Aston Villa came from two goals down to secure a draw against QPR in a pulsating Barclays Premier League clash at Villa Park, with Charles N’Zogbia scoring his first goal for the club since his big money move from Wigan last summer.
QPR included new signings striker Djibril Cisse, left-back Taye Taiwo and centre-back Nedum Onuoha in their starting line-up for the clash and the mercurial French front man made an almost immediate impact for his new club when, after collecting a pass from Shaun Wright-Phillips, he sent a low shot into the bottom corner of the Villa net to open the scoring after just 12 minutes.
Villa worked hard to get back into the game, but disaster struck again on 29 minutes when Warnock inexplicably headed into his own goal, sending a cushioned header past Given from a speculative Taiwo cross. Clark crashed a shot against the bar and Bent was narrowly wide with a header as Villa began to pile on the pressure in search of a reply.
They were finally rewarded on the brink of half-time when Bent got himself in front of Onouha to turn home a low Hutton ball into the box.
Villa had a couple of decent penalty shouts turned down at the beginning of the second period following shots from first Petrov and then Keane which seemed to strike QPR hands on their way goalward. At the other end Mackie should have made it 3-1 to the visitors on 69 minutes, but couldn’t connect with Wright-Phillips’ low cross with the goal at his mercy.
The home side continued to press and deservedly drew level on 79 minutes with Charles N’Zogbia’s first strike of the season, volleying a Petrov cross superbly back across goal to leave Kenny with no chance. Alex McLeish’s men scented victory but, despite Bent having an effort cleared off the line by Smith, QPR held on to share the points.