Glenn Murray's late equaliser for Crystal Palace denied Leeds United a rare away win in the Championship.

Murray, the country's leading scorer, headed the Eagles into the lead but Steve Morison's close-range effort levelled the scores after the break.

Morison then put Leeds into a surprise lead after running on to keeper Paddy Kenny's long clearance.

But Murray extended Palace's unbeaten home run to 18 games when he lashed in to take his tally for the season to 30.

Leeds had come close to their first win on the road in eight games but the point edged Palace closer to second-placed Watford in the table following the Hornets's home defeat by Blackpool.

A one-sided first-half gave little indication that United manager Neil Warnock would come so close to inflicting defeat on the club he led to the Championship play-offs in a two and-a-half year spell in charge.

Kenny had already denied Murray twice before the striker ghosted in between two defenders to head home a cross from Jonathan Williams at the far post.

Murray volleyed wide before the break but Leeds showed signs of life in the first-half's closing stages when Luke Varney had a shot cleared off the line by Mile Jedinak.

Varney set up Morison for the equaliser on 56 minutes, his cross eluding the defence and the recent signing from Norwich finished from close range.

Away-day woe

  • Leeds are now without a win in nine games away from Elland Road since the short trip to Huddersfield that ended in a 4-2 win on 1 December.

Leeds then stunned the majority of fans inside Selhurst Park by taking the lead in direct fashion when a Kenny clearance was allowed to bounce through to Morison, who tucked the ball past Palace keeper Julian Speroni.

Palace gathered themselves despite the shock of going behind, and were grateful that Murray's season-long form continued when he knocked Damien Delaney's cross past Kenny to help claim a valuable point.

Crystal Palace manager Ian Holloway: "I felt some of the decisions had a huge bearing on the game - I thought I saw Luke Varney foul Johnnie Williams from behind, a blatant yellow card.

"Two minutes later Varney dived and got given a yellow card, and he should have been off.

"Then two minutes later, Wilfried Zaha goes straight through and gets scythed down and (Stephen Warnock) gets a yellow - if that's not a goalscoring opportunity I don't know what the rules are."

Leeds United manager Neil Warnock: "Palace are a good team, I hope they go up.

"But I don't see Holloway complaining with a couple of decisions in the first half. They're used to winning here but they didn't deserve to win today.

"I think Morison has been good since he's been here, it's what he puts into the team. He's a team player."

Lineup, Bookings (4) & Substitutions (6)

Crystal Palace

  • 01 Speroni
  • 27 Delaney
  • 28 Ramage
  • 04 Parr
  • 07 Bolasie (K Phillips - 74' )
  • 08 Dikgacoi
  • 15 Jedinak
  • 20 Williams (Wilbraham - 86' )
  • 11 Dobbie (Moritz - 83' )
  • 16 Zaha
  • 17 Murray

Substitutes

  • 34 Price
  • 21 Moxey
  • 03 Richards
  • 06 Butterfield
  • 30 Moritz
  • 09 K Phillips
  • 18 Wilbraham

Leeds United

  • 01 Kenny
  • 02 Peltier
  • 04 Lees
  • 15 Warnock Booked
  • 07 Green
  • 11 Varney Booked
  • 18 Tonge Booked
  • 19 Norris (Austin - 88' )
  • 25 Byram Booked
  • 09 Morison (Habibou - 90' )
  • 44 McCormack (Hall - 88' )

Substitutes

  • 12 Ashdown
  • 05 Pearce
  • 08 Austin
  • 14 White
  • 17 Brown
  • 30 Hall
  • 22 Habibou
Ref: Whitestone
Att: 19,976

Match Stats

Shots

17 11

On target

7 6

Corners

4 4

Fouls

8 12

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +4:19 Full time

Full Time The match has reached full-time.

90:00 +2:56

Habib Habibou is caught offside. Julian Speroni restarts play with the free kick.

90:00 +1:52

Foul by Kagisho Dikgacoi on Rodolph Austin, free kick awarded. Free kick crossed left-footed by Stephen Warnock from left channel, clearance by Mile Jedinak.

90:00 +1:19

Michael Tonge fouled by Glenn Murray, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Patrick Kenny.

90:00 +0:54 Substitution

Substitution Steve Morison goes off and Habib Habibou comes on.

88:41

The free kick is swung in left-footed by Andre Moritz, save by Patrick Kenny.

88:41 Booking

Booking The referee shows Michael Tonge a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.

87:18 Substitution

Substitution Rodolph Austin joins the action as a substitute, replacing David Norris.

87:18 Substitution

Substitution Ryan Hall comes on in place of Ross McCormack.

