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Craig Bryson's late goal saved a point for Derby County and denied caretaker duo Danny Gabbidon and Scott Young the perfect start in charge of Cardiff.

Aron Gunnarsson had put Cardiff ahead after Matthew Connolly flicked on a corner, and Peter Whittingham doubled their lead with a left-foot strike.

Derby hit back when Cyrus Christie laid on a perfect ball for Jordon Ibe.

With four minutes remaining, Bryson let fly from distance and saw his shot go in off the inside of a post.

The result capped a turbulent week for Cardiff following the departure of manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, with Gabbidon and Young thrust into the Bluebirds hot-seat.

If Cardiff's focus was on the new men in charge, then Derby's was firmly on a great leader of the past and there was a minute's applause to mark the 10th anniversary of the death of former manager Brian Clough.

Gunnarsson nearly put an early dampener on the Pride Park atmosphere as he headed narrowly wide from a free-kick.

But the Rams then took charge and David Marshall in the Cardiff goal denied Chris Martin and Jamie Ward.

Cardiff were on the back foot for most of the first half but came out after the break reinvigorated and stunned Derby with two goals in the space of five minutes.

Pilkington set up Gunnarsson for a shot that was deflected behind and from the corner Connolly headed the ball back across for Gunnarsson to hook it past Lee Grant from six yards.

Former Norwich winger Pilkington had a hand in Cardiff's second as he went past two defenders on the right to set up Whittingham, who lashed a shot into the top right-hand corner from 15 yards.

On-loan Liverpool wing Ibe, who Derby boss Steve McClaren had sent on moments earlier, got them back in the game when Christie played the ball across the face of the Cardiff box for the teenager to score.

The visitors were pegged back and the pressure finally told in the 84th minute when Johnny Russell cut in from the right and found Bryson, who unleashed an unstoppable shot from 20 yards which hit the inside of a post and flashed past Marshall.

Derby boss Steve McClaren: "You could probably have said at half-time there was only going to be one winner so to be two down five minutes into the second half, there was disbelief, I think on their bench as well.

"But then there was terrific character shown by the players to come back and we could and should have won it at the end. Again the players have shown great character and climbed a mountain."

Cardiff caretaker Scott Young: "Our directive was to take charge of the team today and I'm sure we will be having a conversation with the chairman and the owner pretty soon.

"We have the wheels in motion to prepare the team for Tuesday already and we will have a conversation and see where it takes us."