The boos were loud as the final whistle blew barley seconds after Barnsley stunned the home crowd with a last gasp goal. The referee told Malky Mackay there were just four seconds remaining when Stephen Foster's deflection wrong footed David Marshall.
"I asked the referee to clear up why the game went into six minutes of injury time and he did that," said Mackay
"McNaughton went down and that's where the extra minute came from. I was surprised it was five minutes in the first place, but the referee clarified for me why it was that long.
"I accept his explanation.
"He told me that when Barnsley scored there were four seconds left in the game."
"We could have been more clinical," said Mackay. "I was delighted with the way we played against a team fighting for their lives.
"Barnsley can work opposing teams to death, but we dominated them and created chances. We should have been further ahead.
"But we are still a point better off than we were and a point closer to the total we will need.
"There are strong characters in our dressing room and they will be ready to go again against Nottingham Forest on Saturday."
Barnsley boss David Flitcroft believes the timings were correct.
"He was spot on to add that extra time - and then Cardiff's Kevin McNaughton went down inside that period.
"That's where the extra minute came from. Why McNaughton went down I don't know.
"Cardiff are top because they are the best Championship team by a country mile. I love the way they press, they have an insatiable appetite to work for each other and have top,top players.
"I hope they go up as champions. They are the best and deserve to win the title."