Barnsley led twice but still fell to their 12th defeat in 20 league games in 2019-2020 thanks to an injury time winner for Cardiff.
It is the first time they have conceded an injury time goal since the final game of last season at Bristol Rovers, which is also the last time they have lost to an injury time goal.
Lee Tomlin's winner for Cardiff arrived after 94 minutes, the latest Barnsley have conceded since Joe Jacobson scored a penalty for Wycombe after 90+10.
Barnsley did win that game 2-1 however so Tomlin's effort is the latest winner against Barnsley since Jordan Clarke's 94th minute goal for Shrewsbury at Oakwell in September 2015.
It is the 14th time in 20 league games that Barnsley have conceded more than once in a game with the 41 they have conceded the joint most in the division along with Luton.
Only Southend (57) have conceded more goals in the Football League this season.
Barnsley have gone 14 games without a clean sheet, their longest run since a run of 20 between 3rd October 2015 and 9th January 2016 (4 Football League Trophy games, 1 FA Cup, 15 League One)
Barnsley opened the scoring for the seventh time this season but have gone on to win only twice.
This was the first time Barnsley have led twice in a game but still lost since April 2017 when they were 1-0 and 2-1 up at Bristol City but lost 3-2.
Mike Bahre gained his second assist in two games, the second Barnsley player to assist a goal in back to back games this season. Alex Mowatt is the other v Bristol City and then Stoke.
Barnsley have opened the scoring in successive Championship games for the second time this season, also v Brentford and Derby.
This was only the second time they have opened the scoring away from home this season and the Reds have failed to win either game (2-0 up at West Brom, drew 2-2)
Bambo Diaby gifted Cardiff their first equaliser by heading past his own keeper, the second own goal he has scored this season, becoming the first Barnsley player to score two own goals in one season since Angus MacDonald in 2016-2017 who scored three - against Sheffield Wednesday, QPR and Norwich.
Barnsley were back in front from a Lee Peltier own goal, the first time both Barnsley and their opponents have benefited from an own goal in the same game since way back in October 2005 when in a Football League Trophy game with Doncaster, Stephen Foster scored an own goal for Barnsley whilst Antony Kay and Neil Austin put through their own goal for Rovers in a game which finished 5-2 to Rovers.
Barnsley have now scored at least twice in five of their last seven visits to Cardiff, but have won only two of those seven games.
Barnsley had opened the scoring after 17 minutes but were pegged back just three minutes later, the shortest the Reds have held a 1-0 lead since the 4th March 2017 when they led for just two minutes at Derby and lost 2-1.
Lee Tomlin has now scored five goals against Barnsley, with four different clubs - Cardiff, Nottingham Forest, Bristol City and Middlesbrough (2)
This was the seventh time Barnsley have scored more than once yet not won - the most in a season since 2016-2017 (also 7 - however two of those did not arrive until April)
Cardiff City have now lost just one of their past 11 league meetings with Barnsley (W7 D3), a 4-3 home defeat in December 2016.
That game also saw an injury time winner but for Barnsley.
Indeed there has been injury times goals in three of the last four meetings in Cardiff with Stephen Foster scoring a 97th minute equaliser in April 2013.
Overall there has been nine goals scored after the 80th minute in the last 10 meetings overall.
Cardiff have won three games in a row for the first time since February/March 2018 (a run of eight).
Barnsley have picked up just two points on the road this season, the lowest amount in the division, it is the first time they have failed to win any of their first ten away league matches since 2001-2002 when they failed to win any of their first 12 (D3 L9), not tasting victory on the road that season until Boxing Day.
They have gone a total of 11 league away games without a win (D2 L9) for the first time since a run of 15 from 23rd February 2013 to 23rd November 2013 (D6 L9)
They are also winless in their past 17 Championship away games (D3 L14) since a 2-0 win at Birmingham in February 2018.
Barnsley have failed to win consecutive Championship matches since November 2017 under Paul Heckingbottom.
