Rubin Colwill celebrates with Alex Robertson Getty Images

Rubin Coilwill (right) started on the bench after a pre-season injury but came on to score a dramatic equaliser

Gareth Vincent
BBC Sport WalesCardiff City Stadium

Rubin Colwill rattled home a 98th-minute free-kick as Cardiff City marked their return to the Championship by salvaging a point from a dramatic Welsh derby against Wrexham.

Phil Parkinson's Red Dragons had been on the brink of securing a hard-fought away victory in the opening league game of the season after former Cardiff striker Kieffer Moore silenced the home crowd with a smart finish from a tight angle.

Veteran Wales international Moore was taunted by Bluebirds fans during the opening exchanges in the Welsh capital – and immediately responded with what looked like being the decisive moment of a tense contest.

Moore later headed against the woodwork before Wrexham defender Callum Doyle's drive cannoned off the post.

For all their endeavour, Cardiff looked like lacking the quality to find an equaliser until Wrexham wobbled in added time.

The north Wales side thought they had escaped when a scrambling Dom Hyam headed Ronan Kpakio's cross against his own bar.

But after Joel Colwill was tripped by George Dobson right on the edge of the penalty area, Rubin Colwill's fierce set-piece found the target despite a touch from Wrexham's debutant keeper Anthony Patterson.

Parkinson's side pay price after failing to end the contest

Kieffer Moore celebrates Getty Images

Kieffer Moore smiled at home fans having been abused moments before he opened the scoring

This was a first league meeting of these two clubs since a third-tier encounter in 2002.

The scrap to be Wales' top side – which also involves Swansea City - will be an interesting a subplot in the Championship this season.

Wrexham begin the campaign with the greatest expectations, and have enough experience and depth in their squad to suggest that a second successive play-off push is a realistic target for a club whose ultimate goal is to reach the top flight for the first time.

The options at Parkinson's disposal might make Brian Barry-Murphy a little envious, though the Cardiff head coach would not say as much.

Cardiff look light on numbers – and Championship know-how – in comparison to Wrexham, but that did not stop them finding a way to avoid defeat after the shock of conceding inside three minutes when Moore galloped on to Danny Imray's ball over the top and steered home first time.

For a long time, Moore's fifth strike in five appearances against Cardiff since he left the Welsh capital for Bournemouth in 2022 seemed set to be the only goal of a game in which Wrexham carried the greater threat for long periods.

As well as hitting the woodwork twice, Wrexham were twice denied by Cardiff goalkeeper Nathan Trott as he kept out efforts from Doyle and Imray, who shone on his league debut following a summer move from Crystal Palace.

Cardiff did have their moments, with Jack Moylan – the one new face in Barry-Murphy's squad – lifting an effort over the top and Cian Ashford shooting too close to Patterson.

But having failed to capitalise on their clearer sights of goal, Wrexham paid the price as Rubin Colwill brought the house down in the last act of the game.

Barry-Murphy: 'I didn't think we'd get a goal!'

Parkinson: 'One moment has cost us two points'

Player of the match

R. Colwill
7.80
10 R. Colwill
7.80
27 J. Colwill
7.06
8 J. Moylan
6.96
23 C. Scanlon
6.78
3 J. Bagan
6.66
44 R. Kpakio
6.59
11 O. Tanner
6.46
1 N. Trott
6.42
45 C. Ashford
6.35
38 P. Ng
6.34
39 Isaak Davies
6.31
18 A. Robertson
6.30
47 C. Robinson
6.27
4 G. Osho
6.24
16 C. Willock
6.18
9 Y. Salech
5.93
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