Jason Koumas cancelled out David Vaughan's opener for Crewe as the Railwaymen were relegated from the Coca-Cola Championship following a 1-1 draw with Cardiff at Gresty Road.

Dario Gradi's side saw their three-year stay back in the second-tier of English football come to an end in the 76th minute when Koumas struck and relegation rivals Sheffield Wednesday beat Brighton at the Withdean Stadium.

Vaughan had offered Alex a ray of hope when he sent a raking 25-yard drive beyond Neil Alexander for his fifth goal of the season.

After good build-up play, Gareth Taylor headed the ball into Vaughan's path for the Wales international to score with an unstoppable shot.

But countryman Koumas broke Alex hearts when he restored parity with a curling shot to beat Ross Turnbull from the right-hand side of the penalty area.

The game started at a frantic pace and both sides had opportunities to open the scoring inside the first five minutes.

On-loan West Brom playmaker Koumas created the first chance of the match for Cardiff when his backheel released Steven Thompson on the flank.

The Scotland international waltzed past Madjid Bougherra to cross for Cameron Jerome, but the Championship's leading marksman floated his header back across goal and wide of the far post.

Soon after, good link-up play with Paul Parry - back in the side at the expense of Kevin Cooper - ended with Thompson directing his header wide of the target.

From Turnbull's goal-kick the ball broke to Steve Jones just outside the Cardiff penalty area, who held it up well before finding Taylor. Taylor struck a fierce shot at goal but Alexander produced a fine save to claw the ball away from the top corner.

From Kenny Lunt's resulting corner Taylor then had his header cleared off the goal-line by Koumas.

A comparative lull ensued following the excitement of the opening stages before Jerome saw two goalbound efforts blocked midway through the half - the first by Alex midfielder Billy Jones and the second ricocheting to safety off of team-mate Thompson.

Gradi's side were unlucky not to take the lead on two separate occasions either side of the half-hour mark.

Defender Stephen Foster was denied by an instinctive save by Alexander as his downward header hit the goalkeeper and flew over the crossbar, before Billy Jones' left-footed strike was repelled by the Scot at the expense of a corner.

Jeff Whitley missed a golden opportunity to put Cardiff in front when he fired wide from close-range following Jerome's explosive turn of pace out on the flank just before the break.

Crewe started the second period brightly and almost caught Cardiff napping after forcing an early corner, but with the goal gaping Steve Jones just failed to get on the end of Bougherra's flick header.

A series of Alex attacks followed and broke down in the final third of the pitch as an air of inevitability and impending doom began to set in among the home crowd.

However Vaughan broke the anxiety and offered his side hope when he lashed the ball past Alexander from long-range.

Turnbull preserved his side's lead when he diverted Koumas' drive from the edge of the area past the post soon after.

But Turnbull could do nothing to prevent Koumas from levelling the match with his 12th goal of the season.

Jerome might have won it for the Bluebirds at the death but he flashed his angled drive wide.

Teams

Crewe: Turnbull, Otsemobor, Bougherra (McCready 85), Foster,Billy Jones, Lunt, Grant (Roberts 43), Vaughan, Steve Jones,Taylor, Rodgers (Johnson 76).

Subs Not Used: Tomlinson, Varney.

Goals: Vaughan 58.

Cardiff: Alexander, Scimeca, Cox, Loovens, Ledley, Darlington,Koumas, Whitley (Blake 87), Parry, Thompson, Jerome.

Subs Not Used: Margetson, Barker, Cooper, Ndumbu-Nsungu.

Goals: Koumas 76.

Crewe are relegated

Att: 5,865

Ref: J Moss (West Yorkshire).