86:30

Unfair challenge on Wilfried Zaha by David Norris results in a free kick. Andre Moritz produces a cross, Headed effort from inside the box by Damien Delaney misses to the right of the target.

85:58 Substitution

Substitution Jonathan Williams goes off and Aaron Wilbraham comes on.

84:56

Andre Moritz delivers the ball from the free kick left-footed from left channel, Luke Varney makes a clearance. Inswinging corner taken by Andre Moritz, Paul Green manages to make a clearance.

84:56 Booking

Booking Caution for Samuel Byram.

84:39

Foul by Samuel Byram on Mile Jedinak, free kick awarded.

83:35

Assist by Damien Delaney.

83:35 Goal scored

Goal - Glenn Murray - C Palace 2 - 2 Leeds Glenn Murray finds the back of the net with a goal from inside the box to the bottom right corner of the goal. Crystal Palace 2-2 Leeds.

83:30

The ball is delivered by Damien Delaney,

82:14 Substitution

Substitution Andre Moritz on for Stephen Dobbie.

81:07

Wilfried Zaha sends in a cross, Stephen Dobbie has an effort at goal from close in which goes wide right of the goal.

80:23

A cross is delivered by Paul Green.

79:22

Stephen Dobbie takes a shot from just outside the penalty area which clears the crossbar.

77:11

Ross McCormack has an effort at goal from just outside the box which goes wide of the left-hand post.

74:32

Shot from just outside the box by Jonathan Williams misses to the left of the goal.

74:24

Wilfried Zaha produces a cross, Lee Peltier manages to make a clearance.

73:49 Substitution

Substitution Kevin Phillips joins the action as a substitute, replacing Yannick Bolasie.

70:49

Centre by Jonathan Parr.

68:06

Assist by Patrick Kenny.

68:06 Goal scored

Goal - Steve Morison - C Palace 1 - 2 Leeds Steve Morison fires in a goal from inside the penalty area to the bottom right corner of the goal. Crystal Palace 1-2 Leeds.

66:37

Michael Tonge concedes a free kick for a foul on Stephen Dobbie. Free kick crossed right-footed by Stephen Dobbie from right channel, clearance by Tom Lees.

65:30

Foul by Yannick Bolasie on Samuel Byram, free kick awarded. The ball is swung over by Ross McCormack, Luke Varney has a headed effort from close in and clears the bar.

64:28

Paul Green crosses the ball, clearance made by Damien Delaney.

63:03

Outswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Stephen Dobbie.

61:37

The ball is swung over by Damien Delaney. Shot from just outside the box by Stephen Dobbie misses to the left of the target.

60:06

Glenn Murray fouled by Tom Lees, the ref awards a free kick. Mile Jedinak restarts play with the free kick.

59:27

Stephen Dobbie produces a right-footed shot from just outside the box that misses to the right of the target.

57:40

Stephen Dobbie has an effort direct from the free kick.

57:40 Booking

Booking Stephen Warnock goes into the referee's book for unsporting behaviour.

57:33

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Wilfried Zaha by Stephen Warnock.

56:35

Foul by Ross McCormack on Yannick Bolasie, free kick awarded. Jonathan Williams takes the direct free kick.

55:38

The assist for the goal came from Luke Varney.

55:38 Goal scored

Goal - Steve Morison - C Palace 1 - 1 Leeds Steve Morison grabs a goal from inside the penalty box to the bottom right corner of the goal. Crystal Palace 1-1 Leeds.

55:30

Luke Varney crosses the ball,

54:39

Julian Speroni restarts play with the free kick.

54:39 Booking

Booking Luke Varney is cautioned by the ref for unsporting behaviour.

53:23

Foul by Luke Varney on Stephen Dobbie, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Stephen Dobbie.

52:55

The ball is crossed by Jonathan Parr, Tom Lees manages to make a clearance.

52:38

Jonathan Parr produces a cross, Tom Lees makes a clearance.

49:44

Jonathan Williams gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on David Norris. Strike on goal comes in from Ross McCormack from the free kick.

48:24

Mile Jedinak gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Ross McCormack. The free kick is delivered right-footed by Michael Tonge from right channel, Damien Delaney makes a clearance.

47:31

Effort on goal by Stephen Dobbie from deep inside the area goes harmlessly over the bar.

46:49

Stephen Dobbie decides to take a short corner.

46:03

Wilfried Zaha produces a left-footed shot from deep inside the penalty box which goes wide of the left-hand upright.

45:01

The referee gets the second half started.

45:00 +1:55 Half time

Half Time It is the end of the first-half.

