Dunne's self goal gifts Rangers a point

QPR snatched a dramatic 1-1 draw against Aston Villa as Richard Dunne scored an own goal in stoppage time at Loftus Road yesterday.


Richard Dunne

Neil Warnock's side looked set to suffer a controversial defeat when Villa took the lead through Barry Bannan's spot-kick after referee Michael Oliver harshly penalised Armand Traore for a tug on Gabriel Agbonlahor.


Right: QPR's Armand Traore (in white) vies for the ball with Aston Villa's
Barry Bannan during an EPL match yesterday. Pic/AFP

QPR felt they should have had a penalty of their own 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 in the closing moments 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.

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 from long-range that beat Shay Given but cannoned back off a post.

There was a real purpose about QPR's attacking play and both Shaun Wright-Phillips and Taarabt had close-range shots blocked in a 14th-minute melee.

Villa gradually showed signs of raising their intensity, although defender Stephen Warnock went too far as he was booked for a crunching tackle on QPR captain Joey Barton.

However, Villa did take the lead in the 58th minute when Oliver ruled that former Arsenal defender Traore had deliberately pushed Agbonlahor as they challenged for a cross.