Queen’s Park Rangers 2 Brighton & Hove Albion 2
Albion drew 2-2 for the second away match in succession but will be disappointed not to have won at Loftus Road for the first time in nearly 60 years.
After a frenetic first half which saw James Wilson go close for Albion and ex-Burnley star Charlie Austin have the best chances for Rangers, Albion came out all guns blazing for the second period.
Just as he did in the first half Rajiv Van La Parra was seeing a lot of the ball – and it was from his corner that Lewis Dunk headed back across goal for Dale Stephens to somehow turn a overhead kick into the goal like a contortionist – to put Albion in front ten minutes in to the second half.
Minutes later Van La Parra picked up a loose ball 35 yards out and blasted a shot past ex-England keeper Robert Green.
Albion again appeared to be cruising to victory but with about 25 minutes left Austin scored after a goalmouth scramble.
The Seagulls had chances to increase their lead, most notably through Beram Kayal.
But with ten minutes to go there was a turning point. Already cautioned, Lewis Dunk scythed through Alejandro Faurlin and collected a second yellow card and was sent off.
Within two minutes, despite Uwe Hunemeier being brought on at the expense of Jamie Murphy effectively to shore up the defence, Austin guided a header past Stockdale to pull QPR level.
In the last seconds Matt Phillips grazed the post for QPR, with Stockdale beaten.
But Albion remain unbeaten and equal West Ham’s second tier record set in 1991.
The Seagulls do, however, drop to second and are replaced at the top on goal difference by Middlesbrough who they play at the Amex in a lunch time kick-off this Saturday (19 December).
