A RESOLUTE Scunthorpe United suffered late heartbreak, despite a spirited defensive display, conceding an 85th minute goal at high-flying Cardiff City.

Seyi Olofinjana delivered the hammer blow, heading in at close range to send the Cardiff City Stadium into raptures.

The Hull City loanee, who also scored in the 4-2 Cardiff win at Glanford Park, struck his fifth goal of the campaign to condemn a stubborn Iron to defeat.

The visitors had defended stoutly throughout, showing a solidity rarely seen this season, as an accomplished rear-guard action promised an unlikely point.

But it was to prove futile in the end, as United finally succumbed to extensive City pressure.

Scunthorpe boss Ian Baraclough handed Josh Wright a starting berth for the first time since the close of the January transfer window.

The Iron midfielder had been on the bench since handing in a transfer request, but with that now retracted, Wright was back in, at the expense of Bobby Grant.

Andy Hughes moved to midfield to accomodate Ben Gordon, making his debut at left back following his loan move from Chelsea.

Eddie Nolan switched to right-back, with Abdisalam Ibrahim forced to make do with a spot on the bench upon his return from a one-match ban.

For Cardiff City, despite suggestions he may be rested, captain Craig Bellamy started as part of a three-pronged attack that included Jay Bothroyd and Michael Chopra.

Even with those talents playing, the game started in timid fashion, United content to frustrate in a 4-5-1 formation.

And it took 11 minutes for the first real opening of the contest, Cardiff's Jay Emmanuel-Thomas cutting inside Gordon on the right before dragging a shot wide of the near post.

Failing to raise the tempo, both sides looked neat and tidy without really threatening.

Emmanuel-Thomas forced a smart stop from Iron keeper Josh Lillis, pushing a fierce drive clear, after the Arsenal loanee cut inside from the right.

United rarely looked like scoring, their first shot of note coming in the 30th minute when Nolan cut in from the right and curled a shot straight at City stopper Tom Heaton.

Of the precious few chances, the Bluebirds had the next five minutes before the break.

Bellamy burst into acres of space on the right edge of the Iron box, and cut back to Olofinjana.

But the colossal midfielder's shot from 12 yards out was blocked as United went in at the break on level terms.

City looked to turn the screw in the second period, resulting in the game opening up somewhat after 55 minutes.

Paul Reid cleared off the line from Chopra, before a lightening quick counter by United, from the resulting corner, saw Gordon flash a drive across goal and inches past the far post from the left.

Cardiff had begun to click into gear by this point, substitute Chris Burke driving an effort well over the top after a neat 62nd minute Bothroyd knockdown on the edge of the box.

But for all the brave blocks, disciplined defending and graft from the visitors, Olofinjana would settle the match late in the day.

Substitute Jason Koumas rampaged down the left flank, before delivering a ball into the back post, aimed at Bothroyd.

The England international opted to nod into the path of Olofinjana, who headed home from close range, helping move the Bluebirds within five points of leaders QPR, who play against the Iron's next opponents, Nottingham Forest, on Sunday.

United so nearly snatched a point late on, substitute Grant's curling shot from the right forcing Heaton to push it into the path of Hughes, who could only lash the rebound well over.

With that chance went any hope of claiming a deserved point.

Despite producing their best defensive display of the season so far, United left South Wales empty handed, with promotion chasing Forest due at Glanford Park on Wednesday.

TEAMS

CARDIFF: Heaton, McNaughton, Hudson, Keinan, Quinn, Ramsey, Olofinjana, Emmanuel-Thomas (Burke 59), Bellamy (c) (Parkin 79), Bothroyd, Chopra (Koumas 68); Marshall, Gyepes, McPhail, Blake.

SCUNTHORPE: Lillis, Nolan, Reid, Nelson, Gordon, Duffy (Collins 71), J.Wright (Grant 87), Togwell (c), Hughes, Miller, Garner (Ibrahim 81); Slocombe, A.Wright, Raynes.

ATT: 21,604