Cardiff City 1 Burnley 0

It needed, however, Championship leaders Cardiff and the narrowest of margins to leave the Clarets tasting that losing feeling.

Not since April 22 have they left empty-handed on the road, but there is a very strong sense of frustration that Burnley rode out of Ninian Park without reward.

There is little evidence to back up Bluebirds boss Dave Jones' assurance that his top-of-the-table side were worthy winners.

An assessment of the assault on Burnley's goal highlights that Riccardo Scimeca's 23rd minute winner proved Cardiff's solitary effort on target.

True, Michael Chopra and Willo Flood fired over excellent late opportunities as the visitors pressed for an equaliser, but Brian Jensen was largely untroubled all game.

Chances were equally limited at the other end, but Steve Cotterill's men more than matched the division's pacesetters on their own patch.

Hard-working, focused and organised. In all three principles, Burnley ticked each box.

What's more, the Clarets played good football and were on the front foot for longer spells than their South Wales hosts in this closely-fought contest.

It spoke volumes that Bluebirds captain and centre-half Darren Purse was, according to the tannoy announcer, awarded man-of-the-match.

Purse and Glenn Loovens were continually in the thick of the action as the greater percentage of play came in Cardiff's defensive third.

It was never the prettiest of games, and certainly not one for the faint-hearted, as Burnley fans made their contribution to a passionate, almost cauldron-like atmosphere.

Tackles flew in, but nothing over the top or excessive to the extent that referee Peter Walton needed to produce six yellow cards.

Five cautions were flashed at Burnley players as the Northamptonshire official seemed intent on clamping down on the visitors wherever and whenever he could.

He was correct to penalise James O'Connor for bringing down Flood, but his decision to card protesting Andy Gray was harsh in the extreme.

A second-half yellow to Frank Sinclair, following James Chambers' histrionics, pretty much summed up a poor afternoon from Walton.

Burnley entered the fixture on the back of an seven-match unbeaten stretch and also without defeat in seven successive away games.

The latter is a record they should be proud of. Only twice before in the football club's long history have they enjoyed longer unbeaten away runs at the start of a league campaign.

In the old Second Division Championship winning season of 1972/73, the Clarets went 13 successive matches without defeat.

Going back further to the 1947/48 old Division One campaign, they failed to be beaten for 10 consecutive games.

The South Wales duel was billed as the Football League's biggest clash of the weekend, a game pitting the wits of top versus third in the Championship.

For Burnley, this presented arguably their toughest test of the season to date.

Outside Turf Moor, the quartet of Norwich, Leicester, Luton and Stoke had been overturned.

Cardiff - Championship leaders for most of the season - were seen as the greater challenge of all given their flying start.

Cotterill made one change to his starting line-up that defeated Ipswich nine days ago, with fit-again captain Wayne Thomas replacing suspended Micah Hyde.

But it meant a slight reshuffle, last weekend's goal hero Chris McCann slotting into midfield alongside O'Connor after his excellent display in central defence against the Tractor Boys.

The first 20 minutes were seen as all-important.

Burnley came through that period with flying colours, outshining their hosts in the opening exchanges.

Bitty and niggly it may have been at times, but the Clarets still threaded together their attractive passing game that has been the hallmark of their fine campaign.

Sinclair fizzed a first minute sighter at Bluebirds stopper Neil Alexander.

From a finely constructed move that begin with clever hold-up play from Gifton Noel-Williams, Jon Harley skinned Purse before sending over a low cross that needed turning behind for a corner.

From Wade Elliott's delivery, the ball fell for O'Connor 25 yards out.

The Irishman has fashioned three goals this season from midfield, but he could not add a fourth, volleying well over.

O'Connor's influence grew and a cutting pass from the Dubliner found Elliott, who chested the ball down and, in a blink of an eye, fizzed a wonderful first time cross over for Gray, but Loovens raced back to head over.

Burnley were on top and pressure came from both flanks, Elliott making headway down the right and Jon Harley and Steve Jones targeting on-loan Chambers down the opposite wing.

Cardiff's main danger came from the Championship's leading goalscorer Michael Chopra.

The former Newcastle striker has pace to burn, while his excellent ball control and deadly eye for goal suggests the Magpies, struggling for points and goals in the Premiership, may have made a mistake in selling their youth product for a modest fee.

But equally, Thomas is no slouch and, in the main, Burnley's athletic skipper kept a lid on livewire Chopra.

And alongside the captain, Michael Duff turned in yet another exemplary, gutsy and commanding performance.

Apart from rushing off his line to slam clear an underhit backpass from Thomas, keeper Jensen was enjoying a trouble-free afternoon.

There was nothing to suggest a goal was in the offing from the league leaders.

The Bluebirds, however, broke the deadlock when Scimeca fired home from just outside the penalty box.

Former Arsenal and Everton striker Kevin Campbell held off Burnley's defence to lay a short pass in Scimeca's direction and the midfielder found the bottom corner with Jensen at full stretch.

Burnley were surprised to be caught out - from a rare foray on goal - and it took a while to get back on track.

But the probing continued, especially down the left, and from McCann's whipped cross, Gray missed out on a golden opportunity.

The delivery from McCann dipped perfectly over Looverns, much to Gray's surprise, and the striker could not react in time to stab home.

From the look of amazement on Gray's face, he knew a big chance had gone begging.

Cardiff enjoyed a 10 minute spell of pressure after the interval, with jet-heeled pair Chopra and Flood causing most concern, but well-marshalled defending kept everything in check.

Joe Ledley's shot deflected wide, while Jensen raced out to smother at Ledley's feet to halt a quick counter attack.

Again, the left-hand side produced most joy for the Clarets, Harley and Jones probing away and pinging in a series of crosses.

>From one Harley delivery, Gray outmuscled Alexander as the ball bounced loose to Jones.

But Jones stabbed horribly wide from his left foot when he was perhaps best shooting from his right peg.

At the other end, Ledley scuffed his effort wide from Chopra's centre.

With eight minutes remaining, the Clarets struck the woodwork from Alan Mahon's free-kick, a sign that it just wasn't meant to be their day.

Thomas slammed the underside of the crossbar after Alexander could only punch the ball into the path of Burnley's skipper.

The entire Clarets dug-out jumped in celebration, convinced Thomas had salvaged an equaliser.

In any case, Walton blew his whistle for an infringement on the Bluebirds keeper, although Alexander looked to have been impeded by his own defenders after the ball hit the bar.

Cardiff survived and in the last 20 seconds of the designated 90 minutes, Chopra should have put the points to bed.

After beautifully controlling Purse's long punt, Chopra raced clear of Duff and Thomas, but spooned over the bar with Jensen to beat.

McCann tried for the second consecutive game to grab a last-gasp goal, but Alexander's low save foiled the teenager.