Late goals from Richard Langley and Andy Campbell left Burnley teetering above the relegation zone as their creditable recent away form came to a sorry end.

Derby's hammering of Preston lifted them out of the drop zone and meant the Clarets only avoided falling into the bottom three because of their marginally superior goal difference over Gillingham.

Cardiff still have a mathematical chance of qualifying for the play-offs after this win but will know they cannot afford any more slip-ups before the end of the campaign.

Lennie Lawrence's men made the slightly better start with Rob Earnshaw firing wide from a Richard Langley cross with just over two minutes gone.

But Burnley, and their lone forward Robbie Blake in particular, also looked a threat with the striker drawing a fine save from Martyn Margetson in the eighth minute which the goalkeeper pushed out for a corner.

Blake was taking the visitors' corners and from one of them Mark McGregor headed the ball over the crossbar, but it was at the other end where the first contentious incident occurred.

It came in the form of a 17th-minute foul outside the penalty area by Burnley goalkeeper Brian Jensen on Alan Lee, with the Dane shown the yellow card. Willie Boland took the free-kick but curled it over the target.

After McGregor made a timely block from an Earnshaw effort a flat period ensued, until young Clarets midfielder Richard Chaplow shot wide in the 34th minute and Langley did likewise for Cardiff when connecting with a Tony Vidmar cross.

As the half drew to a close, Langley did marginally better when he had a shot held by Jensen, while Burnley defender Graham Branch blasted the ball over from a decent position.

The second period began with Cardiff on the front foot and John Robinson forced Jensen into saving his long-range strike, while seven minutes after the restart the visitors came under severe pressure but held out as Earnshaw and Lee tried desperately to put the hosts ahead.

Thrills were proving few and far between, however, until Cardiff suddenly struck a double blow to their opponents' survival hopes.

The Bluebirds took the lead just seconds after Campbell's introduction. When challenging for a Paul Parry cross, the former Middlesbrough striker was fouled by McGregor, allowing Langley to step up and stroke the ball home from the penalty spot.

And within three minutes it was 2-0. Robinson played in Campbell who knocked the ball home for his only his second goal of the season.

Campbell, who had replaced Earnshaw, was looking lively and could have netted again, while Parry also had two chances to extend the victory margin in the closing stages as Cardiff's confidence soared.

Teams

Cardiff Margetson, Vidmar, Gabbidon, Collins, Croft, Langley, Boland, Whalley (Parry 71), Robinson (Lee-Barrett 84), Lee, Earnshaw (Campbell 76).

Subs Not Used: Barker, Bullock.

Booked: Boland.

Goals: Langley 78 pen, Campbell 80.

Burnley Jensen, Roche, May, Branch, McGregor, Camara, Little, Grant (Johnrose 70), Chadwick, Chaplow, Blake.

Subs Not Used: Adebola, Alan Moore, Abbey, Pilkington.

Booked: Jensen, Grant, Branch.

Att: 13,525

Ref: M Jones (Cheshire).