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An equaliser six minutes from time should have been enough for that precious point but two Ross McCormack goals left us with a defeat that for long periods of the game had never looked likely.
Our journey to South Wales was incident free, well almost. There was little traffic on the road to delay our journey but just after turning onto the M50 we were almost halted by a car trying to run us off the road, a car that had four Cardiff fans in flashing V signs at us and any other imaginable abusive gesture.
On arrival we found the new stadium build had caused parking problems but we took the advice of a Cardiff supporter who had kindly passed on parking advice on this message board a couple of days before the game. I think it is fair to assume he wasn't one of the four Neanderthals on the M50 or one of the two who subsequently chose to abuse us as we walked to the ground.
But this is Cardiff, and this is still Ninian Park, a ground that time forgot without a doubt. But it proved to be an afternoon there full of raw passion from both sets of supporters, just the sort of atmosphere I so miss now at the dreadful, sterile whacky warehouse environment created by our club.
I quickly gathered the team news to find that Martin Paterson hadn't even made the sixteen which meant Alex MacDonald replaced him on the bench with no other changes for the Clarets. For Cardiff, we knew Roger Johnson wouldn't be playing, he'd been virtually shot at point blank range at Crystal Palace if you listen to the histrionics of the goldfish loving Peter Ridsdale.
They did include Michael Chopra up front, the forward who once played for Newcastle had been a doubt. To be honest I've always had my doubts.
We needed a good start, and we got it. For the first half an hour I thought we dominated the game even if we didn't test goalkeeper Stuart Taylor anything like enough. We did come close in the very first minute when Jay Rodriguez got clear on the left of goal but hit his snap shot just over the bar.
Chris McCann and Chris Eagles both had shots, Clarke Carlisle was close with a header as the Clarets gave the home side a difficult time. Eagles, ably supported by Wade Elliott and Rhys Williams, was giving Mark Kennedy a torrid time down the flank that finally led to the former Liverpool and Manchester City player being yellow carded.
A goal would have really set the game alight. The response from both sets of fans along with the banter at the Grange End was brilliant and creating a real, proper football atmosphere. What a pity a few Burnley fans tried to spoil it with some appalling chanting aimed at Cardiff boss Dave Jones.
Thankfully it looks as though the police will be dealing with that having filmed the whole sorry episode but I'm not so sure there was any necessity for the drawing of a big green curtain that prevented some Burnley fans from seeing the entire pitch.
But back to the football and around that half hour mark we commented on how well we'd played, how much the better side we were, but also that not once had we really tested Taylor. We were confident that would come.
Unfortunately, as half time approached, the game started to change. Cardiff had hardly been in it but were now starting to have more of the possession and probably when referee Lee Probert brought the first half to an end it was us who were the most grateful to hear it.
By this time we knew that Preston and Swansea were both winning, but that was always likely to happen and even so a draw for us would still be a good result should we get it.
However, we never really got to grips with things in the second half although in fairness for long periods you would have backed it to end 0-0. For an hour or so it was pretty grim stuff but then Cardiff had a spell where they started to put us under pressure as we gave away too many free kicks around our own box.
We survived them all, even when Dave Jones opted to replace former Newcastle striker Chopra (he really did play for them you know) with our own former loan player Pete Whittingham.
That improved Cardiff considerably I thought as they continued to hit long balls up for the very impressive Jay Bothroyd. Whether he'll always be one or not, he certainly caused us a lot of problems and we never really dealt with him.
But it was our substitution that broke the deadlock with sixteen minutes to go. Joey Gudjonsson came on for Graham Alexander as we opted to change formation whilst also moving three players into different positions. We did all that with the game re-starting with Cardiff on the ball and within seconds we'd conceded.
We needed a response but it didn't really come and then Robbie Blake stepped in. He fired a free kick just wide of the post, it was so similar to the one that had gone in against Nottingham Forest recently, and then with six minutes to go he drew us level.
Sometimes you think there is justice in the world and it was Darren Purse, he who can do just as he likes without being suspended, who made a real mess of a back pass and Robbie was in against the keeper. He made no mistake and as the players celebrated the away end went wild.
But has elation ever turned to despair so quickly? I've no idea how long it took Cardiff to equalise following the re-start but it might have only been a few seconds. They simply kicked off, came at us and Ross McCormack scored. Most of the Burnley fans were still celebrating Robbie's goal only to have it all cut short.
This was certainly worse than the equaliser Plymouth got almost as quickly recently, and even more numbing than that late Derby equaliser even though that one cost us two points.
In fairness we gave it a right good go in the remaining few minutes when incredibly Michael Duff came on up front for Jay. I thought Jay should have been replaced some time before having had such a difficult afternoon against Purse and Gabor Gyepes.
We got MacDonald ready too, but he stood on the line ready for some time without ever getting on. He watched as we threw the kitchen sink in, won a few corners and had at least one effort cleared off the line.
But when Cardiff got their chance, they went straight for goal and with too many players pushed up it allowed McCormack to get the better of Carlisle and hit his shot across Jensen for number three.
With just over a quarter of an hour to go I would have safely put money on it being a 0-0 draw and that would have been a good result for us. Losing it 3-1 was so hard to take and the first two goals were so avoidable, one caused by the change and the other surely because of a lack of concentration.
But it's not a disaster, far from it. The league table shows we are still four points clear. If we win one remaining game then either Preston or Swansea would have to win two and draw one to even catch us. A win and a draw and one of them would have to win all three. Win two and no one can stop us.
It's still very much in our hands, no one else's. So there really is no need to panic. I think one win will do it. I'd rather it came sooner rather than later, but I do believe a win will do it.
Now is not the time to be negative, now is the time to get right behind the lads and support them all the way to the play offs. After all, it is exactly what we all want.
The teams were;
Cardiff: Stuart Taylor, Kevin McNaughton, Gabor Gyepes, Darren Purse, Mark Kennedy, Ross McCormack, Stephen McPhail, Gavin Rae, Joe Ledley, Jay Bothroyd (Eddie Johnson 86), former Newcastle striker Michael Chopra (Peter Whittingham 64). Subs not used: Tom Heaton, Miguel Comminges, Chris Burke.
Yellow Cards: Mark Kennedy.
Burnley: Brian Jensen, Rhys Williams, Clarke Carlisle, Steven Caldwell, Christian Kalvenes, Graham Alexander (Joey Gudjonsson 73), Chris Eagles, Wade Elliott, Chris McCann, Robbie Blake, Jay Rodriguez (Michael Duff 87). Subs not used: Diego Penny, Kevin McDonald, Alex MacDonald.
Yellow Cards: Christian Kalvenes, Clarke Carlisle, Wade Elliott, Rhys Williams.
Referee: Lee Probert (Gloucestershire).
Attendance: 19,379.