Steve Cooper's transformation of Nottingham Forest from lost cause to promotion outsiders has been simply astonishing and yet here was a reminder that nothing is ever straightforward.
Not in the Championship. Certainly not at Forest. Victory in Cardiff yesterday would have hoisted Cooper's team into the play-off zone but they never found their rhythm, trailed from the sixth minute and left cursing an opportunity lost.
'We missed an opportunity to get three points,' said the Forest boss. 'We missed an opportunity to go out and play well.
'We've only got ourselves to blame. We gave away two really poor goals on the turnover and didn't create enough to threaten. It was a poor day, a disappointing day.'
Perhaps it was the wrong day to visit the Welsh capital. Home fans back inside the Cardiff City Stadium for the first time for nearly two months, following postponements and two games behind closed doors in accordance with local Covid restrictions.
They returned to see Steve Morison's new-look team secure three crucial points in the fight to avoid sliding from the Premier League to the third tier inside three years.
And they led from the sixth minute, when Perry Ng stepped out of the defence to intercept a pass from Scott McKenna and released Jordan Hugill, who sped clear and rolled a cool finish past goalkeeper Brice Samba and inside the far post.
It was a stunning introduction for Hugill, signed on loan from Norwich just before Saturday's deadline although there was no official announcement until yesterday afternoon.
Hugill spent the first half of the season on loan at West Bromwhich Albion, where he scored only once and returned to Carrow Road after Valerien Ismael signed two centre forwards, Andy Carroll and Daryl Dike, earlier this month.
'That's why I brought him into the building,' said Morison. 'Thankfully, the manager at West Brom didn't fancy him. I knew what I wanted to do. We were waiting and that's who we were waiting on. He's an excellent Championship player and always performs well in a two.'
The Cardiff boss insisted Hugill's arrival did not automatically mean Kieffer Moore, coveted by Bournemouth, would be leaving. 'Imagine having those two up front,' said Morison. 'Wouldn't be bad, would it?'
Four January signings and two more returning from loan spells meant there were six new faces in the team since the last time fans were in the stadium. They gelled quickly and might have scored more.
Joe Ralls fired over 25 yards and Samba made a splendid low save to prevent Hugill scoring a second.
Forest failed to register a shot on target in the first half. One run and low cross by Brennan Johnson spread panic in the Cardiff penalty area but they scrambled the danger clear.
The visitors almost conceded a comical own goal at the start of the second half when McKenna's pass spun beyond his goalkeeper Samba. For a fraction of a second, it seemed destined for the net but bounced narrowly wide.
Belatedly, Forest stirred. Johnson was close to converting a low cross from James Garner but Cardiff remained dangerous and scored the second through substitute Isaak Davies.
Samba dived full length to touch a curling shot from Ralls against a post and 20-year-old Davies pounced on the rebound to finish into an empty goal, his first in the Championship.
Cardiff fans celebrated by taunting Cooper, born just a dozen miles away in Pontypridd but a sworn enemy by virtue of his success in charge of Swansea, twice leading them into the play-offs.
He may yet go on achieve the same degree of success at Forest but this was a day for him to forget.
Substitute Xande Silva wasted a glorious chance to reduce the deficit in the 85th minute and captain Lewis Grabban was injured, limping off in the closing minutes. 'He's not in great shape to be honest,' said Cooper.
Centre half Steve Cook had already gone off with a calf injury and with no subs remaining, Forest ended the game with 10 men.
Their goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time, a towering header by Keinan Davies from a corner, was too late to change the outcome.