Neath's forward power enabled them to come back from a 15-3 deficit to claim a draw which takes them a point clear at the top of the Welsh Premiership.

After fly-halves Iestyn Harris and Shaun Connor had exchanged penalties, the two sides each wasted golden opportunities for a try.

Cardiff had a three-man overlap only for Jamie Robinson's pass to go astray, while another Welsh international centre, Allan Bateman, slipped over with the line in front of him following a tap penalty.

When Neath spurned another chance from a driving lineout, coach Lyn Jones hurled his hat to the ground in disgust.

But, with Harris spraying out long passes to good effect, Cardiff grabbed two well-worked tries through Craig Morgan and Anthony Sullivan.

And after scrum-half Pat Horgan made ground from a quick penalty, Neath spread the ball right and burley winger Kevin James battered his way through two tacklers to the line.

Neath captain Gareth Llewellyn and Cardiff number eight Dan Baugh were sin-binned for fighting and shortly after half-time home replacement Luke Tait followed for killing the ball.

Connor added to the punishment by kicking the penalty and then used the gusty wind to land another from his own half, cutting the gap to a single point.

But former Neath man Dean Dewdney, on as a substitute for Cardiff, began a move which saw Robinson and Morgan each break tackles for Dewdney to race over.

Neath were not finished, however, and Connor slotted over another two penalties to level the scores. But he was wide with an injury-time drop goal attempt which would have given the visitors victory.