For the eighth time this season Barnsley had the most ball possession in a match they lost (also v Sheffield Wednesday, Birmingham, Luton, Nottingham Forest, Stoke, Blackburn and Middlesbrough)
Despite scoring three goals Cardiff only had two shots on target (scoring with both) whilst the Reds also only had two - scoring with one. It is the lowest total of shots on target in a Barnsley match since AFC Wimbledon at Oakwell in August 2018 (also 4)
Barnsley Team:
1. Sami Radlinger
2. Jordan Williams
5. Bambo Diaby
6. Mads Andersen
3. Ben Williams
24. Aapo Halme
10. Mike Bahre
27. Alex Mowatt (C)
9. Cauley Woodrow
7. Jacob Brown
11. Conor Chaplin
Substitutes:
19. Patrick Schmidt (for Brown 82)
22. Clark Oduor (for Bahre 90+3)
Unused Substitutes:
4. Kenny Dougall, 16. Luke Thomas, 21. Toby Sibbick, 32. Dylan Mottley-Henry, 40. Brad Collins.
Cardiff Team:
1. Neil Etheridge
2. Lee Peltier
5. Aden Flint
16. Curtis Nelson
3. Joe Bennett
7. Leandro Bacuna
15. Marlon Pack (C)
19. Nathaniel Mendez-Laing
17. Lee Tomlin
33. Junior Hoilett
24. Gary Madine
Substitutions:
11. Josh Murphy (for Hoilett 59)
23. Danny Ward (for Madine 65)
6. Will Vaulks (for Bacuna 75)
Unused Substitutes:
4. Sean Morrison, 12. Alex Smithies, 13. Callum Paterson, 21. Jazz Richards.
Match Reports:
Sky Bet Championship results:
FRIDAY 6TH DECEMBER 2019
Millwall (15th) 2-2 Nottingham Forest (5th)
Williams 15
Grabban 63
Grabban 88
O'Brien 90+2
SATURDAY 7TH DECEMBER 2019
Huddersfield Town (21st) 0-2 Leeds United (2nd)
Alioski 50
Hernandez 78
Blackburn Rovers (10th) 1-0 Derby County (16th)
Armstrong 57
Cardiff City (8th) 3-2 BARNSLEY (24th)
Chaplin 17
Diaby og 20
Peltier og 48
Ward 68
Tomlin 90+4
Fulham (3rd) 1-2 Bristol City (4th)
Brownhill 26
Diedhiou 76
Kamara 86
Hull City (12th) 2-1 Stoke City (23rd)
Vokes 7
Bowen 49
Bowen 56
Luton Town (20th) 2-1 Wigan Athletic (22nd)
Moore 35
McManaman 87
Moncur 90+3
Middlesbrough (19th) 1-0 Charlton Athletic (17th)
Saville 1
Queens Park Rangers (14th) 2-0 Preston North End (7th)
Eze 17
Eze pen 67
Reading (18th) 2-3 Birmingham City (13th)
Morrison og 41
Meite 45
Bela 59
Gimenez 88
Joao 90+5
Sheffield Wednesday (6th) 2-1 Brentford (9th)
Mbeumo 29
Fletcher pen 69
Fletcher 73
SUNDAY 8TH DECEMBER 2019
West Bromwich Albion (1st) 5-1 Swansea City (11th)
Ajayi 25
Costa Pereira 34
Surridge 39
Robson-Kanu 44
Phillips 70
Edwards 74
Barnsley lie in 24th place in the Sky Bet Championship with 9 points from 18 games. We are 21 points outside the Play-Offs, 28 points outside the Automatic Promotion Places, 30 points outside First Place and 8 points inside the Relegation Zone.
Up to 28/11/19
Next Up:
At Oakwell:
Sky Bet Championship Matchday Twenty One: Barnsley v Reading, Wednesday 11th December 2019. Kick-Off: 7:45pm
On The Road:
Sky Bet Championship Matchday Twenty Three: Millwall v Barnsley, Saturday 21st December 2019. Kick-Off: 3pm