QPR 1 Crystal Palace 1 (From News Shopper)

QPR 1 Crystal Palace 1

2:10am Wednesday 4th November 2009

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DARREN Ambrose and Akos Buzsaky both scored from the penalty spot as Crystal Palace and QPR shared the spoils at Loftus Road on Tuesday.

Ex-Charlton winger Ambrose converted from 12 yards in the second half after former Eagle Fitz Hall had fouled Freddie Sears to cancel out Buzsaky's 18th-minute spot kick.

And Neil Warnock's men had plenty of chances to leave West London with all three points in an exciting end-to-end contest.

But although Palace got off to a promising start, Danny Butterfield brought down in-form Spurs loanee Adel Taarabt allowing Buzsaky to draw first blood for the Rs.

Former Palace youngster Wayne Routledge threatened to haunt his former club on several occasions, but received a chorus of jeers when booked for kicking the ball away after being caught offside.

Routledge should have doubled the lead two minutes before half-time after racing into a one-on-one, but drive his shot wide of the upright.

Man-of-the-match Julian Speroni continued to keep his side in the game with a string of fine saves, including a fantastic parry from Argentine compatriot Alejandro Faurlin shortly after the restart.

And ten minutes later, the visitors' threat on the counter paid off as energetic sub Sears was impeded inside the box, just three minutes after a similar shout for a foul on Stern John was waved away.

Ambrose calmly slotted his ninth goal of the season past Radek Cerny, and shortly afterwards a defensive error almost allowed Alan Lee to turn the game on its head from Neil Danns' cross.

With the game's tempo showing no sign of slowing, the hosts looked to regain their lead and came close through Rowan Vine's free-kick and another pair of efforts from Routledge.

In stoppage time, a tussle between Lee and centre-back Kaspars Gorkss ended with what appeared to be a punch to the back of Gorkss' head, but the incident went undetected by the officials.

But the draw was the right result in a fixture filled with action at both ends and one which sees the Rs return to the playoffs and Palace extend their solid run to just one loss in seven.

Palace boss Warnock said after the game: "I felt at half-time that we could win the game, they started off well but we got back into it and had some great chances.

"It was a good game for the neutral really, end-to-end stuff, and the linesmen were busy but that’s never new – it’s a good thing they didn’t also have whistles in their hands.

"They were both cert penalties when you look at it; the kid played for it but Drogba does, so what?"

Palace: Speroni; Butterfield, Fonte, Davis, Hill; Ambrose, Derry, N'Diaye (Sears 46), Ertl, Danns (Hills 85); John (Lee 67).

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