Cardiff, who have yet to win at home this season, suffered another blow soon after as influential centre back Roger Johnson was stretchered off with a neck injury.
Fortunately the defender recovered in the dressing room and there should be no lasting effect.
Cardiff manager Dave Jones:
"They scored from two wonder strikes but we shouldn't have allowed them to happen.
"Although we are lightweight in the centre of defence at the moment, we should still have been good enough.
"You are always worried that a set play could do you and defensively there are still things we must work on."
Preston manager Paul Simpson:
"We are very pleased to come away with a point but I think we deserved it.
"The point gives us something to build on and in those final few minutes we even felt we could go on to win.
"We practised free-kicks yesterday (Friday) and it is very rewarding when all the hard work on the training field comes off during a match."
Cardiff:
Oakes, Capaldi, McNaughton, Johnson, Ledley, Parry (Gunter 46), Rae, McPhail, Sinclair (Whittingham 75), Fowler (Thompson 81), Hasselbaink.
Subs Not Used:
Turnbull, Blake.
Goals:
Fowler 28, 61.
Preston:
Lonergan, Hill (Lewis Neal 77), Mawene, Chilvers, Davidson, Sedgwick, Carter, Jones, Nicholls, Agyemang (Hawley 57), Gallagher (Mellor 68).
Subs Not Used:
Chris Neal, St. Ledger.
Booked:
Mawene, Davidson, Chilvers.
Goals:
Davidson 51, 90.
Att:
11,772
Ref:
Andy Hall (W Midlands).
