Matt Connolly's o.g. in the 93rd minute handed a first win of the season to Rotherham. It was harsh on Connolly, the City defence and the 800 or so travelling fans who thought they would leave with an unlikely point.
Cardiff hadn't been anywhere near their best in the first half with Russell Slade's change of personel and formation not paying any dividends. Sammy Ameobi and Craig Noone started the match as City looked to add pace and width against a team with no win in their previous seven games this season.
Instead it was Rotherham finding space and forcing the City defence into errors and after 40 mins I'd have said Rotherham were the better and more progressive side.
But then it all changed. A long ball downfield was gathered by David Marshall. As the Scot moved to make a clearance he was pulled back by Matt Derbyshire, a petty incident that was meant to disrupt and should have resulted in a free kick to Cardiff. But instictively David Marshall raised a boot and kicked out at Derbyshire, the referee sent Marshall off and awarded a penalty to the home side.
Simon Moore came on for the sacrificed Joe Mason and Rotherham scored from the spot.
I have no complaint at Marshall's dismissal. From my view 100 yards away at the opposite end of the stadium I could see the boot raised. You could forgive him if it was a one off but Marshall missed the first three games of this season after a similar incident at Forest on the final day of last season. He will now miss another three.
I do though have a problem with the referee awarding a penalty. The first infringement was by Derbyshire. He should have been booked and a free kick awarded to City. Even if Marshall still walked Moore's first job should have been a free kick clearance, not to pick the ball out of the net.
With over half the game to go Cardiff were in trouble. But spurred on by Fabio they pushed forward and in first half stoppage time there was another penalty. Fabio's run into the box was interupted by a tug on his shoulder and the referee in my view correctly awarded City a penalty.
Incredibly the official then yellow carded the wrong Rotherham player but Peter Whittingham stepped up to score (pictured).
The second half was a non event as far as Cardiff's attack was concerned. A tiring Ameobi and then replacement Kenwyne Jones had no sight of goal as the Bluebirds defended, defended and defended.
Rotherham forced a stunning save from Moore, fired over from a goalmouth scramble, headed over from 4 feet and smacked one off the post. The real drama though came with the last attack of the game.
With an unlikely draw almost secured as the third and final minute of injury time counted down, disaster struck. A weak cross from the right seemed to be destined for the gloves of the diving Moore but under a challenge the ball deflected off Matt Connolly and trickled over the line. Rotherham erupted as the Cardiff players fell to the ground. All that hard work and graft in the second half for nothing.
Marshall will now miss the games at home to Charlton and away at Brighton and Preston. Cardiff have now suffered back to back defeats.
All attention is on the sending off but City were not playing well before that. Even with the addition of pace from Ameobi and Noone we were second best and didn't pose too much of a threat going forward.
Next up is Charlton at home on Saturday, 3pm.