Bristol City 1-1 Crystal Palace
Adam Baker reports from Ashton Gate

Jamie McCombe's stoppage time header rescued a point for City in a thrilling clash with Crystal Palace at Ashton Gate.

Lee Hills' stunning 61st minute volley looked to have earned all three points for the visitros, although Shefki Kuqi handled controversially in the build-up to the opener.

City passed up a great chance to equalise with three minutes to go as referee Richard Beeby awarded a penalty to the home side for a foul on Darren Byfield.

However, Bradley Orr saw his spot-kick saved by Julian Speroni and the keeper also denied the right-back's follow-up attempt spectacularly in an explosive finish.

The draw was earned deep, deep into stoppage time thanks to McCombe's bullet header, sending a large home crowd into raptures.

City showed early exuberance when Nick Carle robbed Carl Fletcher in his own half and forced Speroni into a seventh-minute save with a low drive.

Speroni was called into action again soon after when McCombe headed a Lee Johnson free kick straight at the Palace keeper.

Next it was the turn of Dele Adebola to nod the ball at Speroni as Jamie McAllister's high, looping left-wing cross picked out the former Eagles striker out in the middle unmarked.

Even when Palace emerged from the own half, City's defending was too good. Speroni's quick throw out set Lee Hills on a box-to-box counter attack but the sprinting Ivan Sproule raced back to make a sliding challenge 22 yards out.

On the half-hour Matthew Lawrence picked up a caution for tugging back Adebola on a goal-bound charge. From the resultant free kick Michael McIndoe curled a shot over the top.

Then, moments later at the other end, Palace registered their first shot of the match, albeit high and wide from striker Kuqi.

City fans chanted "boring, boring Palace" as the two teams entered the tunnel at half-time and the visitors responded positively to the jibe straight after the restart.

Adriano Basso was immediately tested with a powerful drive from an acute angle by Kuqi, with the Brazilian doing well to tip the ball wide.

From the resultant corner, Basso made another fine stop, this time diving high to his left to claw out Mark Hudson's header from a Ben Watson corner.

As the visitors kept up their spirited second half resurgence, Tom Soares teed-up Kuqi on the edge of the box and the Finnish international volleyed narrowly wide of the near post.

A goal was coming and on 61 minutes it duly arrived. Kuqi controversially charged down Johnson's clearance with his arm and as the ball ricocheted to Hills on the left, the Palace youngster unleashed an unstoppable volley past Basso's depairing dive.

City almost hit back immediately when McCombe's flick on dropped at the feet of Sproule in the area. With time and space the Northern Irish winger drove the ball goalwards, only for Speroni to make an amazing point-blank range save.

Lee Trundle and Byfield were soon thrown into the mix, with Sproule and Carle making way. But neither striker could outstretch a leg and turn in McIndoe's driven cross a minute after arriving on the pitch.

A superb defensive header from Lawrence under his own crossbar prevented Adebola from equalised, as the striker was poised to nod in Johnson's centre.

Then with 87 minutes on the clock Byfield took a tumble in the box under pressure from Lawrence and a penalty was awarded.

Orr stepped up confidently but saw his first attempt by Speroni, and then his follow-up pushed clear. Even a third shot from McCombe was deflected over.

The game looked to be lost, but a minute over the four minutes of stoppage time added on, McCombe rose to power in Johnson's corner with a bullet header.

Ashton Gate erupted as City survived another Red'N'White Night unbeaten.