Callum Robinson saw a first-half penalty saved as Cardiff City suffered a narrow Championship defeat at Hull City.
The Republic of Ireland forward saw his effort kept out by Tigers goalkeeper Matt Ingram as Sabri Lamouchi suffered a second loss in four days as the new Bluebirds manager.
Cardiff are now just two points above the bottom three after Cyrus Christie struck a 62nd-minute winner.
It was a fourth win in six for the home side, who jump up into the top half.
Liam Rosenior's Tigers have been clawing their way from danger and they were close to the lead when Regan Slater's deflected shot struck the inside of the post.
Centre-half Alfie Jones then headed over as Hull kept up the pressure before Cardiff had a gilt-edged chance to go in front.
Jaden Philogene was brought down by Callum Elder and Robinson stepped up from the spot, only for Ingram to guess correctly and push it away diving low to his right.
It was the third penalty the Bluebirds have been given in the Championship this season and they have now missed all three.
Robinson missed in a defeat at Huddersfield in September and Joe Ralls failed at Sunderland in October, and it is a terrible statistic for a team struggling to score goals.
That came back to haunt them just past the hour mark when Christie got forward from right-back and cut inside to curl one into the far corner with his left foot.
By this stage, Lamouchi had thrown on new Bluebirds' striker Sory Kaba, the Guinea international on loan from Danish club FC Midtjylland.
He had a late chance for a debut goal but was crowded out by a combination of Ingram and the Hull defence.
Cardiff's winless run stretches to 11 games, with only one goal in the last seven, as Lamouchi sees the task at hand for the Championship's lowest scorers.
Hull City: Ingram, Elder, Jones, Tufan (Longman 70’), Docherty, McLoughlin, Estupiñán, Seri, Slater (Coyle 90’), Christie, Connolly (Greaves 79’). Subs not used: Darlow, Figueiredo, Woods, Simons.
Cardiff City: Allsop, Ng, Kipré, McGuinness, Simpson (Etete 68’), Wintle ©, Sawyers, Ojo (Harris 90’), O’Dowda, Philogene, Robinson (Kaba 55’). Subs not used: Alnwick, X Benjamin, Ralls, Rinomhota.