Leicester City were dealt another blow last night as substitute Rudy Gestede grabbed an equaliser for Cardiff in the third minute of added time.
Defender Michael Keane had put City on course for a much-needed victory with a header from close range in the 72nd minute but league leaders Cardiff, who had struggled to create any chances in the second half, snatched an unlikely point through Gestede's header.
The Cardiff City Stadium has not been a great hunting ground for City and inevitably memories always turn to that devastating night when City's promotion dream ended in a penalty shoot-out on Welsh soil nearly three years ago.
A lot has changed since then. Both clubs are now run by mega-rich Asian owners, and the Bluebirds now wear red.
But one thing hasn't changed, both sides are desperate to get into the Premier League.
Once again, City arrived in South Wales trying to keep their promotion dream alive, but with the odds stacked against them.
City were looking to recover after a sequence of one win from seven games, while Cardiff had dropped only 10 home points all season.
Pearson had talked of a crisis of confidence within his camp following their home defeat to Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday and he responded by bringing in old heads Lloyd Dyer and Richie Wellens – the latter making his first league start of the season.
Pearson also changed formation to a 4-2-1-3, with Wellens joining Danny Drinkwater and Andy King in City's engine room, while Dyer and David Nugent supported Chris Wood from the flanks.
City produced an encouraging first- half display, although both sides struggled to create a clear-cut chance.
But City certainly looked more solid and competitive in midfield and were largely untroubled at the back, with Jeff Schlupp getting the better of Craig Noone and looking threatening on the counter-attack.
City stepped it up in the second half and looked the most likely to score, and Wood had a great chance when put through by Nugent, only for the keeper to make a good save.
In contrast, the hosts were struggling to create anything against City's well-drilled defence, marshalled superbly by captain Wes Morgan.
City finally got the goal their performance deserved in the 72nd minute when Michael Keane timed his run superbly to meet Sean St Ledger's cross to head past Marshall for what appeared to be the winner – until Gestede's late intervention.
