Burnley 1-1 Cardiff

Earnshaw's 12th league goal of the season saved the Bluebirds

Robert Earnshaw's 17th strike of the season helped Cardiff salvage a draw from their trip to Turf Moor.

Burnley took the lead seven minutes into the second half when youngster Richard Chaplow connected with a cross from Glen Little to fire past Neil Alexander from close range.

The game was slipping away from the Bluebirds until they were saved by their consistent dangerman Earnshaw.

He intercepted a careless back pass from Graham Branch and made no mistake in drilling in a left-foot shot, extending his side's unbeaten run to five games.

Burnley started the brighter of the two sides as Chaplow fired wide from 20 yards in the third minute and Robbie Blake blazed a free-kick high and wide shortly afterwards.

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Branch should have done better when Blake's free-kick picked out the midfielder in the six-yard box after 22 minutes, but his header cleared the crossbar.

City's first noteworthy chance arrived just before the half-hour mark when Gavin Gordon rose highest to meet a Tony Vidmar cross, but the striker's effort whistled over.

The Bluebirds ended the first half on top, with Graham Kavanagh forcing a fine save from goalkeeper Brian Jensen with a curling 25-yard free-kick.

Chaplow gave the home side the advantage

After Chaplow gave the home side the lead early in the second period, they came close to adding a second just after the hour when Mohammed Camara's cross was met by the head of Little, but the winger sent his effort inches past the post.

Tony Vidmar drilled in a shot from Cardiff's next attack which Jensen did well to tip around the post, and from the resulting corner Willie Boland forced another superb stop from the keeper with a stinging drive from the edge of the box.

The visitors' pressure was rewarded with 15 minutes remaining as the strangely subdued Earnshaw netted his 12th league goal of the campaign.

Vidmar had the chance to snatch all three points at the death, but he headed over the crossbar from Kavanagh's outswinging corner.

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Burnley: Jensen, Camara, West, Gnohere, Grant, Chaplow, Little, Blake, Branch, Ian Moore, Facey.
Subs: Roche, Farrelly, Chadwick, O'Neill, Pilkington.

Cardiff: Alexander, Prior, Vidmar, Gabbidon, Bonner, Robinson, Kavanagh, Boland, Barker, Earnshaw, Gordon.
Subs: Campbell, Gray, Collins, Fleetwood, Margetson.

Referee: H Webb (S Yorkshire)