Three times City supporters claimed he cost them dearly, three times Dave Jones echoed their sentiments.

The first was when Steve Thompson saw red after just 15 minutes for a wild lunge on Adriano Basso, the second for an apparent push on Kasper Schmeichel that allowed Marvin Elliott to score, the third waving away protests for a injury time Bluebirds penalty.

But the three points were given to the hosts and the spoils of a first Severnside battle in more than four years claimed by Gary Johnson’s side.

Unfairly perhaps. Not because of Rennie, but because of the way Cardiff responded in the second half after being very much on the back foot for the first 45.

Forget the other two decisions – they were toss of a coin stuff – Thompson’s red was the one that mattered.

And although the challenge might not have seemed like an automatic red, the striker should never have put himself or his team in that position when he clattered Basso on the byline well away from the goal.

Now we’ll never know how Cardiff would have matched up against a Bristol City side sitting in the top six, because as the game faded Cardiff were the ones who looked the better.

They had looked good early on too, Trundle having to clear a Roger Johnson headed off the line after five minutes.

But with Ivan Sproule’s pace an obvious threat and Marvin Elliott’s tenacity in the centre of midfield, Cardiff certainly had their work cut out to keep the Westcountrymen at safety’s length.

If it was already testing, then it was about to get a whole lot tougher with Thompson’s moment of madness.

The ball was going nowhere, the keeper had it covered and the risk just too great to go flying in - yet Thompson took it and had the short walk to the tunnel.

While the Scot readied his early bath, his team-mates made a decent enough response, Joe Ledley forcing a diving save from the bruised and battered Basso.

Bristol were the ones making the real inroads though, Trundle shooting from 20 yards when he controlled and volleyed down the throat of Schmeichel.

Lee Johnson had a tidy effort as Cardiff backed off before Michael McIndoe’s cross was missed by Kevin McNaughton, although unlike Colchester last week Ivan Sproule was unable to punish the mistake.

McNaughton did advance down the field and his run and slip pass saw Hasselbaink turn his marker only for Bradley Orr – otherwise awful – to make a significant intervention.

Cardiff needed to make the most of such spells near the Bristol box, with Hasselbaink hardly a threat.

After the interval, Trundle’s trickery won a corner and it was from that 56th minute set-piece Bristol City found the breakthrough. Schmeichel failed to meet the corner and Elliott made the most of a pinball scramble – even if Trundle did try to claim it.

You would have expected the hosts to make the most of their advantages.

Yet it was the visitors who grew as a side, Gavin Rae’s introduction for the ineffective Whittingham making a huge difference.

Loovens had the Robins in a flap when he headed Joe Ledley’s free-kick back across goal and the danger needing to be hoofed away.

And then Steve MacLean’s appearance forced a few more chances, Liam Fontaine the next to clear off the line before Rae had sub keeper Chris Weale worried with a long-range shot.

The pressure was piled on and Bristol’s backs were against the wall, but a counter attack that produced the best chance saw Maclean over-pass to Rae when he could have shot.

Loovens needed a last-gasp tackle on Noble before a mad scramble at the other end had City screaming for a penalty.

Rennie shook his head and the derby honours stayed on the English side of the bridge.