Newcastle 2 QPR 2: Ciaran Clark’s last-minute own goal stops Magpies returning top of table
CIARAN CLARK’S crazy own goal piled more misery on Rafa Benitez.
The Irishman nodded over his own keeper Karl Darlow in the last minute just as Newcastle looked poised to go top of the Championship.
The dropped points hardly helped Benitez’s mood, after Saturday’s FA Cup loss at Oxford and the deadline-day failure to sign Andros Townsend.
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Newcastle could have jumped above leaders Brighton, who play tonight, but instead stay second, just four points clear of Reading. Ian Holloway’s Hoops were battered 6-0 by the Magpies in the reverse fixture.
But the visitors recovered well after Jonjo Shelvey got Newcastle off to a dream start after just 37 seconds.
Isaac Hayden dug out a cross from the byline, which Jake Bidwell headed clear.
But the ball bounced kindly on the edge of the box for Shelvey, who crashed first time past Alex Smithies.
The midfielder, who Holloway recently described as a “genius”, looked ready to explode as he celebrated his first goal since bagging a brace against the same opponents in September.
But it was QPR who then exploded into life.
Massimo Luongo saw his header saved by Darlow and a shot blocked by defender Paul Dummett.
And they deserved their leveller a minute before half-time when Conor Washington turned Clark on the six-yard box to poke home.
After the break Pawel Wszolek forced a save from Darlow before Shelvey was lucky to escape punishment for kicking Jamie Mackie.
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But Toon restored their lead on 54 minutes, Matt Ritchie heading home from Hayden’s cross.
Yoan Gouffran and Ayoze Perez then missed sitters for the home side.
And they were made to pay when ex-Newcastle winger Kazenga LuaLua crossed into the box and Clark — under no pressure — back-headed past stranded stopper Darlow.
