CRYSTAL Palace held Premiership giants Aston Villa to a 2-2 draw in the fifth round of the FA Cup at Selhurst Park this afternoon.

The Eagles led twice against their top flight opponents thanks to goals either side of the break from Johnny Ertl and Darren Ambrose.

However, the visitors hit back twice through James Collins and an 87th minute equaliser by Stiliyan Petrov to force a replay at Villa Park next week.

Claude Davis put in a crucial tackle to thwart Stephen Warnock on six minutes as the Villa defender broke into the box.

Ashley Young’s 10th minute cross had to be put behind by Clint Hill and the resultant corner produced a goalmouth scramble as Richard Dunne was denied before the danger was finally cleared.

Ertl had Palace’s first attempt on goal in the 18th minute with an ambitious crack from 30 yards which was always drifting wide of Brad Friedel’s post.

Villa had a penalty claim ignored when Ashley Young met Petrov’s cross before going to ground under close attention from Nathaniel Clyne, although the replays showed there was no contact.

Emile Heskey drilled a shot straight at Julian Speroni midway through the first half as Villa continued to press.

But it was the hosts who got their noses in front on 24 minutes with their first real attack of any note when Ertl climbed highest in a packed six-yard box to head home from Ambrose’s corner with Friedel all at sea.

Neil Danns tested Friedel with a powerful shot as Crystal Palace suddenly began to look like the more dominate outfit.

Ashley Young’s dangerous 33rd minute cross was unable to pick out one of three Villa players inside the six-yard box.

But the visitors were back on terms two minutes later when Stewart Downing’s curling free-kick was headed past Speroni by Collins to make it 1-1.

Aston Villa were unfortunate not to take the lead shortly afterwards as Milner’s corner was flicked on by Petrov at the near post, but the attempt sailed agonisingly wide.

Alan Lee blazed a shot off target for the Eagles, while Heskey headed over from a corner and then Ambrose tried his luck from long range but the shot went over as the game opened up.

Palace were awarded a free-kick 20 yards out in first half stoppage time and Ambrose’s well-struck effort had to be punched away instinctively by Friedel.

Lee’s bicycle kick from the edge of the area two minutes into the second half was never going to trouble Friedel in the Villa goal, while Nick Carle’s cross moments later ended up on the roof of the net as opposed to the back of it.

Speroni produced a good stop to keep out substitute John Carew’s shot from inside the box, while Milner slipped when he was put through on goal by Fabian Delph’s low pass as Villa hit back.

But then the contest quietened down again before Ambrose’s 62nd minute corner was headed harmlessly wide by Hill.

Shaun Derry’s blushes were spared by Davis after Derry’s poor clearance from a free-kick into the area almost gifted Carew a shot on goal before Davis scrambled the danger away.

A poor 68th minute back pass by Clyne wasn’t capitalised on by Ashley Young as the Villa star fired across the face of goal as opposed to finding the target, much to the relief of the home fans.

However, they were soon celebrating again moments later when the Eagles were awarded a free-kick some 35 yards from goal and Ambrose unleashed an unstoppable shot which flew past Friedel, who got a hand to it, for a stunning goal.

Ambrose almost made it 3-1 with a flicked header which hit the bar on 72 minutes, while Speroni produced a top save at the other end four minutes later to tip over Carew’s close range header.

Clyne cleared Collins’ shot off the line from the resultant corner as the visitors began to pile on the pressure in search of an equaliser.

Speroni somehow managed to keep out Carew’s header from Ashley Young’s cross, but there was nothing he could do to save Petrov’s headed goal from the corner as Villa drew level for the second time with three minutes remaining.

Ashley Young just failed to connect with a cross into the danger zone in stoppage time but it would have been a travesty for Neil Warnock’s side if they weren’t to be given a second chance in a replay and ultimately justice was done.

Crystal Palace: Spernoni, Clyne, Davis, Ertl, Hill, Derry, Butterfield, Danns, Ambrose, Carle, Lee (Andrew 90). Subs not used: Mann, Scannell, Lawrence, Djilali, N’Diaye, Wynter. Att: 20,486.