Jay Bothroyd celebrates his winner against Plymouth with Mark Kennedy
Jay Bothroyd's 81st-minute winner confirmed Cardiff City's status as play-off challengers as they saw off Plymouth at Ninian Park.
The Bluebirds climbed one place to fourth in the Championship as they extended their unbeaten run to eight games.
Cardiff were unable to find a way past spirited Plymouth until Bothroyd struck following good work by Gavin Rae.
Plymouth had David McNamee sent off late on after a foul on Michael Chopra.
Cardiff boss Dave Jones: "It was an ugly win. I thought in the first 20 minutes if we'd got our noses in front, they'd have had to come out a little bit more than they were.
"But they played it well. I was talking to Studs (Plymouth boss Paul Sturrock) before the game - he made five or six changes and I wondered whether I should have done that after 20-25 minutes.
"But I thought it was our last game before we have a nice break and I just felt we're a fit bunch of players and they can go again."
Plymouth boss Paul Sturrock: "It was a kick in the teeth to give a goal away so late, I feel sorry for the lads as they gave everything.
"We had chances to win it which makes it even the more disappointing but I've told the players to keep their heads up as we will play worse and win.
"If we scored first, the win could have been ours but the goal was a killer as we had little time to level."
Cardiff: Enckelman, McNaughton, Gyepes, Roger Johnson, Kennedy, Parry (Whittingham 62), Rae, Ledley, Routledge, Bothroyd, Chopra. Subs Not Used: Heaton, Eddie Johnson, McPhail, Blake.
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