Substitute Steve Thompson's late goal salvaged a point for Cardiff as Plymouth threw away a two-goal lead at Home Park.

Sylvan Ebanks-Blake capitalised on poor Cardiff defending to fire the home side in front in the first half and the former Manchester United trainee doubled their lead after the restart when Ross Turnbull spilled Akos Buzsaky's shot into his path.

However, Gavin Rae's first goal for Cardiff gave them a lifeline, before Thompson came onto the pitch to dramatic effect late on to steal a point for Dave Jones' side.

Plymouth, who were looking for their first home win of the season, started brightly and the first chance fell to David Norris, who fired over from the edge of the area.

Cardiff were slow to get going and Stephen McPhail had the first meaningful effort with a strike from the edge of the area which was deflected over the bar by Krisztian Timar.

However, just as the visitors were beginning to threaten the Plymouth defence, Dan Gosling's free-kick was only half-cleared and Ebanks-Blake poked home.

Cardiff tried to find a way back into the game, but Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink drove a free-kick from 35 yards over the bar and Paul Parry saw his shot blocked by Marcel Seip.

The visitors started the second half brightly and Peter Whittingham's saw his effort well-saved by Luke McCormick.

Holloway brought Buzsaky on for Gosling and the change paid off within minutes as the Hungarian was allowed to get away a shot unchallenged

and Turnbull spilled the effort into the path of Ebanks-Blake who coolly finished once again.

Dave Jones brought former Liverpool and England striker Robbie Fowler on in a bid to get back into the game and that change nearly paid dividends as he pounced on a flap from McCormick who quickly made amends with a good block.

The goal appeared to be coming for Cardiff and so it proved as a period of good build-up play resulted in Paul Parry firing in an effort which was well saved by McCormick, but Rae was on hand to tap home.

Fowler came agonisingly close to bringing Cardiff level, but the equaliser came when Hasselbaink flicked the ball onto substitute Thompson, who finished well at the far post.

Nick Chadwick should have grabbed a dramatic winner for Plymouth, but he fired over from six yards after getting on the end of Barry Hayles' cross.

Teams:

Plymouth McCormick, Connolly, Timar, Seip, Sawyer, Norris,Gosling (Buzsaky 55), Abdou, Djordjic (Halmosi 45),Ebanks-Blake (Chadwick 87), Hayles.

Subs Not Used: Doumbe, Fallon.

Booked: Seip, Ebanks-Blake.

Goals: Ebanks-Blake 30, 58.

Cardiff Turnbull, Gunter (Thompson 83), Johnson, McNaughton,Capaldi, Sinclair, McPhail, Rae, Whittingham (Fowler 60),Hasselbaink (Ledley 90), Parry.

Subs Not Used: Oakes, Blake.

Goals: Rae 71, Thompson 89.

Att: 11,591

Ref: Richard Beeby (Northamptonshire).