44:46

The ball is delivered by Luke Varney, Kagisho Dikgacoi gets a block in. Corner taken right-footed by Ross McCormack from the left by-line, save by Julian Speroni.

44:15

The ball is swung over by Stephen Dobbie, Tom Lees makes a clearance.

43:35

The ball is sent over by Ross McCormack, save by Julian Speroni.

41:06

Paul Green takes a shot. Julian Speroni makes a save. Luke Varney takes a shot. Blocked by Mile Jedinak.

41:06

Paul Green takes a shot. Julian Speroni makes a save. Luke Varney takes a shot. Damien Delaney gets a block in.

39:24

Stephen Warnock crosses the ball, save by Julian Speroni.

36:11

The ball is crossed by Kagisho Dikgacoi, save by Patrick Kenny.

34:57

The ball is crossed by Samuel Byram, clearance made by Peter Ramage.

33:36

Paul Green is ruled offside. Free kick taken by Damien Delaney.

32:48

A cross is delivered by Wilfried Zaha, clearance made by Lee Peltier.

31:40

Ross McCormack takes a shot. Blocked by Damien Delaney.

30:00

Free kick awarded for a foul by Luke Varney on Jonathan Williams. Stephen Dobbie delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from right wing, Stephen Warnock manages to make a clearance.

28:56

Jonathan Parr takes a shot. Save made by Patrick Kenny.

27:50

Free kick awarded for a foul by Michael Tonge on Jonathan Williams. Stephen Dobbie takes the free kick.

26:54

The assist for the goal came from Jonathan Williams.

26:54 Goal scored

Goal - Glenn Murray - C Palace 1 - 0 Leeds Glenn Murray grabs a headed goal from inside the six-yard box. Crystal Palace 1-0 Leeds.

26:42

Centre by Jonathan Williams,

26:09

The ball is crossed by Wilfried Zaha, Michael Tonge makes a clearance.

25:42

Kagisho Dikgacoi sends in a cross, Glenn Murray takes a shot. Patrick Kenny makes a comfortable save.

24:56

A cross is delivered by Yannick Bolasie, save by Patrick Kenny.

24:25

Ross McCormack takes a shot. Save by Julian Speroni.

22:25

Corner taken by Stephen Warnock from the right by-line, clearance by Peter Ramage. Corner from the right by-line taken by Stephen Warnock, Glenn Murray makes a clearance.

20:51

Unfair challenge on Jonathan Williams by David Norris results in a free kick. Julian Speroni restarts play with the free kick.

20:43

The ball is delivered by Samuel Byram, Mile Jedinak manages to make a clearance.

19:09

Yannick Bolasie produces a right-footed shot from just outside the penalty box that misses to the left of the goal.

17:09

Glenn Murray takes a shot. Blocked by Tom Lees. A cross is delivered by Wilfried Zaha, Glenn Murray takes a shot. Save made by Patrick Kenny.

16:01

Michael Tonge challenges Jonathan Williams unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Mile Jedinak.

14:09

Foul by Kagisho Dikgacoi on Luke Varney, free kick awarded. Stephen Warnock takes the free kick.

13:28

The ball is crossed by Kagisho Dikgacoi, Tom Lees manages to make a clearance.

12:19

Ross McCormack fouled by Yannick Bolasie, the ref awards a free kick. Tom Lees restarts play with the free kick.

10:35

Paul Green produces a cross, Jonathan Parr gets a block in. Corner from the right by-line taken by Stephen Warnock, Shot by Steve Morison from deep inside the penalty area misses to the right of the target.

9:02

The referee blows for offside against Ross McCormack. Free kick taken by Julian Speroni.

8:14

Close range headed effort by Kagisho Dikgacoi misses to the right of the goal.

7:51

Corner from the right by-line taken by Stephen Dobbie, Steve Morison makes a clearance.

6:17

Damien Delaney sends in a cross, Tom Lees makes a clearance.

6:05

Yannick Bolasie sends in a cross, clearance made by Tom Lees.

5:32

Unfair challenge on Glenn Murray by Michael Tonge results in a free kick. Stephen Dobbie crosses the ball from the free kick right-footed from right channel, Tom Lees makes a clearance.

4:48

Kagisho Dikgacoi concedes a free kick for a foul on Steve Morison. Stephen Warnock takes the free kick.

3:33

The assistant referee flags for offside against Luke Varney. Direct free kick taken by Damien Delaney.

1:48

Centre by Yannick Bolasie, Patrick Kenny makes a comfortable save.

0:46

Effort on goal by Luke Varney from inside the area goes harmlessly over the bar.

0:00

The referee starts the match.

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