Heaton the hero as Bluebirds reach Wembley

Cardiff goalkeeper Tom Heaton was the hero as his two penalty shoot-out saves helped his side to their first Carling Cup final after a dramatic semi-final second leg with Crystal Palace at Cardiff City Stadium.

Cardiff had dominated the majority of the 120 minutes and had led on the night after Anthony Gardner, Palace's first-leg match-winner, had put through his own net.

The hosts struck the woodwork three times through Kenny Miller, Filip Kiss and Aron Gunnarsson while Palace played with 10 men from the 78th minute after captain Paddy McCarthy was dismissed for two fouls on Scotland striker Miller.

But the missed chances did not prove costly for Cardiff as Heaton, who is second choice behind David Marshall, saved from Jermaine Easter and Sean Scannell before Jonathan Parr put the decisive spot-kick wide to hand the Welsh side a Wembley berth against Manchester City or Liverpool.

After Miller missed the first penalty in the shoot-out, Craig Conway, Rudy Gestede and Peter Whittingham were successful for the Bluebirds.