Cardiff striker Jay Bothroyd has scored six goals this season
Jay Bothroyd bemoaned Cardiff City's habit of conceding "silly" late goals after Lee Bowyer's injury time strike denied Dave Jones' men a deserved win.
The Bluebirds squandered victory at Championship promotion rivals Reading on Boxing Day when Adam Federici scored five minutes into added time.
Lightning struck twice at St Andrew's with Bowyer's goal in the 94th minute.
"We can't do that and expect to be in the top two, " said Bothroyd. "We've done it about eight times this season."
But Cardiff boss Dave Jones turned up the heat on the Championship's automatic promotion contenders Wolverhampton Wanderers, Birmingham City and Reading - none of whom won on Saturday - after his side's 1-1 draw at St Andrew's.
"If the top three think it is all done and dusted," said Jones. "Then one of them are going to get it and have a shock.
"We wanted to claw closer to Birmingham but we are just one of the chasing pack - and it is a hungry pack."
Sheffield United and Preston North End trail third-placed Birmingham, seven points behind leaders Wolves, by five points with Cardiff two points further behind.
Cardiff dominated at Birmingham and impressed at second-placed Reading last month.
Last season's FA Cup finalists were within seconds of success at both but twice let victory slip in the dying moments.
But Jones is buoyed that his side have shown they can perform against the best in their division.
"I'm having a moan at my players for the last ten seconds of a game which we have totally dominated," he said.
"And we have lost four points against two of the three top teams."
Striker Bothroyd added: "We are letting in silly goals and we have get better than that otherwise we won't win the promotion that we believe we can achieve.
"When we play Wolves, Birmingham or Reading we want to go there and win because we think we are a better team than them - and we have shown we are better because we dominate the games for large amounts.
"We impose ourselves and still feel we can win automatic promotion because all you need is a good run of victories."
Cardiff, now unbeaten in nine league games, left St Andrew's feeling as if they had lost but captain Joe Ledley tried to put some perspective on the result.
"Before the game we would have taken a point from Birmingham away," said the Wales midfielder.
"But if you look at the game, we should have won and now it feels like a loss for us.
"It has happened too many times this season and when you're in play-off contention a draw is not enough, we need to win these kind of games.
"We have proved we can live with the best in the division and we defended well but we lost it in the last seconds."
Jones, though, was adamant Bowyer's last-gasp lever should never have stood after the the visitors twice failed to clear in the area.
Video replays suggested defender Radhi Jaidi had fouled Roger Johnson as Cardiff failed to clear their lines, and Jones could not believe referee Michael Jones failed to give it.
He said: "I think if the referee looks at it again, he's given all of those pushes and fouls all day and the one time that we want him to give one - he hasn't.
Cardiff wingers Peter Whittingham and Paul Parry were replaced with knocks at St Andrew's but both are expected to be fit for next Sunday's FA Cup fourth round glamour tie with Premier League giants Arsenal.
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