The Australian midfielder was brought back into the Palace starting line-up along with a host of other players after missing the weekend's FA Cup loss to Derby County.

And it was revealed after the game Jedinak had missed the Derby game due to sickness, prompting Palace boss Dougie Freedman to label him a "hero" after rushing him out of his sick-bed before he provided the vital assist for the goal.

The winner came when Darren Ambrose whipped in a set-piece which Cardiff keeper Tom Heaton came to claim, but Jedinak beat him to it, flicking on for Gardner to convert.

Freedman said: "Mile Jedinak and Paddy McCarthy were real heroes tonight because they were on their sick-beds so full credit for them to answering the question that Cardiff asked of our character.

"I decided to look them in the eye and ask them if they were prepared to put their bodies on the line for the club and the answer was a convincing yes."

Palace, who knocked Manchester United out at the quarter-final stage, are now just a result away from a place in the final against either Liverpool or Manchester City.