Neil Warnock praised the fighting spirit of his Cardiff City promotion chasers after they rescued another lost cause with a 1-1 draw at Sheffield United.

The Bluebirds manager voiced his admiration after Anthony Pilkington snatched a point with a dramatic equaliser deep into injury time at Bramall Lane.

As on numerous other occasions in this Championship season, this Cardiff side simply refuse to acknowledge when they are beaten and summon up a resilience to gain reward.

Leon Clarke had put Warnock’s old club into the lead, but although his current side were unable to equal the Cardiff club record of nine successive victories, the 69-year-old manager insisted the result felt like a victory.

“Ask anyone in the game and they will tell you that draws like that feel as good as winning,” said Warnock.

“Often, that’s what the game is all about – showing guts and hanging in there and that is what we did.

“I have said it before – these are lads I’d like to have alongside me in the trenches. Even if we had got beat tonight, I could not have asked for any more.

“All credit to the groundsman for getting the game on in difficult conditions beforehand. Both teams did very well.

“I thought maybe we didn’t create enough with the final ball. But we stayed in the game and then Pilkington comes off the bench and scores, which typifies the spirit because he has hardly played for us this season.

“It sets us up for Friday now and the small matter of that game against Wolves.”

The stoppage-time equaliser from substitute Pilkington extended second-placed Cardiff’s unbeaten run to 13 games.

Clarke had given the hosts a 28th-minute lead, and that goal for a long time looked like it would be enough to send the Blades sixth in the Sky Bet Championship standings.

But Pilkington – a 78th-minute replacement for Kenneth Zohore – volleyed in a dramatic leveller in added-on time to move the Bluebirds eight points clear of third-spotted Fulham.

The home side threatened in the second minute when Cardiff midfielder Marko Grujic got ahead of John Lundstram following a searching cross from Enda Stevens, allowing goalkeeper Neil Etheridge to collect the ball.

United’s Lee Evans then fired over from distance while the visitors’ first effort on goal came from Zohore, who shot straight at home goalkeeper Simon Moore.

Grujic saw his shot deflected wide before the hosts took the lead. The opener arrived when Lundstram slipped the ball to Clarke, whose low shot from inside the area took a deflection off Bruno Ecuele Manga and beat Etheridge.

Clarke saw another deflected effort test Etheridge soon after, but the Cardiff stopper was equal to it.

Sol Bamba then made a vital interception, beating Clarke to a low cross and, from the resulting corner, taken by John Fleck, Richard Stearman’s header was cleared off the line by Joe Bennett.

Lundstram went close just before the interval, firing wide following Clarke’s lay-off as the Blades pushed for a second goal.

Warnock made a change at the break, sending on Gary Madine in place of Nathaniel Mendez-Laing.

Etheridge came to his side’s rescue early after in the second half, making a brave block with his legs to deny Evans, who had been put through on goal by Fleck.

The visitors then had a couple of opportunities in quick session. Aron Gunnarsson lashed wide and Zohore’s well-struck shot was saved by Moore at his near post.

United responded with a flowing move involving Fleck, David Brooks and George Baldock which ended with Lundstram shooting over.

Brooks then held off a couple of players before seeing his shot blocked.

Bamba tried a low shot from distance which rolled harmlessly wide of Moore’s left post.

The action continued to switch from end to end and Fleck had a shot saved by Etheridge.

Clayton Donaldson was sent on in place of Brooks and he was soon in the thick of the action, firing against Etheridge’s right post following a quickly taken free-kick.

Warnock then made a double substitution with Yanic Wildschut and Pilkington replacing Junior Hoilett and Zohore.

United continued to pose problems for the visitors, with Ecuele Manga diverting Donaldson’s effort wide and Lundstram seeing his shot deflected off-target.

Etheridge pulled off a good reaction save from Clarke late on and Fleck blazed over from 25 yards.

And the home team were made to pay for not finding a second goal when Cardiff got back on level terms after the 90-minute mark. The ball was pumped into the area and Madine headed on to Pilkington, who volleyed past Moore.