QPR snatched a dramatic 1-1 draw against Aston Villa as Richard Dunne scored an own goal in stoppage time at Loftus Road yesterday.
The Rangers looked set to suffer a controversial defeat when Villa took the lead through Barry Bannan’s spot-kick after referee Michael Oliver penalised Armand Traore for a tug on Gabriel Agbonlahor.
QPR felt they should have had a penalty when Shaun Derry’s goal-bound header hit Alan Hutton on the arm, but Oliver and his assistants failed to spot the offence.
Oliver then sent off Traore late on for a second booking, but QPR kept plugging away and rescued a point in the closing moments when Dunne turned Heidar Helguson’s cross into his own net.
Villa’s failure to hold onto their lead means Alex McLeish’s side have now drawn five of their six Premier League games this season, while QPR remain level with their opponents on eight points.
Although Villa were able to count Prime Minister David Cameron among their fans at Loftus Road, even the presence of such a famous man couldn’t inspire McLeish’s team in the early stages.
QPR made a fast start and went close to taking the lead in the fifth minute as Adel Taarabt cleverly worked space for a well-struck effort that beat Shay Given but cannoned back off a post.
Villa gradually showed signs of raising their intensity and almost snatched the lead against the run of play when Bannan’s free-kick forced a superb one-handed save from Paddy Kenny just before half-time.
However, Villa did take the lead in the 58th minute when Oliver ruled Traore had deliberately pushed Agbonlahor as they challenged for a cross.
Bannan stepped up to fire home the penalty and the Scottish midfielder nearly grabbed his second goal when Kenny made a good stop to keep out his near-post effort.
When Tommy Smith’s appeal for a penalty, for a Hutton handball, was rejected by Oliver, who then sent off Traore, it seemed like QPR’s luck was out.
But they equalised on 93 minutes when Helguson’s cross was cleared by Stephen Warnock into Dunne, who couldn’t stop the ball rebounding off him into the net.
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Man. United | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 5 | 16 |
| Man. City | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 5 | 16 |
| Chelsea | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 7 | 13 |
| Newcastle | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 12 |
| Liverpool | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 10 |
| Tottenham | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Stoke City | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 9 |
| Aston Villa | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 8 |
| QPR | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Everton | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 7 |
| Wolves | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Arsenal | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 14 | 7 |
| Sunderland | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 5 |
| Norwich | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Wigan | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 5 |
| Swansea | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 5 |
| Fulham | 6 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 4 |
| Blackburn | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 13 | 4 |
| West Brom | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 4 |
| Bolton | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 16 | 3 |
Other results
Championship: Cardiff City vs Leicester City 0-0.
Scottish Premier: St Johnstone vs Hearts 2-0.