Match ends, Cardiff City 1, Birmingham City 1.
CardiffCardiff City1BirminghamBirmingham City1
Cardiff City and Birmingham played out a tame draw in Russell Slade's final match as Bluebirds manager.
David Cotterill fired the visitors in front before Anthony Pilkington seized on sloppy Blues defending to equalise.
In a drab second half, Birmingham's James Vaughan missed the best chance as he hit the post when clean through on David Marshall in the Cardiff goal.
The result sees Bluebirds finish the season in eighth place, while Birmingham drop to 10th.
In Slade's last match as Cardiff manager before becoming the club's head of football, there was nothing riding on it for either team.
Cardiff's slim play-off hopes were resoundingly ended by a 3-0 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday the previous weekend, while Birmingham had already fallen out of contention for the top six.
Blues did not seem to lack motivation as Cardiff-born Cotterill gave them the lead with a powerful low strike as his assistant manager for Wales, Osian Roberts, watched from the stands.
Diego Fabbrini hit the post with a shot from the edge of the area as Gary Rowett's side impressed, but they contributed to their downfall as Cardiff equalised.
Jonathan Grounds seemed to have time to clear Scott Malone's cross but dithered, allowing Pilkington to pinch the ball and finish from close range.
The game's intensity dipped in the second half, with Cardiff only mustering a handful of half-chances.
Cotterill was close to scoring a second Birmingham goal, but his dipping free-kick from 25 yards was brilliantly headed off the line by Noone.
The best opportunity fell to substitute Vaughan who, one-on-one with Cardiff goalkeeper Marshall, shot against the post.
Cardiff manager Russell Slade: "I move to my new role with my head held high. We have made progress as a club, we have taken strides to get us on the right track again.
"I don't think it will take an awful lot more progress for this club to get where it wants to be. There is a sound platform for the next head coach to build on."
Birmingham manager Gary Rowett: "In stages we played well, we came on far stronger in the last 25 minutes but our performances have not been reflected in the points we have taken.
"That has cost us but this has been a very positive season for this club and we are moving forward."
Line-ups
Cardiff
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Marshall
- 2Peltier
- 16ConnollyBooked at 19mins
- 6TurnerBooked at 60minsSubstituted forEcuele Mangaat 81'minutes
- 28Malone
- 11Noone
- 22O'Keefe
- 7WhittinghamBooked at 51mins
- 37LawrenceBooked at 31minsSubstituted forK Harrisat 74'minutes
- 13Pilkington
- 27ImmersSubstituted forZohoreat 67'minutes
Substitutes
- 5Ecuele Manga
- 12John
- 21Moore
- 24K Harris
- 26Zohore
- 38Ameobi
- 39Saadi
Birmingham
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Legzdins
- 23SpectorBooked at 31mins
- 28Morrison
- 4Robinson
- 3Grounds
- 6KieftenbeldBooked at 35mins
- 16AdamsSubstituted forGleesonat 71'minutes
- 11Cotterill
- 7FabbriniSubstituted forVaughanat 85'minutes
- 26DavisSubstituted forSolomon-Otaborat 79'minutes
- 9Donaldson
Substitutes
- 8Gleeson
- 15Vaughan
- 17Solomon-Otabor
- 27Trueman
- 31Caddis
- 32Shotton
- 44Brock-Madsen
- Referee:
- Peter Bankes
- Attendance:
- 21,022
Match Stats
Home TeamCardiffAway TeamBirmingham
- Possession
- Home60%
- Away40%
- Shots
- Home14
- Away14
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away6
- Corners
- Home5
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home16
- Away7
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Cardiff City 1, Birmingham City 1.
Post update
Kadeem Harris (Cardiff City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Stephen Gleeson (Birmingham City).
Post update
Attempt blocked. Stephen Gleeson (Birmingham City) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
Post update
Attempt blocked. James Vaughan (Birmingham City) header from very close range is blocked. Assisted by David Cotterill with a cross.
Post update
Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Lee Peltier.
Post update
Foul by Kenneth Zohore (Cardiff City).
Post update
Michael Morrison (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Stuart O'Keefe (Cardiff City).
Post update
Clayton Donaldson (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Scott Malone.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Viv Solomon-Otabor (Birmingham City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Post update
Attempt saved. Scott Malone (Cardiff City) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Peter Whittingham.
Post update
Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Craig Noone.
Post update
James Vaughan (Birmingham City) hits the right post with a right footed shot from the centre of the box.
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Substitution
Substitution, Birmingham City. James Vaughan replaces Diego Fabbrini.
Post update
Delay in match Diego Fabbrini (Birmingham City) because of an injury.
Substitution
Substitution, Cardiff City. Bruno Ecuele Manga replaces Ben Turner.
