Cardiff produced a gripping fightback from two goals down to salvage a draw against Coventry City.

The visitors seemed to be cruising towards the fourth round after Lee Mills and a Gary McAllister penalty brought a two-goal cushion.

But Cardiff never gave up.

Rob Earnshaw sparked the fightback with just 15 minutes to go, and then substitute Andy Campbell grabbed the equaliser deep into injury time.

The effort and desire from those players speaks volumes of the spirit at the club Cardiff manager Lennie Lawrence

Cardiff, hoping to repeat last year's third round shock against Leeds United, started brightly and gave Coventry goalkeeper Morten Hyldgaard plenty to worry about.

The Finnish stopper first denied Jason Bowen and then smothered Peter Thorne's effort after the Cardiff striker had beaten the off-side trap.

Seconds earlier, Sky Blues striker Mills wasted the visitors' first chance as he failed to keep his effort on target.

Key moments

27 mins: Lee Mills puts Coventry ahead 55: McAllister makes it 2-0 with a penalty 75: Rob Earnshaw gets one back for Cardiff 90+3: Campbell grabs a draw for Cardiff

The home side continued to dominate and it seemed simply a matter of time before the goal would come.

Thorne and Graham Kavanagh had efforts saved, before Hyldgaard produced the save of the match to deny Earnshaw's point-blank header.

The home side were left to rue that missed chance almost immediately as Mills struck for Coventry.

McAllister's free-kick caused havoc in the Cardiff penalty box, and the ball fell perfectly for the striker to unleash a left footed shot into the bottom corner.

Mills put Coventry ahead against the run of play

The Sky Blues could have doubled their lead six minutes later, but Neil Alexander saved well to turn Jay Bothroyd's effort round the post.

But the First Division side did not have to wait long after the break for their second goal.

Player-manager McAllister expertly converted a penalty after Gary Croft was adjudged to have tripped Dean Holdsworth.

The goal spurred Cardiff into action, while Coventry played the dangerous game of sitting back to defend their lead.

They were soon made to pay for that tactic.

It was very disappointing to not win the game considering the position we were in Coventry manager Gary McAllister

Earnshaw, well marshalled by both centre-backs throughout the game, finally found some space to head home Bowen's perfect front-post cross.

The goal gave Cardiff 15 minutes to find an equaliser, and they threw everything at their opponents.

Hyldgaard again came to Coventry's rescue as he saved magnificently from Bowen and Rhys Weston.

But deep in injury time, Campbell forced the ball into the net to earn a replay.

Cardiff: Alexander, Weston, Prior (Young 15), Barker, Croft, Boland, Kavanagh, Legg (Campbell 48), Bowen, Thorne (Fortune-West 69), Earnshaw.
Subs Not Used: Maxwell, Margetson.

Booked: Croft, Boland.

Coventry: Hyldgaard, Caldwell, Konjic, Davenport, Gordon, Betts, Eustace, McAllister, Bothroyd (Pipe 90), Holdsworth, Mills (McSheffrey 67).
Subs Not Used: Montgomery, Partridge, Strachan.

Booked: Eustace.

Att: 16,013

Referee: G Poll (Hertfordshire).