Queens Park Rangers were held to a 1-1 draw against Peterborough as Wayne Routledge rescued a point.
Inconsistency continues for expensively-assembled Hoops
Queens Park Rangers were held to a 1-1 draw against newly-promoted Peterborough at Loftus Road as Wayne Routledge rescued a point.
Rangers have proved inconsistent this season and it looked like being a similar story when Aaron Mclean put Darren Ferguson's Posh in front in the capital.
But Jim Magilton was grateful to see Routledge equalise before the end of the first half, with neither team capable of winning the game in the second 45 minutes.
Mega-rich Rangers are, once again, expected to push for promotion but Flavio Briatore's millions have yet to unearth someone to get on the end of all the flicks and tricks.
At least chairman Briatore was not present to witness an out-of-sorts showing from his expensively-assembled outfit, the Italian apparently having more pressing matters to deal with on the grand prix circuit.
Tails up
Posh even thought they had grabbed a stoppage-time winner, but Craig Mackail-Smith's effort was ruled out.
The West Londoners did create the first chance, courtesy of their North London connection, as Tottenham loanee Adel Taarabt exchanged passes with Arsenal's Jay Simpson before shooting straight at Joe Lewis.
But Peterborough soon found their feet and went ahead in the 16th minute when Tommy Williams' floated cross was glanced in by Mclean.
With their tails up, Posh began producing the slick football which has been a trademark of their successive promotions.
Rangers would surely have been two down had debutant Ben Watson not put in a superbly-timed challenge to rob Lee Frecklington as the midfielder raced through.
Watson's last-gasp intervention proved pivotal moments later when the hosts hauled themselves level.
Simple finish
Simpson was played in by Taarabt and reached the byline before cutting the ball back to Routledge for a simple finish.
Watson could have marked his debut with a goal just before the hour when a loose ball found him in the area but could only side-foot his effort wide.
Magilton removed Taarabt and ineffectual £3.5million Argentinian Alejandro Faurlin, replacing them with Championship-hardened campaigners Rowan Vine and Martin Rowlands.
But Posh continued to threaten and Toumani Diagouraga forced Radek Cerny into a smart save with a fierce 25-yard drive before Damion Stewart deflected Tommy Rowe's shot over.
Simpson could have won it for Rangers with five minutes remaining but hurriedly blasted his shot high and wide.
But Magilton was a relieved man at the death when an offside flag denied Mackail-Smith a winner.
