Newcastle squanders chance to go top
Ciaran Clark's own goal left Newcastle United to settle for a 2-2 home draw with QPR as it missed out on top spot in the Championship.
Rafael Benitez's men had the chance to leapfrog Brighton and Hove Albion into top spot and twice led through Jonjo Shelvey and Matt Ritchie.
Australia midfielder Massimo Luongo earned another start in the heart of the QPR midfield and played 90 minutes in a strong display.
But there was a late twist in the tale as Ciaran Clark headed into his own net into the 90th minute, keeping Brighton a point ahead at the top ahead of the south-coast club's trip to Huddersfield Town on Thursday.
Clark's own-goal was the fourth conceded by Newcastle this season, more than any other team in the Championship, and denied th club maximum points at the end of a second half it dominated.
Shelvey lashed Newcastle ahead with a first-minute volley, only for a scrappy Conor Washington goal to level matters just before half-time.
Ritchie's excellent header restored Newcastle's advantage and the hosts had a series of chances to put the game beyond doubt.
That profligacy was punished in calamitous fashion when Clark turned a left-wing cross beyond a stricken Karl Darlow to leave Newcastle to settle for a frustrating draw, though they remain four points above third-placed Reading with a game in hand.
Meanwhile, Garry Monk's Leeds United is now only five points behind Newcastle as it left it late to see off struggling Blackburn Rovers 2-1 at Ewood Park.
Stuart Dallas put Leeds ahead in the 74th minute, but Elliot Bennett looked to have earned a share of the spoils for Blackburn seven minutes from time.
But Pontus Jansson's close-range header rescued the points for Leeds, making it just one defeat in its last nine league games.
Elsewhere, Fulham boosted its play-off hopes, moving within six points of the top six with a 2-0 win at Burton Albion.
