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Eddie Howe made two changes from the team that had lost at Leeds, one of which was forced on him. Michael Duff was ruled out with the hamstring injury that forced him off at Elland Road. David Edgar game in when the obvious choice was Clarke Carlisle.
The other change saw Ross Wallace come back in at the expense of Chris Iwelumo. The reshuffle saw Wallace start on the left with Wade Elliott on the right and Chris Eagles behind Rodriguez who occupied the central role.
Wes Fletcher would have been included in the squad but injury ruled him out, but there was a place for the first time for Dominic Knowles who, like Fletcher, has won himself a new one year deal.
Burnley took the field in their new kit. How disappointing it was to see them back in white socks but from a distance the shirt didn't look too dissimilar to this season's.
Both teams head early chances in a hectic start to the game. Chris McCann and Wallace linked well for the Clarets but no one was able to get on to Wallace's cross. Wallace then saw a terrific effort tipped onto the post by Stephen Bywater and down at the other end Brian Jensen was out of goal quickly to smother Bellamy.
It was Burnley though that took the early lead. We won the ball on our right hand side. Both Tyrone Mears and Jack Cork were involved and it was Cork who played the ball back to Andre Bikey on the right hand side and a few yards inside his own half.
Bikey played a super ball through for Jay Rod to run on to. Jay took it in his stride and hit a low shot across Bywater and just inside the left hand post.
The confidence seemed to ooze out of us once we'd got the lead and we had several opportunities to increase the lead. Probably Wallace had the best of them but delayed his shot and the chance was gone.
So well were we playing that former Liverpool defender Phil Thompson told Soccer Saturday viewers that we were playing like Brazil - and I've always thought Thompson couldn't see past his own nose.
We were playing some good stuff now but we still had to be watchful at the back. Jensen did well again to come out at Bellamy and he saved a half hit shot from Jay Bothroyd who seemed more concerned trying to win a penalty for a shirt pull that didn't happen.
But 1-0 up at half time, it had been a good half for the Clarets and we sat back waiting for more in the second half.
That second half started with a substitution. Bikey, who had enjoyed an excellent first half, had suffered a shoulder injury and the surprise replacement was Brian Easton who slotted in alongside Edgar.
We never quite reached the heights of the first half but we looked more than comfortable and at no stage did I ever think we might lose that lead. There was still plenty to enjoy in Burnley's performance and nowhere more so than in midfield where Cork and McCann were linking up so well.
I'm sure I speak for just about every Burnley fan when I say that I hope it was not his last game for us and alongside him here was the McCann we all know. He played well at Derby but was below par in his next two games, and that's no surprise after his long layoffs.
In this game he really was like the Chris McCann of old - you just watched his performance and realised what we'd been missing for almost two seasons. He was driving forward and, provided he signs his new contract, gave us a foretaste of what is to come next season.
It would have all been perfect had we held that lead to the final whistle but it wasn't to be. In the very last minute of normal time a ball was played up to Bellamy who had been allowed too much space.
Jensen came racing out but didn't get there and that gave Bellamy the chance to lob the ball over him and into the net. The goal made no difference at all to the league table. We were still in eighth place, moving up one place with Millwall losing, and Cardiff still dropped below Swansea.
It's been a season of disappointments at times and that late goal was the last of them, but at least this performance has sent us into the summer with hope that we can have a much better season next time round with a real challenge for promotion.
The teams were;
Burnley: Brian Jensen, Tyrone Mears, David Edgar, Andre Bikey (Brian Easton 45), Danny Fox, Jack Cork, Chris McCann, Wade Elliott, Chris Eagles (Graham Alexander 89), Ross Wallace (Chris Iwelumo 73), Jay Rodriguez. Subs not used: Lee Grant, Clarke Carlisle, Dominic Knowles, Steven Thompson.
Yellow Cards: David Edgar, Tyrone Mears.
Cardiff: Stephen Bywater, Paul Quinn, Mark Hudson (Darcy Blake 30), Dekel Keinan, Kevin McNaughton, Pete Whittingham, Jason Koumas, Seyi Olofinjana (Stephen McPhail 72), Chris Burke (Jay Emmanuel-Thomas 56), Jay Bothroyd, Craig Bellamy. Subs not used: Tom Heaton, Gavin Rae, Michael Chopra, Jon Parkin.
Yellow Card: Pete Whittingham.
Referee: Colin Webster (Tyne & Wear).
Attendance: 14,197.