Cardiff manager Mackay staying positive after leicester draw

13 March 2013 10:47

Cardiff manager Malky Mackay remained upbeat despite watching his side's promotion nerves continue in the 1-1 npower Championship draw with Leicester.

The Bluebirds grabbed a 93rd-minute leveller courtesy of substitute Rudy Gestede to cancel out Michael Keane's opener for Leicester. Cardiff have collected just five points from their last five matches, but Cardiff boss Mackay praised his Championship leaders for grabbing a late point to extend their advantage at the top to four points over second-placed Hull.

Mackay said: "To get a goal is relief when you are a goal down with a few minutes to go. But it was just reward for the way the team kept fighting to the end. We had a never-say-die attitude to knocking on the door."

He added: "There are no givens in this division and I don't expect any between now and the end of the season. You only need to look at the results in other areas to see that everyone is cutting each others' throats. It's a dangerous division.

"But what pleases me about my team is they fight to the very end no matter what. We're still picking up points. You've got to work for every point and we've added another towards our total with one game less."

After a lifeless opening 45 minutes, the hosts suffered a blow when captain Mark Hudson failed to return at the start of the second half following an ankle injury.

The hosts had David Marshall to thank on the hour mark when he produced a reflex save to thwart Chris Wood, before Keane broke the deadlock with a 72nd-minute header.

But the Foxes were denied in the dying seconds as Gestede powered Andrew Taylor's centre beyond Kasper Schmeichel, leaving Leicester boss Nigel Pearson a frustrated figure.

Pearson said: "We deserved to win the game as we were much the better side. It was a bit cruel on the players bearing in mind how late it was. This is never an easy place to come to and a bit of confidence has been lacking. But I thought we played very well.

"We know that our points tally of late has not been good enough and we've fallen off the pace. I just feel for the players. I can't remember Cardiff really creating a chance until the goal. It was fatigue, but that happens. I'm not going to get too downbeat about it. You've got to work your way and show courage through difficult periods. The players did that."

Source: PA