Crystal Palace led twice against West Ham United this afternoon but had to settle for a point in an entertaining 2-2 draw.

While a draw with one of the Championship’s more-fancied sides this season is a good result, Dougie Freedman and his players will have been disappointed not to hold on for victory.

Darren Ambrose and Glenn Murray twice sent Selhurst Park into euphoria but goals from Kevin Nolan and an 80th minute John Carew header pegged them back.

It leaves them 11th in the table with 14 points going into the two-week international break.

Palace made the perfect start after six minutes as Julian Speroni’s long ball was flicked on by Murray and Jonathan Williams, making his first start at home in the league, calmly passed the ball to Ambrose, who replaced Sean Scannell in the side, to slot in from six yards.

The lead lasted just 10 minutes though as Palace fell asleep.

Wilfried Zaha let George McCartney get free down the left and although Paddy McCarthy got a head to his cross, the ball fell to Carlton Cole to head to the unmarked Nolan to tap in.

Palace struggled to stay in the game then and could not cope with the physicality of Sam Allardyce’s men.

Cole should have done better when he spooned David Bentley’s corner over and Nolan twice could have doubled the lead but headed straight at Speroni and then wastefully shot into the stand a minute later.

At the other end, Palace had chances to retake the lead but Murray failed to connect properly with David Wright’s ball in and then again when Williams beautifully flicked Zaha’s cross into his path.

Zaha has been well marshalled by McCartney throughout but exploded into life seven minutes after the break to set up Murray for Palace’s second.

Switched to the left flank, the in-form youngster robbed Julien Faubert of the ball, surged at the Hammers defence and then supplied the pass that found Murray in acres of space to curl into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

It was an excellent strike from Palace forward who worked tirelessly up front despite finding himself isolated on many occasions.

The Eagles continued to be on top but with Murray almost converting Ambrose’s cross but he couldn’t quite reach it.

Allardyce changed his strikers and the Hammers started to press as Palace fell deeper and deeper hoping to catch them on the break.

Henri Lansbury saw a shot blocked by Peter Ramage before substitute Carew drew them level with 10 minutes left.

McCartney supplied a superb cross from the left and the imposing Norwegian got between McCarthy and Anthony Gardner, recalled ahead of Aleksandar Tunchev, to head past Speroni.

He almost repeated the trick a minute later but saw his effort float wide and at the other end Murray blazed a difficult chance over the bar.

Jermaine Easter had the final chance but his spectacular volley flew just over as both sides had to be content with a draw.