Ten-man Ipswich twice came from behind to earn a point at Crystal Palace which does little for the ambitions of either side.

Aki Riihilahti and Clinton Morrison put Palace in front on two occasions, but a Tom Soares own goal and a Ricardo Fuller header enabled Ipswich to claim a draw.

Fuller was sent off shortly after the second equaliser for alleged foul language, but his team hung on.

Play-off contenders Palace began the game i12 points adrift of an automatic promotion spot - and they took a 10th-minute lead.

Ben Watson drilled a 20-yard free-kick against the wall, but Jobi McAnuff was on hand to hook the ball back into the danger zone from the left, where the unmarked Riihilahti headed it into the bottom right corner from close range.

Eight minutes later, Palace almost doubled their advantage, with only a courageous block from Jason De Vos preventing Soares' angled drive finding the target.

Palace were on top, but Ipswich - nine points off a play-off spot at the start of play - equalised with their first serious attack of the match on the half-hour mark.

Matthew Richards drove an eight-yard shot against Emmerson Boyce which rebounded against the luckless Soares and trickled over the Palace goal-line.

Both sides threatened in the closing stages of the first half, Andrew Johnson and Watson going close for Palace, and Fuller and Richards missing chances for Ipswich.

Palace began the second half with the same purpose as they had the first, moving ahead for the second time seven minutes after the re-start.

Watson swung over a free-kick from the left, and Morrison rose unchallenged to plant a six-yard header into Shane Supple's right corner.

The home team then wasted two great chances to make the game safe. Fabian Wilnis produced a tremendous tackle to deny Riihilahti seven yards out, and Johnson saw his goal-bound shot strike team-mate Morrison and fly wide.

But, in what was virtually a carbon copy of the first half, Joe Royle's men equalised from nowhere in the 67th minute.

Fuller was left unmarked inside the six-yard box and had the simple task of nodding Richards' raking right-wing cross beyond goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly.

Ipswich almost took the lead seven minutes later, but Alan Lee could only stab a close-range shot against a grateful Kiraly.

In the 78th minute, an engrossing match took another twist when referee Kevin Friend showed Fuller a straight red card for allegedly swearing at a linesman.

Palace thought they had won it in injury time, but Supple saved magnificently from substitute Dougie Freedman's point-blank header.

Teams

Crystal Palace Kiraly, Boyce, Borrowdale (Leigertwood 90),Ward, Fitz Hall, Soares (Freedman 77), Riihilahti, Watson,McAnuff (Reich 87), Johnson, Morrison.

Subs Not Used: Popovic, Speroni.

Goals: Riihilahti 10, Morrison 53.

Ipswich Supple, Wilnis, Richards, De Vos, Sito,Magilton (Brekke-Skard 84), Currie, Garvan,Barron (Casement 68), Lee, Fuller.

Subs Not Used: McDonald, Clarke, Price.

Sent Off: Fuller (78).

Booked: Wilnis, Lee, Fuller.

Goals: Soares 30 og, Fuller 67.

Att: 22,076

Ref: K Friend (Leicestershire).