Blackpool 1 Cardiff City 1
Scorers:
Blackpool- John Hills
Cardiff City: Dean Gordon
Players booked: Willie Boland (cardiff),
Cardiff came within a whisker of ending a 33-year hoodoo in the draw at Blackpool.
Victory only eluded the Welsh club courtesy of referee Mike Pike's decision to rule out a thunderbolt from Dean Gordon, the man in the middle deeming another Bluebirds player to have been offside.
What had been a drab game only came to life in the second half when Blackpool substitute John Hills drilled home a rising shot from outside the box after 65 minutes.
Instead of lifting the home side, Blackpool suddenly went back into the doldrums after the goal and City's equaliser came two minutes later when Gordon curled a free-kick around a Blackpool wall.
Then with 15 minutes to go striker Robert Earnshaw hit the Blackpool bar with a glorious shot on the turn and that narrow miss ensured the honours were even.
