Peter Whittingham smashed a late equaliser as Cardiff salvaged a point against play-off rivals Southampton.
Chris Baird put Saints ahead with a fine strike on 30 minutes, smashing home from Rudi Skacel's lay-off.
Bradley Wright-Phillips made it two when he latched on to Marek Saganowski's header to slot home.
Cardiff's Steven Thompson slid home from inside the area on the hour mark, before Whittingham drove home from 30 yards with just five minutes to go.
Southampton boss George Burley:
"We played very well in the first half.
"We put Cardiff under a lot of pressure but could not see it out.
"I would've liked to get three points, but there is still all to play for. We are not out of the promotion race."
Cardiff manager Dave Jones:
"I did not think we turned up in the first half, we were lethargic and did not do anything.
"It took us 45 minutes to wake up. I was a bit angry at half-time and the players dared not come back in at full-time unless they got a point.
"To come to a place like this and fight back from 2-0 down feels like a win."
Southampton: Davis, Baird, Powell (Makin 46), Lundekvam, Bale, Surman, Pele, Viafara, Skacel (Dyer 65), Saganowski (Best 82), Wright-Phillips.
Subs Not Used: Bialkowski, Rasiak.
Booked: Viafara, Saganowski, Pele.
Goals: Baird 30, Wright-Phillips 44.
Cardiff: Alexander, McNaughton, Johnson, Loovens (Gunter 66), Whittingham, Parry, Scimeca, McPhail, Ledley, Chopra, Byrne (Thompson 60).
Subs Not Used: Forde, Walton, Green.
Booked: McPhail.
Goals: Thompson 61, Whittingham 85.
Att: 20,383.
Ref: I Williamson (Berkshire).