CRYSTAL Palace played out a goalless draw at Queens Park Rangers this afternoon to move them up on to 16 points.
Hull City sit one place above them and out of the relegation zone on goal difference.
Following the sacking of Neil Warnock 24 hours ago, Keith Millen took charge for a third caretaker spell and would have been happy with the defensive side of the performance, but going forward his side really lacked a cutting edge.
Wilfried Zaha was preferred in attack instead of Fraizer Campbell, but the move didn't turn out too well, with Jason Puncheon having Palace's two best chances in either half.
It was a scrappy affair at Loftus Road, but Palace should have been given penalty at the death when Joey Barton clearly tripped Campbell, but referee Mike Jones failed to see it.
It was a decent start to the game, with both sides looking to get on the ball and make their mark.
Joey Barton had a free-kick well blocked by the Palace wall early on, before Yannick Bolasie stole away down the left on the counter and won a corner.
Wilfried Zaha was chosen to play in attack through the middle, with Bolasie and Jason Puncheon supporting out wide.
QPR's in-form striker Charlie Austin was looking bright and had a volley at goal well gathered by Julian Speroni after a dozen or so minutes.
Bolasie had a go from range soon after, curling an effort towards the top corner, but Rangers stopper Robert Green was equal to it.
The Eagles went even closer midway through the half when Puncheon struck the woodwork.
Shooting first time from the edge of the box, the winger saw his curling effort hit the outside of the post, and when the ball came back out to Zaha, his first touch let him down.
Approaching the halfway point, Zaha had a good chance again to open the scoring but fluffed his lines, collecting a pass into the danger area but dragging a shot wide of the far post.
Leroy Fer was a foot away from giving the hosts the lead two minutes into the second half, when he volleyed just wide of the post.
Bolasie dragged a shot wide from outside the box at the other end before going on an impressive run down the right and beating three Rangers players.
You couldn't fault Palace's desire at this stage but the contest had become rather scrappy. The hosts upped their game with some pressure from a couple of corners, which saw some brave defending from the likes of Mile Jedinak and James McArthur.
Bolasie had a good chance when he latched on to a long ball, got the better of Mauricio Isla, but the ball wouldn't sit up for him to get a decent strike on goal, and QPR managed to clear.
Green in the Rangers goal was tested well when he tipped over a fantastic curling effort from Puncheon, before Zaha was replaced by Fraizer Campbell ahead of the resulting corner.
The Eagles had McArthur to thank for keeping them in the game when Steven Caulker's goal-bound header from a corner was cleared off the line from the Scotsman.
With the clock ticking down, the Eagles' creativity had disappeared, with the hosts threatening to snatch a late winner.
That nearly came in the 88th-minute when Junior Hoilett scuffed a volley wide from the edge of the box.
In the third minute of additional time, Palace should have been given a penalty for a foul on Campbell.
Puncheon delivered low on the right, Green parried, and with everyone going for the loose ball, Campbell was clearly tripped by Joey Barton's outstretched leg.
However, the man in the middle Mike Jones wasn't interested and waved away Palace protests led by Joe Ledley.
Palace: Speroni, Mariappa, Ward, Dann, Delaney, Jedinak ©, McArthur, Ledley, Puncheon, Bolasie, Zaha (Campbell 67).
Subs Not Used: Hennessey, Hangeland, Kelly, Thomas, Bannan, Doyle.
Referee: Mike Jones
Report by Mark Ritson, at Loftus Road
