ROY: WE BLEW IT

ROY HODGSON was left “frustrated” after his Crystal Palace side blew a string of chances to earn some relegation breathing space.

The Eagles rained in 21 shots on goal, but had to settle for a Luka Milivojevic penalty, 10 minutes after the break, to cancel Mo Diame’s 22nd-minute opener.

Hodgson said: “I’m frustrated really. I wasn’t too happy with the way we played in the first half, for all that we created two or three good chances. We hadn’t played as well as we have so, on that basis, I’d have been happy with a point.

“But the way we camped in their half in the second half, so dangerously, makes me a bit disappointed. It’s more a feeling of frustration that we didn’t actually win the game.” Despite the draw, Hodgson insisted every point earned will inch Palace to safety. The former England boss also praised his players for fighting back from adversity.

Palace have conceded the opener of the game 17 times this season, no team has let in the first goal more often in the Premier League.

Hodgson (right) believes his side’s resilience will be crucial in the battle against the drop. He added: “In the end, it’ll be that ability that the players have to come out and be a different team.

“I know we had 21 strikes at goal. A few of those were from distance, but we had a lot of entries into the penalty area and the final third.

“With the type of players we have, we will score goals if we do that. When you’re one of those bottom teams you don’t drop points because you don’t have points to drop. “The top teams drop points. We gain points. “Sometimes we gain two less than we would like or maybe deserved.”

Striker Christian Benteke blew a number of chances, but Hodgson had no regrets about keeping new signing Alexander Sorloth on the bench.

Hodgson added: “I suppose one of the main reasons is I have only seen him in two training sessions and he’s not played since November.

“He’s had a few pre-season friendlies out in Dubai. I would ideally have not thrown him in until he’d had more time training with us.

“But I thought our three front players were doing pretty well in the second half.

“Benteke was a constant threat to their defence. He’ll be bitterly disappointed he didn’t take those few chances that came his way.”