EAGLE DEN-EYED
Crystal Palace 1 Newcastle 1: Eagles spurn shed of chances in dropping points at home to fellow strugglers
Palace had fallen 1-0 down to Mo Diame's goal, before Luka Milivojevic netted from the penalty spot in the second half
CRYSTAL PALACE were left to count the cost of a host of missed chances as they drew 1-1 at home to fellow strugglers Newcastle.
Christian Benteke was the biggest culprit spurning some gilt-edged opportunities to wrap up three points for Roy Hodgson's men.
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Newcastle took a deserved lead - and Kenedy had his second assist in his first two games for his new club.
The versatile Brazilian has been loaned in from Swansea, and he fired in cross that eluded the entire Palace defence, falling to Mo Diame to poke home at the back post.
The goal gave the home side the jolt they needed, and they should have been level just after the half-hour mark.
Andros Towsend's whipped in cross fell to star man Wilfried Zaha, but he inexplicably he hit wide.
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Then Benteke spurned his own glorious opportunity when he kneed a chance just wide after pinball in the Magpies' box.
Just before half-time Roy Hodgson was forced into a change when Martin Kelly picked up a leg injury, and he was replaced by Mamadou Sakho, returning after his own injury worries.
It wouldn't have been surprising if Hodgson had delivered a rocket to his team at half-time - and they came out all guns blazing.
But it was Newcastle who should have gone 2-0 up six minutes in.
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A quick counter-attack saw the visitors two-on-one with the Palace defence, but Kenedy's pass to Perez was a shocker and the Eagles survived.
And typically, four minutes later Palace were level.
Ciaran Clark tugged Benteke's shirt as he jumped up for a cross and referee Andre Marriner awarded a penalty.
Karl Darlow got a hand to Luka Milivojevic's penalty, but it wasn't strong enough and the ball nestled inside the far post.
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Palace pressed for most of the second period for another goal, but the visitors always looked dangerous on the break, with substitute Christian Atsu looking lively.
Benteke spurned another two good chances within seconds of each other, before Zaha played in Yohan Cabaye, who ballooned an effort over the bar.
James McArthur was the next to pass up the chance of being the matchwinner, firing over from 15 yards when he really should have hit the target.
On 76 minutes Darlow spilled the ball in the box to McArthur, but bravely dived at the feet of the Palace man to recover.
Zaha hit another over the bar, Benteke saw a header cleared off the line and Cabaye was denied by Darlow late on as Palace simply could not grab a winner.
Rafa Benitez will be more than pleased with a point, while Hodgson will wonder why the gods weren't looking down on them today at Selhurst Park.
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