Cardiff 2 Barnsley 2: Gray at the double as Barnsley harm City’s promotion ambitions

A stunning Peter Whittingham strike had given the hosts a 21st-minute lead, but Gray coolly fired home just eight minutes later to level.

Dekel Keinan’s first goal for Cardiff looked to have won it with eight minutes to play, but Gray’s near-post header dented Cardiff’s hopes of a top-two finish.

Craig Bellamy and Jay Bothroyd wasted chances after the break, with the former also furious not to be given a first-half penalty after going down under a challenge from Jason Shackell.

And Cardiff boss Dave Jones will reflect on a missed opportunity following Swansea’s defeat at Derby yesterday as his side remain fourth in the table.

Mark Robins’s Reds were dealt an early blow as Danny Haynes was forced off in the 11th minute with what appeared to be an ankle injury, Gray coming on.That was the only incident of note during an ugly opening, but the game sprang to life as the visitors took the lead through Whittingham’s unstoppable left-foot volley beyond the despairing dive of Luke Steele.

Marlon Harewood had a chance to respond almost immediately after being teed up by Jacob Mellis, but the on-loan Blackpool forward’s effort struck the outside of the post before Gray levelled.

Steele bravely denied Bellamy again as Cardiff laid siege to the Barnsley goal, and their resistance was broken when a weighted Burke cross was headed home by Keinan. But the lead did not last long as Gray stooped to head home a Jacob Butterfield cross with two minutes to go.

Cardiff City: Bywater, McNaughton, Hudson, Keinan, Quinn, Whittingham, McPhail, Emmanuel-Thomas (Olofinjana 59), Bellamy, Chopra (Burke 25), Bothroyd (Parkin 74). Unused substitutes: Brown, Rae, Gyepes, Blake.

Barnsley: Steele, McEveley, Shackell, Trippier, McShane, Doyle, Mellis (O’Brien 63), Arismendi, Hill (Butterfield 87), Haynes (Gray 12), Harewood. Unused substitutes: Preece, Lovre, Devaney, Bennett.

Referee: R Booth (Notts).

Man of the match: Andy Gray.