Queens Park Rangers' wait for an away goal continues after a 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace.
Debut boy Helguson misses best chance for visitors
Queens Park Rangers' wait for an away goal continues after a 0-0 draw at London rivals Crystal Palace.
The West London club have now failed to score in their last seven Championship matches on the road, but wasted a golden chance to claim all three points.
Loan signing Heidar Helguson, on as a substitute, rolled the ball wide in the second half of a game where both sides created chances.
New boss Paulo Sousa clearly has work to do if he is to turn the wealthy R's from mid-table dwellers into promotion contenders this season.
Palace went close through Paul Ifill and Craig Beattie but were unable to make it three straight wins and missed the chance to leapfrog their opponents.
Neil Warnock's side were first on the attack with on-loan West Brom forward Beattie shooting straight at Radek Cerny in the third minute.
At the other end, Patrick Agyemang beat young Palace right-back Nathanial Clyne and crossed towards Daniel Parejo, but the man on loan from Real Madrid put the ball wide.
Palace midfielder Ben Watson put an ambitious long-range effort past the post before Sean Scannell's shot was comfortably held by Cerny.
Nick Carle then had a shot deflected wide before Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni was called into action for the first time, bravely diving at the feet of Agyemang.
Big moment
Cerny kept the scores level with a fine save from Ifill's fierce volley from the edge of the penalty area five minutes before the break.
Sousa threw on Helguson at the interval, and his big moment arrived when he latched onto a mistake by Ifill with Speroni helpless, only to shoot wide from just outside the area.
Dexter Blackstock got on the end of Peter Ramage's deep cross with a clever volley which had Speroni momentarily scrambling, although the ball eventually bounced onto the roof of the net.
Palace substitute Shefki Kuqi had a header saved by Cerny and Scannell nodded wide as Palace pushed for a winner.
For Rangers, Agyemang skied a close-range effort from Martin Rowlands' cross and Helguson headed wide.
During five minutes of injury time Cerny ensured his side at least escaped with a point when he kept out Beattie's shot and managed to hack the loose ball clear from on the ground.
