Blackburn Rovers 1-1 Cardiff City
- Published
Cardiff City's Kadeem Harris (right) is challenged by Derrick Williams of Blackburn
Derrick Williams scored a late equaliser against Cardiff City to salvage what could be a precious point in Blackburn's bid for survival.
The hosts' Sam Gallagher shot against the bar before Kenneth Zohore's elegant volley gave Cardiff a half-time lead.
Blackburn exerted pressure in the second half, and their reward came with Williams' calm 90th-minute finish.
Tony Mowbray's side stay 20th in the Championship table, two places and two points clear of the bottom three.
Cardiff, meanwhile, drop down to 13th place.
After back-to-back wins over Derby and Wigan, Blackburn entered this match with renewed hope of avoiding relegation.
They started brightly enough, with Gallagher's shot hitting the bar, but Cardiff wrestled control of the game towards the end of the first half.
Kenneth Zohore's goal was his seventh in eight league games for Cardiff
Moments after heading against the bar, Zohore volleyed in from Junior Hoilett's pinpoint cross to score his fifth goal in four Championship games.
Blackburn brought on Danny Graham early in the second half, and the striker instantly fizzed a shot narrowly wide.
That sparked a period of pressure for the home side, though they were initially frustrated by dogged Cardiff defending.
Blackburn eventually got their reward as Williams coolly brought the ball down in the penalty area and fired the ball low into the net.
Blackburn Rovers manager Tony Mowbray: "It's frustrating for me that we didn't take three points.
"Before we'd kicked a ball, with this run of three games, we'd have probably taken seven points if you'd offered it us. We put it in the bag and move on.
"It's about what we do for ourselves, you can't rely on anyone else to keep losing football matches. We have to do it ourselves."
Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock: "Before the game you'd have taken a point, wouldn't you?
"It's my own fault - I put the subs on. We didn't have any choice tonight, many subs, and two of them cost us the goal. Declan John should have stopped the cross, Craig Noone's with his man.
"You live and learn, don't you? That's what we're doing - learning about next season and who you want on board."