BLACKBURN Rovers boss Gary Bowyer praised his side’s resilience after they snatched a last-gasp 1-1 draw at Cardiff City last night.

Both teams had shots cleared off the line in the first half and then both missed golden opportunities after the break.

But Sean Morrison broke the deadlock in the 84th minute as Rovers conceded from a corner for the third match running.

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However with less than 50 seconds of normal time remaining Rudy Gestede pounced to equalise after substitute Chris Brown’s shot from a Tom Cairney cross was cleared off the line.

It was the former Cardiff striker’s 15th goal of the campaign and it means 15 of the 43 points Rovers have earned this season have come from losing positions.

It also stretched their unbeaten run in all competitions to three games after Saturday’s stunning FA Cup success over Stoke City and last Tuesday’s league win at home to Rotherham United.

Bowyer, who lost midfielder Corry Evans to injury, said: “I didn’t think there was much in the game and I didn’t think it was a particularly great spectacle for the neutral.  

“Both teams had half-chances cleared off the line and there was nothing much more to recall from the first half.

“But I thought our application and our attitude following the exploits at the weekend was excellent because it could have been very easy to get carried away with it and just turn up and expect to win.

“Any team is difficult away from home and the intensity they played with we matched without there being any great quality in the game.

“In the second half I think we’ve had the big chance with Josh King and if that had gone in it could have been a different story for us.

“But with the resilience to keep going, that never-say-die attitude, we were able to get back in the game and I thought Chris Brown’s contribution was tremendous for the goal, we were disappointed that it wasn’t him that opened his account, but I don’t think Rudy is too disappointed.

“We sent Browny on to add his physical presence to Rudy’s physical presence and it led to Tom Cairney being able to go an unbelievable run.

“He had the composure to square it across and when you see it cut out the goalie, you hope to see it hit the back of the net.

“But it hit the defender and you do fear for a second but luckily it fell to Rudy and he put it in.”

Gestede has now scored 27 goals in 51 appearances since his £200,000 move from the Bluebirds last January.

His latest strike moved Rovers, who have now gone nine matches without a league win away from home, within 10 points of the play-offs.

It also ensured the Cardiff’s winless run in all competitions extended to seven games.

But Russell Slade was heartened by what he believed was a much-improved performance from his out-of-form side.

Bluebirds boss Slade: “It is frustrating we did not get all three points but that was a much better performance.

"There are signs of improvement and the pity is we were punished on the only occasion where we did not defend properly.

"We had much more energy and we really pressed the ball well and that is more in line with what I want to see from my team and what I have been saying I want to see.

“They came in here very confident after their performance against Stoke at the weekend and we dealt with them very well.”