Anthony Gardner scored an own goal to level the tie on aggregate

Carling Cup Semi-Final Second Leg: Cardiff City 1 (1) Crystal Palace 0 (1), After Extra Time. Cardiff win 3-1 on penalties

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Jonathan Parr missed the crucial penalty as 10-man Crystal Palace cruelly crashed out of the Carling Cup at the semi-final on penalties to Cardiff.

Anthony Gardner’s own goal levelled the tie after only seven minutes to give the Bluebirds the perfect start to the game.

Eagles captain Patrick McCarthy was dismissed for two yellow cards in the closing stages of normal time.

However, despite being down to 10 men Palace battled heroically to take the game into extra-time.

Cardiff hit the woodwork twice in the second-half of extra-time as they looked to seal the tie before penalties, but it came down to spot kicks.

Kenny Miller took the first penalty but blazed it over the bar but Tom Heaton saved Jermaine Easter’s penalty before saving from Sean Scannell, either side of Craig Conway scoring for Cardiff.

Parr fired his must-score kick wide to send the Bluebirds to Wembley and will play either Manchester City or Liverpool.

Cardiff looked to attack from the off and they levelled matters when Eagles defender Gardner, after scoring the only goal in the first leg, headed Conway’s powerful cross past his Julian Speroni to level matters.

The goal lifted the Welsh side and they looked to take an aggregate lead soon after with Aron Gunarsson going heading wide.

Wilfried Zaha was the biggest danger for Palace and his trickery forced Darcy Blake to bring him down and pick up a yellow card in the process.

Gunarsson was in the thick of the action again when he put Miller through on goal but his effort went agonisingly wide.

Miller was even more unlucky before half-time when he controlled the ball brilliantly, turned, and saw his effort strike the post just before half-time.

Peter Whittingham, who Dougie Freedman called the best player in the Championship before the game, then had a 25-yard effort flash just past the post.

Speroni then produced an astounding save to deny Whittingham’s free-kick, after McCarthy fouled Miller, which seemed destined for the top corner.

McCarthy then cleared the ball off the line from Anthony Gerrard’s header as another Whittingham free-kick caused Palace all sorts of problems.

Zaha had a golden opportunity to restore the Eagles’ aggregate lead but he fired over from Damien Scannell’s through ball.

Palace were forced to play the final 13 minutes of normal time when McCarthy was sent off for a second bookable offence for going through the back of Miller.

Darren Ambrose was brought off and Paul McShane, on loan from Hull, was brought on to replace him as the Eagles adjusted.

The Bluebirds made a substitution of their own – Blake, who was on a yellow card, was taken off and replaced by Kevin McNaughton.

Crystal Palace made their final substitution as Glenn Murray was taken off for Jermaine Easter, who scored in a Carling Cup semi-final for Wycombe against Chelsea, while Cardiff midfielder Stephen McPhail came off for Filip Kiss.

Cardiff were unable to force a winner, largely thanks to the Eagles’ calmness in possession, in the remaining minutes and the match went into extra-time.

The Bluebirds then had the best chance of the game during a scramble in the penalty area, in which Kiss and Miller couldn’t get a shot away, but Don Cowie blasted over inside the first five minutes of extra time.

Kiss, again, had chance to give Cardiff the aggregate lead, but his touch was too heavy and it fell into the grateful arms of Speroni.

Gardner nearly scored another own goal from Miller’s cross but the ball bounced up to Kiss, who headed over Cardiff’s 20th shot on goal.

Cardiff brought off Cowie and replaced him with Rudy Gestede two-and-a-half minutes from half-time in extra time and he nearly scored with his first touch but his shot went straight at Speroni.

Palace survived the onslaught to get to half-time level on aggregate to move 15 minutes from a penalty shoot-out.

Crystal Palace manager Dougie Freedman brought the players down to the Eagles’ supporters to try and inspire them.

Gunnarsson was the second Cardiff player to be booked for a foul on Zaha as the Eagles looked to grab a vital away goal.

Kiss then had a shot skim the top of the crossbar as Cardiff had yet another chance to take the lead.

Easter was put through by Scannell for a rare Palace chance but Ben Turner produced a fantastic tackle to deny him the opportunity to shoot.

Whittingham saw is shot deflected wide by Gardner just four minutes before a penalty shoot-out.

Inside the last 60 seconds Gunnarsson hit the bar from two yards out from Conway’s corner as Cardiff’s bad luck continued in front of goal, leaving the tie to be settled by penalties.

Kenny Miller stepped up to take the first penalty but blazed it over the bar but Bluebirds’ keeper Tom Heaton saved his blushes, literally, by stopping Easter.

Conway scored Cardiff’s second penalty and Heaton saved from Scannell.

Gestede scored to keep the advantage by Mile Jedinak scored.

Whittingham scored his penalty to ensure the Eagles had to score to stay in the game, but Parr missed his kick.

Cardiff: Heaton, Taylor, Gerrard, Turner, Whittingham, Cowie (Gestede 102), Conway, Gunnarsson, Blake (McNaughton 80), McPhail (Kiss 83), Miller.

Subs Not Used: Marshall, Ralls, Earnshaw, Mason.

Crystal Palace: Speroni, Clyne, McCarthy, Gardner, Parr, Ambrose (McShane 79), Dikgacoi, Jedinak, Zaha, Murray (Easter 83), Martin (Scannell 75).

Subs Not Used: Price, Wright, Garvan, Andrew