Snapshot: A game that ebbed and flowed and in the end the Bluebirds were on the wrong end of the score-line. A five goal thriller was decided in the last minute when Paul Hayes slotted home easily from the penalty spot. Who would have thought this would have been the outcome as both sides couldn't get going in the opening 40 minutes? Where this leaves the Bluebirds will only be known after the all important clash at Molineux on Tuesday night, but you can't help think that this is the one that got away.

Setting: Scunthorpe went into the game still with a few things to play for following their relegation had been confirmed at Crystal Palace. First on the list of course was the duty to try and provide their home support something to cheer, closely followed by the mission of not wanting to be registered as the bottom placed team at the end of the campaign. Personally we would also imagine that the players all had their own agendas with contracts in the summer and the prospect of Championship scouts also on the radar.

For Cardiff it was simply a case of needing to win. Failure to do so would make any existing play-off aspirations fade considerably unless results for the rest of the league for the remaining matches really could help us out.

Team News: Three Cardiff City players resumed their first team status at Glanford Park, as following a break at home to Blackpool, Glenn Loovens, Joe Ledley and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink all made a return. Back on the bench were Darren Purse, Peter Whittingham and Trevor Sinclair, with Cardiff playing 4-4-2 with a front pairing of Thompson and Hasselbaink.

Cardiff: Enckelman, McNaughton, Capaldi, Johnson, Loovens, McPhail, Rae, Ramsey, Ledley, Thompson, Hasselbaink. Subs: Oakes, Purse, Scimeca, Sinclair, Whittingham.

Scunthorpe: Murphy, Williams, Iriekpen, Byrne, Goodwin, Hayes, Paterson, Cork, Butler, Forte, Hurst. Subs: Lillis, Hobbs, Winn, Morris, May.

Chronological Report: The match began fairly tamely, with a single chance coming in the first five minutes for our hosts as Izzy Iriekpen speculated with a central fifteen yard shot. The ball was directed low and through the crowded City area, but wide of Enckelman's left post to our relief.

In the five minutes that followed Scunthorpe were certainly the team with more possession and a desire to get forward. The quality was lacking, but a second Iron chance came after nine minutes as Aaron Ramsey was cheaply removed, Scunthorpe worked the ball forward well, then Martin Paterson fired a shot low for Enckelman to comfortably save.

Cardiff settled after their early uncertainty and began to find their way into proceedings after ten minutes. The majority of the next ten minutes were staged in the Scunthorpe half, although only one chance of note came for the travelling 531 City faithful to shout about.

Thompson was the neat provider after sixteen minutes, and after having his own path blocked deftly rolled the ball to Ramsey, who then quickly turned and hit a rasping twenty five yard shot forcing Murphy to pull off a good reaction save for the corner. From the two deliveries that followed it was Glenn Loovens who was the unlikely striker, though both efforts were directed to the left of Murphy's goal.

Those of us inside Glanford Park can testify that the majority of first half time remaining had little to write home about. It was effectively a war of attrition as neither side could take advantage in the final third in what was poor entertainment in cold conditions. Cardiff arguably played the better football without a cutting edge, while Scunthorpe showed plenty of endeavour, but all too often gave the ball away cheaply to the exasperation of the home fans.

As the final stages came close Cardiff showed their intentions as after thirty nine minutes Gavin Rae fired high over the bar after running onto the ball well from a long free kick. Three minutes later Jimmy was the man in the spotlight and home directed banter as McPhail's ball was brought down and guided through a mass of burgundy shirts, only to be called for handball by the linesman.

Jimmy however had the final say in proceedings as just before the board was raised to show two minutes of added time he was the recipient of a great ball from the left from Joe Ledley after the Welsh midfielder had linked superbly with McPhail. Jimmy was centrally placed and under pressure in the area, but showed great composure to guide the ball onto his right foot and then hit a driving shot through the mix and into the back of the net.

GOAL: Scunthorpe 0 - 1 Cardiff. Hasselbaink. 45 mins

Cardiff City fans celebrated wildly - one of the travelling number a little too excitedly as he encroached two feet in front of the low wall, only to be escorted out by a combination of Scunthorpe and Cardiff stewards. Cardiff then played out the remaining minutes to go in a goal to the good, but no doubt some stern words from Dave Jones.

HALF TIME: SCUNTHORPE 0 - 1 CARDIFF

Scunthorpe made a single change after the break. Jim Goodwin was replaced by Ian Morris.

After the spectacular conclusion to the first half, Cardiff began the second period in a similar fashion. Again it was a great break from midfield, with Joe Ledley again the man to put the ball to Hasselbaink in the area. Again he took some time to check the ball, although this time the final shot hit the bar to deny what certainly would have been the killer blow.

It was certainly a decisive miss as minutes later Martin Paterson showed strong character to win a corner on the right. The ball was whipped into the area and touched in low at the near post by Paterson as the City defence were all rooted to the spot.

GOAL: Scunthorpe 1 - 1 Cardiff. Paterson. 53 mins

Scunthorpe were understandably buoyed by their equaliser and took it upon themselves to fire forward with confidence as the home support raised the atmosphere despite their numbers.

Their excitement was clear, then increased further as minutes later Scunthorpe made it two. Hurst initially beat Johnson cleverly on the right, then jinked into the area to slot the ball past Enckelman with style.

GOAL: Scunthorpe 2 - 1 Cardiff. Hurst. 55 mins

It was a bitter pill to swallow for Cardiff, but the taste thankfully didn't have to last too long. Three minutes later Cardiff broke through the centre of midfield through Aaron Ramsey. Ramsey then coolly paused, then rolled the ball perfectly to Joe Ledley on his right, leaving Joe to leave Murphy stranded with a well taken ball slotted in for the equaliser.

GOAL: Scunthorpe 2 - 2 Cardiff. Ledley. 58 mins

While the goal was a blow to the home support, to their credit they continued to ask questions as possession was shared between the two teams.

Changes were made for both as Whittingham came on for Hasselbaink, with Cardiff reverting to 4-5-1. Three minutes later Scunthorpe countered by introducing Peter Winn for Martin Paterson.

The match was being tightly contested between the two, though lacking the quality we had become accustomed to in recent weeks. Again changes were made, as after eighty three minutes came a change apiece. For Kevin McNaughton came Trevor Sinclair, while for the Iron it was Ben May for Martin Paterson.

It was nip tuck with nothing being given by either side. But just as we were trying to work out what was needed for our remaining games, again a Scunthorpe substitute was the difference.

Ben May broke through on the left and into the area, and while under pressure was taken out by Glenn Loovens' challenge in the penalty area. The referee quickly pointed to the spot, leaving man of the match Paul Hayes free to fire home with relative ease for the winner.

GOAL: Scunthorpe 3 - 2 Cardiff. Hayes. 90 + 1. Pen

The Scunthorpe fans were wild in their celebrations, and with the late loss it made for an even longer journey home to contemplate what could have been. Results around us make for an even bigger ask now, starting on Tuesday at Wolves. We're eight points off sixth place, hoping to make it five points before Burnley away next Saturday.

FULL TIME: SCUNTHORPE 3 - 2 CARDIFF