Cardiff City produced a stunning stoppage-time turnaround against Preston North End to earn a precious 2-1 win up at Deepdale.
Media Wales:
It looked like the Bluebirds had succumbed to defeat, with Milutin Osmajic taking advantage of Mark McGuinness' mistake and Alex Runarsson losing his bearings to put the hosts ahead just after the break. However, Robbie Brady was sent off just minutes later and it prompted a 50-minute onslaught on the Lilywhites' goal.
Despite lumping everything at Preston, their defenders held so firm. Cardiff had to wait until the 96th minute for Karlan Grant to turn home following a goalmouth scramble from a Bluebirds corner. And then, in the 99th minute, substitute Ryan Wintle stuck a beautiful ball into the box and fellow sub Ike Ugbo headed home superbly for Erol Bulut's side to nab all three points up in Lancashire.
The Bluebirds made two changes from the 3-2 defeat by Norwich City before the international break, with Erol Bulut opting to switch his goalkeeper by bringing Iceland international Alex Runarsson in from the cold in place of Jak Alnwick. Perry Ng also resumed his rightful place at full-back instead of Mahlon Romeo.
And it was Ng who almost made an immediate impact upon his return. A quarter of an hour into tie, Joe Ralls' outswinging corner found Mark McGuinness, but the ball eventually fell into the path of Ng, who rifled a half-volley at goal. But Lilywhites 'keeper Freddie Woodman saved smartly.
Cardiff actually enjoyed a lively start to the game. Karlan Grant had a huge penalty claim waved away by Bobby Madley after getting goal-side of Brad Potts, who flattened the Bluebirds winger with a clumsy tackle.
Madley was at the centre of the action again minutes later when Welshman Ched Evans produced a bone-crunching tackle on Jamilu Collins, who reacted angrily by squaring up to the North End forward. Evans hit the deck claiming to have been struck in the face by Collins before the home supporters screamed at Madley to send him off. The upshot was a yellow card apiece — which rules Collins out of Tuesday's game with West Brom owing to him picking up his fifth caution of the season — and, crucially, one for Robbie Brady for his part in the post-incident melee.
The visitors produced eight shots, four of which were on target, in the first half, but ended up walking down the tunnel with the deadlock still unbroken.
And Cardiff would be left ruing those missed chances, particularly when McGuinness gifted Preston their opener. The centre-back ceded possession straight to Milutin Osmajic, who drove towards City's goal before sliding the ball home. Runarsson's positioning also left a lot to be desired.
The Bluebirds were then handed something of a lifeline when Brady then fouled Meite and forced Madley into giving him a yellow card, his second of the afternoon. It meant the hosts were forced to play the final 40 minutes with only 10 men.
Cardiff then piled on the pressure, but had precious few chances of real quality. Grant had one effort from the edge of the box whistle past Woodman's upright on the 70-minute mark, but Preston were defending deeply and compactly.
Despite Preston's valiant defending, you felt something had to give in the end. So many shots, deflections, corners. When the official held up the sign to state there were nine extra minutes added on, you knew the game wasn't dead.
Finally, Cardiff were able to turn a loose ball into the net, when Grant swept home in the 96th minute. Then, three minutes later, Ugbo, who hasn't scored since August, headed home his fourth of the season to get City back to winning ways.
In the space of three minutes, the Bluebirds leapt from 12th to sixth in the table and occupy that final play-off spot, as things stand.
Preston North End XI: Woodman; Storey, Lindsay, Best (Hughes 57); Potts, Whiteman, Browne, Holmes, Brady; Evans (Ledson 57), Osmajic (Millar 83).
Subs: Cornell, Ramsay, Whatmough, Frokjaer, Stewart, Keane.
Cardiff City XI: Runarsson; Ng, McGuinness (Panzo 75), Goutas, Collins; Siopis (Wintle 90), Ralls (Colwill 71); Bowler (Tanner 71), Robinson, Grant; Meite (Ugbo 71).
Subs: Alnwick, Romeo, Rinomhota, Adams.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.