CRYSTAL Palace were held to a 2-2 draw by Leicester City this afternoon in a lively encounter at Selhurst Park.
The Eagles remain fifth in the Championship and are now on 67 points, but a win would have been a huge boost to guarantee a play-off position.
Danny Gabbidon set the ball rolling for Ian Holloway's side but the Foxes grabbed their first equaliser thanks to Andy King.
Palace regained the lead thanks to Stephen Dobbie with a fine finish, but yet again, Leicester pegged them back courtesy of a Chris Wood goal.
On a sunny afternoon in SE25, the Eagles were denied the opening goal after seven minutes when Stephen Dobbie whipped in a dangerous free-kick and the ball took a nick of Leicester's Matty James to force an outstanding reaction save from Kasper Schmeichel.
Aaron Wilbraham then tried his luck from outside the box but the Danish stopper held easily, before the Foxes had a good chance themselves when Jeffrey Schlupp headed tamely down at goal from close range but it was dealt with by Julian Speroni.
Soon after, good work from Dobbie on the left saw the midfielder deliver towards the far post for Wilbraham but it was just too high for the forward to connect with his head.
Chances became limited midway through the half, with Dobbie striking the wall from a decent free-kick position, before Dean Moxey received a booking for tugging Anthony Knockaert, who would have had a chance to run down the wing.
But the Eagles finally made the breakthrough on 26 minutes thanks to Danny Gabbidon, who rose to plant a firm header into the corner of the net following a great delivery from Dobbie.
Alex Marrow then tried his luck from range, before Leicester threatened to equalise on a number of occasions soon after through Chris Wood and Knockaert in particular.
But it was Andy King who got the visitors back on level terms on 37 minutes when Lloyd Dyer cut the ball back to the midfielder from the left, and he got to the ball before Gabbidon to set himself and fire past Speroni.
Meanwhile, at the other end, Schmeichel had to be at his best again to deny Palace before half-time when he tipped over a deflected effort from Alex Marrow.
Murray had a chance early on in the second period, but it was striker partner Wilbraham who went closer soon after when rattled the crossbar with a firm header from Dobbie's free-kick..
But Palace's pressure paid off on 67 minutes when they regained the lead thanks to Dobbie, who curled home from the edge of the box following Murray's lay-off.
However, Leicester were again back on level terms soon after when a slip in defence from Damien Delaney allowed Wood to close in on goal and fire an effort past Speroni.
Palace continued to have chances through Dobbie and Wilbraham soon after, before Yannick Bolasie and Stuart O'Keefe came on for Dobbie and Marrow.
And Eagles boss Ian Holloway threw on veteran striker Kevin Phillips as a last throw of the dice in search of the winner with six minutes of normal time remaining.
But they couldn't muster a winner and were left to make do with a point.
Next Saturday they travel to relegation-threatened Blackburn Rovers.
Palace: Speroni, Ward, Moxey, Gabbidon, Delaney, Zaha, Dikgacoi, Marrow (O'Keefe 78), Dobbie (Bolasie 75), Wilbraham (Phillips 84), Murray.
Subs Not Used: Fitzsimons, Ramage, Moritz, Banton.
Attendance: 18,563
By Croydon Advertiser Sports Reporter Mark Ritson
The Eagles remain fifth in the Championship and are now on 67 points, but a win would have been a huge boost to guarantee a play-off position.
Danny Gabbidon set the ball rolling for Ian Holloway's side but the Foxes grabbed their first equaliser thanks to Andy King.
Palace regained the lead thanks to Stephen Dobbie with a fine finish, but yet again, Leicester pegged them back courtesy of a Chris Wood goal.
On a sunny afternoon in SE25, the Eagles were denied the opening goal after seven minutes when Stephen Dobbie whipped in a dangerous free-kick and the ball took a nick of Leicester's Matty James to force an outstanding reaction save from Kasper Schmeichel.
Aaron Wilbraham then tried his luck from outside the box but the Danish stopper held easily, before the Foxes had a good chance themselves when Jeffrey Schlupp headed tamely down at goal from close range but it was dealt with by Julian Speroni.
Soon after, good work from Dobbie on the left saw the midfielder deliver towards the far post for Wilbraham but it was just too high for the forward to connect with his head.
Chances became limited midway through the half, with Dobbie striking the wall from a decent free-kick position, before Dean Moxey received a booking for tugging Anthony Knockaert, who would have had a chance to run down the wing.
But the Eagles finally made the breakthrough on 26 minutes thanks to Danny Gabbidon, who rose to plant a firm header into the corner of the net following a great delivery from Dobbie.
Alex Marrow then tried his luck from range, before Leicester threatened to equalise on a number of occasions soon after through Chris Wood and Knockaert in particular.
But it was Andy King who got the visitors back on level terms on 37 minutes when Lloyd Dyer cut the ball back to the midfielder from the left, and he got to the ball before Gabbidon to set himself and fire past Speroni.
Meanwhile, at the other end, Schmeichel had to be at his best again to deny Palace before half-time when he tipped over a deflected effort from Alex Marrow.
Murray had a chance early on in the second period, but it was striker partner Wilbraham who went closer soon after when rattled the crossbar with a firm header from Dobbie's free-kick..
But Palace's pressure paid off on 67 minutes when they regained the lead thanks to Dobbie, who curled home from the edge of the box following Murray's lay-off.
However, Leicester were again back on level terms soon after when a slip in defence from Damien Delaney allowed Wood to close in on goal and fire an effort past Speroni.
Palace continued to have chances through Dobbie and Wilbraham soon after, before Yannick Bolasie and Stuart O'Keefe came on for Dobbie and Marrow.
And Eagles boss Ian Holloway threw on veteran striker Kevin Phillips as a last throw of the dice in search of the winner with six minutes of normal time remaining.
But they couldn't muster a winner and were left to make do with a point.
Next Saturday they travel to relegation-threatened Blackburn Rovers.
Palace: Speroni, Ward, Moxey, Gabbidon, Delaney, Zaha, Dikgacoi, Marrow (O'Keefe 78), Dobbie (Bolasie 75), Wilbraham (Phillips 84), Murray.
Subs Not Used: Fitzsimons, Ramage, Moritz, Banton.
Attendance: 18,563
By Croydon Advertiser Sports Reporter Mark Ritson
