Jan Poortvliet's first game in charge ended in heartbreak as Saints were defeated by an injury time goal at Cardiff to lose 2-1.

After a bright start at Ninian Park Saints found themselves under increasing pressure and fell behind four minutes before half time through Steve Thompson.

But Saints showed great character to bounce back, David McGoldrick scoring his first league goal just before the break to equalise.

The second half was far more even but Poortvliet's men just failed to hold on for a point with Roger Johnson heading home from a free kick seconds into injury time.

It was a wet start to the season for Saints as the rain poured down in Cardiff and there was a worrying moment early on as Ross McCormack slid the ball across the six yard box but Michael Svensson was on hand to clear.

Svensson popped up at the other end on three minutes but could only direct his header from Morgan Scheiderlin's cross over the bar from 12 yards out.

Saints had a great chance on eight minutes when they won a free kick inside the Cardiff area after Joe Heaton had slid and collected Glenn Loovens' short backpass with Lee Holmes chasing in to finish it if he didn't.

Holmes rolled the ball back to Simon Gillett who struck a first time shot low and hard but straight into the wall and the danger was cleared.

As Saints settled down they were playing well, passing the ball quickly and slickly over the wet surface and getting in the faces of the Cardiff players to pressure them when they had possession.

Cardiff always had a threat up front though and gave a warning after 18 minutes when Steve Thompson rose highest to meet a cross from the right but his header was straight at Kelvin Davis.

The Saints keeper was in action again on 27 minutes as McCormack dropped his shoulder to win himself a yard of space to get in a shot but his low near post effort was held by Davis.

McCormack tried again five minutes later, this time from 25 yards out, but his fiercely struck effort was wide of the target and whistled past the post.

Cardiff were really starting to get on top of Saints and Davis was called into action again moments later to block from Thompson at the near post.

Davis was quick off his line on 37 minutes as Gavin Rae chased a through ball. The keeper slid in with his feet and did well to beat Rae to the ball and Saints got it clear.

Peter Whittingham was the next to come close, firing his volley over the bar after Thompson had headed the ball back across the area from the far post.

Thompson was again causing problems in the area on 39 minutes and only a good save from Davis to turn a low shot round the post kept him out.

A goal had been on the cards for some time and on 41 minutes Thompson duly delivered it.

Another cross came into the area, Saints couldn't get it clear and it was pushed back to Thompson who had time to measure a low right footed finish past Davis diving to his left and into the bottom corner for 1-0.

But seconds before half time Saints hit back in dramatic fashion.

Andrew Surman pushed forward from left back, got past Kevin McNaughton and to the by-line. His low ball went into the six yard box, David McGoldrick got in front of his man and flicked it home for 1-1 at the break.

There was no let up in the rain as the second half got underway, in fact it got heavier meaning the ball was holding up in places making conditions a bit tougher.

The first half chance fell Cardiff's way eight minutes into the second period but Joe Ledely's attempt from 20 yards sailed over the bar.

McGoldrick decided to pull the trigger from 25 yards out four minutes later but dragged his effort wide.

Davis made a brilliant save on 58 minutes. Roger Johnson got clear of his man from an inswinging right wing corner and headed goalwards but from point blank range Davis somehow kept it out.

Poortvliet made his first change a minute later with Jake Thomson coming off for Nathan Dyer.

Saints didn't learn from their mistake and left Loovens unmarked from a corner two minutes later but totally unchallenged and eight yards out he guided his header wide of the target.

Cardiff made their first switch on 67 minutes with Jay Bothroyd replacing Thompson.

He nearly made an immediate impact with a mazy run that was only halted by a firm challenge from Svensson.

Poortvliet made his final two changes on 71 minutes with Bradley Wright-Phillips and Paul Wotton coming on for Holmes and Schneiderlin.

Cardiff responded with a substitution of their own three minutes later with Paul Parry replacing Whittingham.

The game really quietened down for a period, the nearest either side came was a Rae shot sliced over the bar and wide.

Dyer was causing Cardiff a few worries with his pace against tired defenders and as a result Saints won a free kick on the right, just outside the area with Loovens being the first man in the book.

Surman whipped it in hard and low but it was just wide of the far post and the sliding Svensson couldn't quite reach the ball to turn it goalwards.

Parry tried a tricky first time volley from the edge of the area that he sidefooted wide as the crowd got on the back of Davis who they felt was time wasting as Saints worked their way towards a draw.

But in the end it wasn't to be as Cardiff got the winner in injury time.

Saints conceded a free kick right on the edge of the area on the left hand side and Johnson rose highest to meet it in the area.

Davis got across and got a hand to it and scrambled it away but it had gone just over the line and it was 2-1 to rob Saints of an opening day point.