Late own goal helps QPR hold Villa
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Shanghai Daily, September 27, 2011
Richard Dunne scored an unfortunate stoppage-time own goal as 10-man Queens Park Rangers snatched a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday.
The Ireland defender deflected an attempted clearance by teammate Stephen Warnock into his own net in the third minute of second-half injury time, denying Villa a win that would have lifted the team into fifth place.
It was a Premier League-record ninth own goal of Dunne's career and marred an otherwise impressive display by the former Manchester City center back.
Cheered on by a famous fan of the club - British Prime Minister David Cameron - Villa went ahead in the 58th minute at Loftus Road through a disputed penalty converted by Scotland midfielder Barry Bannan, after Armand Traore was adjudged to have tugged Gabriel Agbonlahor's shirt as the striker attempted to meet a cross by Warnock.
Traore's day went from bad to worse in the 89th minute when the former Arsenal left back was dismissed after picking up a second booking for a crude challenge on substitute Marc Albrighton but Villa couldn't hold on in a frantic finale.
With QPR denied what appeared to be a clear penalty when Shaun Derry's header was blocked on the line by Villa right back Alan Hutton's arm in the 71st, the post-match spotlight inevitably fell on 26-year-old referee Mike Oliver.
"You have got to ask certain questions of him," QPR manager Neil Warnock said of the Premier League's youngest ever referee.
"For their penalty, not one Aston Villa supporter appealed. Referees should be seen and not heard and the official made it all about him today, which is a shame because he took away from what was a good performance from us. The two major decisions went against us today."
Warnock was just as scathing about Traore following the defender's reckless late challenge.
"I thought it was a disgrace and I will be fining him as much as I can," Warnock said."
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