Rangers struggled early on with Palace looking the more likely to score. In the seventh minute, Rangers failed to clear their lines and Hayden Mullins fired a right-footed shot just over the bar.

Richard Langley then blocked Forssell's drive, before the on-loan striker brought a save from Harper with a shot from just inside the area. Rangers almost scored with their first attack of the game with an excellent move. Langley exchanged passes with Wardley before breezing past Ashley Cole and crossed for Beck, whose glancing header bounced just wide of Fraser Digby's left-hand post.

A minute later, Baraclough dragged a shot wide of the target after being teed up by Beck. Chris Plummer then pulled up with a hamstring injury and was quickly taken off for George Kulscar. Rangers switched the team around with Mark Perry moved into the middle and Paul Murray on the right. Murray then broke down the right and crossed for Beck to head wide again.

The Q and R Blocks were right behind the team and singing loud and proud as QPR enjoyed their best spell of the game. Another nice move saw Kiwomya headed over Digby but the Palace keeper produced an excellent save.

Rangers went close again when Langley's corner was cleared onto the back of Beck and the ricochet would have ended up in the corner of the net had Mullins not been stationed at the far post, where he hacked the ball to safety. In the Rangers goal, Lee Harper had reason to thank Lady Luck rather than any of his team-mates when he dropped a cross.

Forssell failed to take advantage and his shot bobbled inches wide. Wardley then sprung into action with a good run and he left Linighan for dead before a great cross found Langley who knocked it across goals for Baraclough whose header was brilliantly saved by Digby butt he defender should have scored. At half time in the bar we all discussed the game and I made the prediction that Langley would be taken of after 70 minutes whilst Wardley would not touch the ball again.

The second half began with Palace looking strong again and Mikkel Forsell went close again but was denied by a great tackle from Perry. Rangers then missed a golden chance when Karl ready had the whole goal to aim at but decided to blast the ball rather than place it and fired well over the bar. Rangers needed a spark to get them going but before the inevitable substitution Palace took the lead. Morrision got the goal after missing sitter just minutes before.

Carlisle's cross was headed on by Dean Austin and Morrison bundled the ball past Harper from inside the six-yard box. Gerry Francis then made a double substitution, switching to three up front with Gareth Taylor and Kevin Gallen replacing , surprise surprise, Langley and Murray. The two substitutes combined to produce a save from Miller, who was down quickly to keep out Taylor's header from Gallen's cross.

Gallen did OK in the 20 minutes he was on but the final ball was very poor and Palace hung on to a deserved win. So the playoff dream is all but over and for the first time in my life I have seen QPR lose on my birthday.

Not a good day but Mark Perrys performance was a bright spot and hopefully Graham, Lopez and Jeanne will now be given a chance in the closing weeks of the season.

Man of the Match: Mark Perry

13. Lee Harper : He was due a dodgy game and had one tonight. 6/10

24. Mark Perry : Can play better but did a good job at both right wing back and at centre back. If he gets a run in the side, he will become a big name at QPR. 7/10

3. Ian Baraclough : Did OK, should have scored in the first half. 6/10

17. Chris Plummer : Looked a bit shaky early on and was injured soon after. 6/10

12. Matthew Rose: Did well but looks to be struggling with his arm injury a little. 6/10

5. Karl Ready: I will be in the minority I suppose but I thought he was poor tonight, showed one moment of excellent skill but struggled to cope with the Palace attack.

27. Stuart Wardley : At one point in the second half, I shouted "You first touch is terrible Wardley" and I was pounced on by a few others who said give him a break, he was brought as a centre half. I take their points but why he was kept on when Langley was taken off will remain a mystery.

7. Paul Murray : Not the same player when pushed wide but did OK and produced a good cross, which Beck missed.

21. Richard Langley : The perfect anchor man, picked up the ball from defence and laid it off nicely and spread the ball around well. But when other players don't read it then he is the scapegoat. 7/10

36. Mikkel Beck : Not a great display, gave up to easily when things went against him and let the Palace supporters get to him. But he was still our most dangerous forward tonight. 6/10

11. Chris Kiwomya : Worked hard but played too wide at times. Was unlucky not to score and is another player who gets to much stick from the crowd. 6/10

10. Kevin Gallen : Did OK, his final ball was poor but the lack of movement by the forwards gave him very few options. 6/10

15. George Kulscar : Did OK, a typical performance by him, nothing special. 6/10

37. Gareth Taylor : Won some balls in the air and looked up for it but no better than Steiner. 6/10