Derrick Williams' 90th-minute equaliser preserved Blackburn manager Tony Mowbray's unbeaten start as they drew 1-1 with Cardiff.

Kenneth Zohore had volleyed in his seventh goal in eight games with six first-half minutes remaining to raise the prospect of Rovers losing for the first time in Mowbray's fourth game in charge.

However, Williams kept his cool at the death to slam home from close range and keep them two points above the Championship drop zone with 11 games to play.

The hosts started brightly with Williams firing wide and Sam Gallagher going even closer after rolling marker Sol Bamba.

The 21-year-old Southampton loanee may be the difference between Blackburn staying up or not and he almost had his 12th of the campaign when he met Charlie Mulgrew's free-kick with a volley that came off the crossbar.

There had been little Cardiff threat until Zohore struck the top of the woodwork himself with a hooked volley from a long throw the hosts could not clear.

Image: Danny Graham helped his side earn a point

And Zohore would not be denied two minutes later when he was unmarked to meet a cross from ex-Rovers winger Junior Hoilett that he steered in at the back post.

It was a lead that the Bluebirds would defend with spirit either side of the interval as Sean Morrison made a sliding block to rob Williams in the box before Jazz Richards cleared Liam Feeney's header off the line.

Gallagher picked up an injury problem and was replaced just before the hour by Danny Graham, whose vicious hit from 30 yards flew just past Allan McGregor's post.

Another Richards intervention prevented what would surely have been a certain Blackburn equaliser as he read Marvin Emnes' cross before his former Swansea colleague Graham could.

Blackburn continued to press and substitute Connor Mahoney's corner was headed wide by Richards once more as he held off Hope Akpan.

There was still time for a leveller, though, with Williams stealing in at the back post to control Mahoney's right-wing cross and keep his balance despite a challenge from Morrison to apply the finish past McGregor.

Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray:

"It's frustrating for me that we didn't take three points. Before we'd kicked a ball, with this run of three games, we'd have probably taken seven points if you'd offered it us. We put it in the bag and move on.

"It's about what we do for ourselves, you can't rely on anyone else to keep losing football matches. We have to do it ourselves.

"We've seen our run-in, we've only got four left at home and we have to find a way of winning matches away. We'll work extremely hard to try and make that happen."

Cardiff boss Neil Warnock:

"Before the game you'd have taken a point, wouldn't you. It's my own fault - I put the subs on. We didn't have any choice tonight, many subs, and two of them cost us the goal.

"Declan should have stopped the cross, Nooney's with his man. You live and learn, don't you? That's what we're doing - learning about next season and who you want on board."