DANNY Gabbidon admits he is 'gutted' to be missing Cardiff City's play-off second-leg showdown with Stoke City at Ninian Park tonight (7.45pm).

The Panteg-born Welsh international defender's ankle injury has kept him out for the past three weeks - and Gabbidon revealed that he'll face a race against time to feature in the Division Two play-off final if the Bluebirds get there.

The former Cwmbran Town youngster, who won his first Welsh cap against the Czech Republic in March, said last night: "I am completely gutted about missing tonight's game with Stoke.

"It's so disappointing not being able to play in one of the most important games of the season, but that's football.

"These are the sort of games you relish as a professional footballer and to miss out when you have worked so hard all season is really hard to take. "But I will be there cheering the lads on and I am confident that we can make it to the final."

The Bluebirds, who are unbeaten in 14 games since Lennie Lawrence took over from Alan Cork as manager, are firm favourites to progress to the Millennium Stadium final after their 2-1 first-leg win at Stoke's Britannia Stadium on Sunday thanks to goals from Robert Earnshaw and Leo Fortune-West.

But they will not count their proverbial chickens. However, Gabbidon added: "Because of our recent excellent run, the players' confidence is so high and I wish I could be out there playing tonight because I get frustrated as a spectator."

Tonight's clash is one of the biggest games Ninian Park would have witnessed in its 92-year history as Lawrence's side aim for a place in the play-off final on Saturday, May 11 against either Brentford or Huddersfield Town.

"I'm not sure if I will be ready for the final if we get there," said Gabbidon. "It would be touch-and-go but I'll do all I can to be fit."

Meanwhile, Cardiff will field an unchanged side tonight as Andy Campbell, who replaced Robert Earnshaw on Sunday, will again be a substitute as Lawrence keeps faith with the front three of Earnshaw, Leo Fortune-West and former Stoke striker Peter Thorne.

Cardiff will adopt an attacking approach and longest-serving player Scott Young, a former Caldicot Town youngster, says tonight's match even eclipsing City's 2-1 FA Cup giant-killing of Leeds United in January. "It's the biggest game this club has had for many a year," said the 26-year-old defender.