Ross McCormack scored his first goal for Cardiff to rescue a late point against Doncaster.
The former Motherwell forward capitalised on a mix-up in the Doncaster defence with five minutes remaining to volley home from 12 yards and equalise Lewis Guy's earlier strike.
Guy, the former Newcastle striker, thought he had second his second winner of the week - after scoring the only goal against Derby - when he latched on to Mathew Mills' pass midway through the second half, chested the ball down and thumped it past Tom Heaton in the Cardiff goal.
The late strike was a bitter blow for Doncaster who had suffered the embarrassment of extra-time defeat against League Two Notts County in the Carling Cup in midweek.
The home side began with a heightened urgency and put early pressure on a Cardiff defence that was missing former Holland under-21 Glenn Loovens, who has joined Celtic.
Kevin McNaughton did make the starting line-up, though, having come back from a knock in the win over Bournemouth in the Carling Cup. But Gavin Rae had failed to recover.
The tricky James Coppinger continually exposed holes in a creaking Cardiff defence, which was just about held together by the the experienced Darren Purse and Roger Johnson.
Both James Hayter and Brian Stock went close with long-range strikes for Doncaster, but despite their dominance failed to test the Cardiff's keeper.
Manager Dave Jones picked a front pairing of Paul Parry and McCormack for Cardiff despite the impressive form of Steve Thompson and Jay Bothroyd in recent weeks.
But it was a defender and midfielder who made the first threats to Doncaster's goal.
McNaughton and Peter Whittingham both had shots from the edge of the penalty area but 38-year-old goalkeeper Neil Sullivan tipped Whittingham's effort over and McNaughton failed to hit the target.
Doncaster striker Guy was then denied by the Cardiff keeper from 20 yards out as the 22-year-old Tom Heaton continued to impress in his loan spell from Manchester United.
The keeper saved well from Gareth Taylor after the striker had another effort for Doncaster with a right-footed volley from 18 yards.
Doncaster struggled to regain their momentum immediately following the half-time break but midfielder Stock did his best to reignite the home side.
His corner was met by Guy at the near post but he shot over the bar from 12 yards.
And then Guy struck with his second goal of the season before being replaced as the managers entered a dual of tactical substitutions.
Bothroyd and Thompson came on for Cardiff but it was McCormack that found the net with Sullivan stranded.
Teams:
Doncaster Sullivan, O'Connor, Hird, Mills, Roberts, Coppinger, Stock, Wellens (Chambers 90), Hayter (Woods 89), Taylor, Guy (Lockwood 79).
Subs Not Used: Spicer, Elliott.
Goals: Guy 67.
Cardiff Heaton, McNaughton (Comminges 82), Purse, Johnson, Kennedy, Whittingham (Bothroyd 69), McPhail, Scimeca (Thompson 76), Ledley, McCormack, Parry.
Subs Not Used: Blake, Enckelman.
Booked: McPhail.
Goals: McCormack 88.
Att: 11,873
Ref: Mark Halsey (Lancashire).