Russell Slade insists Cardiff City are not giving up their play-offs bid despite the agonising last minute defeat at Fulham.

The loss left the Bluebirds still in seventh but five points behind Sheffield Wednesday who had crashed to a 4-1 defeat at Bristol City.

Slade’s men will probably have to win their final five games to snatch a top six place and reach the Championship play-offs.

But Slade insisted: “We’ve not given it up, that is the message.

“There’s no way, we’ve worked so hard to get ourselves into this situation and we’ve got to see it through.”

“The goals we conceded today were unlike us, normally we’re good with that sort of detail, very resilient and efficient in terms of our defensive work.

“We’re disappointed with the goals we’ve conceded. But this is a good squad with a good spirit and we’ll work hard to win as many games as we can before the end of the season.

“The first goal, its a midfielder so we’ve not tracked, not read the danger and dealt the situation.”

Slade has defended his attacking gamble as he pushed for a late winner by sending on Kenneth Zohore and Idriss Saadi.

He added: “At this stage, you have to take one or two chances to go and get the three points. We threw our strikers on and put Lex in behind them in an effort to win the football match.”

And he also defended his decision to rest midfielder Stuart O’Keefe who has been a key player since being given his chance in January.

Slade insisted: “After the international break, the three games very quickly so we’ve rotated in those three games.

“You’ve got to trust and believe in the group, and sometimes those fresh legs can give you the edge.”