Cardiff 2-2 Preston

Thorne followed Saturday's hat-trick with a crucial equaliser

A 90th-minute header from Peter Thorne salvaged a point for Cardiff in a Ninian Park thriller.

The game exploded into life after a goal-less first half when the impressive Ricardo Fuller gave the visitors a 52nd-minute lead.

Richard Langley got the Bluebirds level, but David Healy restored the advantage with an 84th-minute strike.

Then, with just 17 seconds of normal time to go, a header from the in-form Thorne denied the Lilywhites.

The point moves Cardiff to sixth in the table, but they are still yet to beat any team from the top 10 of Division One.

The first half was free-flowing and entertaining, but neither side could find the killer punch.

Willie Boland and Thorne went close for the home side, while the Lilywhites created chances for Richard Cresswell, Paul McKenna and Eddie Lewis.

Lewis was booked for a foul on Langley, and Fuller followed him into the referee's book for dissent.

The best chance of the half fell on the half hour when the in-form Thorne was denied by a fine Jonathan Gould save.

But the Bluebirds suffered a blow on the stroke of half-time, John Robinson being forced off with an injury, bringing Gareth Whalley into the action as a substitute.

The visitors broke the deadlock seven minutes into the second half when the Bluebirds defence failed to pick up Lewis' run from midfield.

Langley's strike got the Bluebirds back to 1-1

The USA international found striker Fuller and the classy front man made no mistake in firing past Neil Alexander.

Cardiff floundered for 10 minutes, but with manager Lennie Lawrence on the point of throwing reserve striker Andy Campbell into the fray Langley popped up with the equaliser.

Cardiff had their chances to take the lead, Whalley hitting the post after a great run and a scuffed Rob Earnshaw shot beating Gould but being scrambled off the line.

With 15 minutes to go, Lawrence played his remaining card, Campbell at last getting his chance in place of midfielder Mark Bonner.

But it was Preston substitute Healy who made the mark on the game, restoring the Lilywhites' lead six minutes from time.

Fuller did well on the wing following a quick break, and whipped the ball in to Healy who fired past Alexander on the near post.

The game looked to have drifted away from Cardiff, but a 90th-minute ball was thrown into the box and Thorne directed a powerful downward header past a stricken Gould.

Andy Campbell nearly won the game for Cardiff in the third minute of injury time, but he fired wide from 20 yards.

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Cardiff: Alexander, Croft, Vidmar, Gabbidon, Barker, Robinson, Bonner, Boland, Langley, Earnshaw, Thorne.
Subs: Campbell, Gordon, Prior, Whalley, Margetson.

Preston: Gould, Alexander, Jackson, Lucketti, Broomes, Lewis, O'Neil, Etuhu, McKenna, Fuller, Cresswell.
Subs: Lucas, Cartwright, Davis, Healy, Lynch.

Referee: Mark Cooper (W Midlands).