere to which we have become accustomed at home games, for whatever reason.
The home side started sluggishly with no intent to press the opposition defenders and midfielders, while Stoke grew with confidence as a result.
And it was no surprise when the Potters took the lead. A lovely, whipped corner from Will Smallbone saw Laurent leap above both Kion Etete and Mark McGuinness before nestling an effort into the far corner in quite impressive fashion.
Much like Vicarage Road, though, the goal for the opposition gave Cardiff a much-needed shot in the arm and they then began to stretch their own legs.
But it was in rather fortuitous circumstances that Kaba found himself through on goal. A route-one ball forward was challenged between Etete and two Stoke defenders and it appeared to evade everyone, much to Kaba's delight. The striker bore down on goal and held his composure before slotting through Jack Bonham's legs to restore parity.
The first big chance of the second half fell to Cardiff after Perry Ng played that trademark, diagonal cross into Kaba. But the striker miscued his close-range volley, forcing Bonham into a fantastic, reaction save with his outstretched right leg.
Sabri Lamouchi introduced Jaden Philogene and his substitution almost yielded a goal immediately. Ryan Wintle found the winger with a fantastic ball and he drove into the box before checking back, luring Connor Taylor into a rash challenge and Andy Davies had no choice but to point to the spot.
Kaba ran up and hit it low and hard, but Bonham did brilliantly to tip it around the corner. It was a fantastic save.
Then Stoke raced up the other end and Dwight Gayle was found with acres of space at the far post. Fortunately for Cardiff, Wintle was there to deflect the shot wide.
The sort of petered out from there, unfortunately, from a City standpoint. And while four points in as many days will be viewed largely as a positive, the home side will have felt it was there for the taking.
It leaves Cardiff three points above the drop zone and, crucially, still with that game in hand.
Cardiff City XI: Allsop (Alnwick 66); Ng, McGuinness, Kipre; Romeo, Wintle, Sawyers, Ralls (Philogene 59), O'Dowda; Etete (Harris 59), Kaba.
Subs: Simpson, Rinomhota, Ojo, Davies.
Stoke City XI: Bonham; Hoever (Sterling 65), Taylor, Jagielka, Fox, Tymon; Laurent (Baker 84), Pearson, Smallbone; Gayle (Powell 74), Campbell.
Subs: Fielding, Thompson, Celina, Okagbue.
Attendance: 20,058
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