Crystal Palace - 3 (Johnson 24. Shipperley 63. Freedman 80.)
Sunderland - 0

Crystal Palace went into this game, knowing that a win would take them to the verge of the playoff zone, yet a loss would just about signify the end of any further ambition as far as this season was concerned. Just what a draw might have meant is debatable. As things transpired it was a night of celebration for the Palace faithful, and three more such wins for the season should see us safely where we want to be - in contention for a date in Cardiff next month.

Mark Hudson, having returned to Fulham, was missing from the line-up, and his place was taken by Mikele Leigertwood; otherwise Palace were unchanged from the previous game, against Wigan. Sunderland kicked off in the first half, and the first forward move of the match came about as Andrew Johnson and Michael Hughes got clear, but as the ball was fired through to Wayne Routledge, his cross was easily cleared by Phil Babb, in the heart of the Sunderland defence.

Wayne nearly got clear shortly after, but was well stopped by Julio Arca, and as the ball came back in, this time from Danny Butterfield, Neil Shipperley rose to head the ball, unfortunately just wide of the upright. A good tackle by Aki Riihilahti saved things at the other end of the park, and then AJ got a good, crisp pass in to Neil, but Mart Poom, in the opposition goal, just managed to beat him to the ball. Wayne sent the ball back in, only to see Poom clear the ball as AJ looked threatening, so Wayne then tried a shot of his own that the keeper sent just wide of his area.

Julian Gray took the corner to Palace, but Darren Williams cleared the danger, and Gary Breen cut out the next forward move by Palace. Danny Granville was guilty of a foul on Matthew Piper, and many felt he was lucky to escape a booking for his troubles, but the Palace defence easily dealt with the resulting free kick. Kevin Kyle tried to get through on goal, but Tony Popovic tidied things up, and shortly after Kyle tried again, this time sending his shot wide of the mark.

Julian attempted a shot that was just cut out by Piper, conceding a corner, but as Michael played the ball into the centre the defence forced the chance away from goal. Neil then had a golden opportunity to open the scoring, as he turned in the box and let loose a shot that fortunately for the Sunderland custodian went narrowly wide, but things were about to go horribly wrong. AJ got past Poom, and the keeper brought him down. A penalty was awarded, and a red card brandished, and it seemed to take an age before Thomas Myhre replaced him in goal, the unlucky player to go off being Tommy Smith.

Myhre, of course, played for Palace on loan for about three months earlier this season, but now his first test against us was to face the penalty, to be taken by AJ. It really was no contest, as AJ fired the ball, no nonsense like, straight into the back of the net to make the score 1-0 to our favour. Julian then got a good ball played in AJ, his shot going just over the top, and Arca was guilty of a foul on Wayne, the free kick almost getting to Tony as he lurked in the goal area.

Danny G somehow picked up an injury, and had to leave the pitch momentarily to receive treatment to his face as Wayne tried a shot that was blocked by the defence. Babb fouled AJ, the free kick ending up with Danny B who fired a long-range shot just wide of the mark, and Julian fired the next one wide yet again.

Darren Byfield tried a rare shot for Sunderland, Nico Vaesen doing well to get down to make the save, and at the other end of the park Danny B fired in another long attempt, blazing the ball over the top of the bar. Aki fouled Jason McAteer, but the Sunderland man pushed Aki to the ground, fortunately the referee talking to both, but issuing no further cards. Wayne made a good run from the centre of the ground, as he made his way into the area, his shot being saved merely by the defence getting in the way, and the ball rebounding to safety.

Three minutes of time was added on for stoppages, which seemed a little short as AJ was waiting at least four minutes to take the penalty, let alone any other time lost. McAteer managed to earn a yellow card for a tackle on Michael before Julian got a cross in to AJ, his header flying over the top of the bar. A final free kick, this time to our visitors, was taken by Arca, though there was little panic in the Palace goalmouth, as Danny G headed the ball back out, and Breen fired a shot back that went well wide of the intended target.

The whistle sounded, and Iain Dowie would have been well pleased with the efforts of the squad, but may just have been asking for a second goal to finish off the 10-man visitors.

Palace got the second half underway, and the first action saw Wayne get the ball over to the wing for Julian. He in turn sent a cross in towards Neil, but the big Palace man just overran the ball, and the chance went begging. Julian was lucky to escape a booking when he reacted badly to a foul by Breen, who held on to his shirt for so long that Julian tried to punch his way free; but despite a stern talking to by the referee it was only Breen that was booked, and Julian got away free.

A free kick to Sunderland from about 25 yards was totally wasted as McAteer put a poor cross in, and the ball raced up the other end, AJ presenting an easy shot for Myhre to save. Sunderland decided it was time to gamble, and send on their final two substitutes of the evening, so Piper and Byfield departed as Jon Oster and Marcus Stewart came on to the field as the clock signified 30 minutes to go.

Oster got a cross in to Kyle, but Tony mopped things up, and the ball was played forward to AJ. He made a run up the right hand side of the field before getting a great cross in, and Neil was on hand to head the ball straight into the back of the net before Myhre could react. The lead was doubled, and surely there would now be no way back for a tiring Sunderland side.

Julian then played Danny G in, but his shot went straight to the Sunderland keeper, and Oster went for a good run, but was eventually foiled by the Palace defence. A free kick for a foul on Arca by Michael saw Nico punch the ball clear, just as Kyle was about to connect with it.

Jeff Whitley fired in a shot that Nico did well to save, and Oster sent a ball in that ran across our area, without a player from either side getting a foot to it. It was time for a change of our own, and the man to come on was Dougie Freedman, replacing Neil, who handed the captain's armband over to Michael on his way off. A second change occurred a couple of minutes later, as Shaun Derry replaced Aki, but all the eyes were on the action as AJ played Dougie in for his first touch of the game, and he duly obliged by volleying the ball straight into the back of the net, the ball going over the head of Myhre in the goal. The keeper may have been having a miserable night, but the Palace fans were ecstatic.

Palace then made their final change of the evening with Tommy Black making an appearance for Wayne, and Palace continued to push forward with Dougie trying to release AJ, but the shot went over the top of the bar. Dougie was then brought down by Kyle, earning the Sunderland man a yellow card, but Michael blasted the free kick over the top once more. Another free kick to Palace was wasted as the final ball failed to find Tommy, who was looking well placed to add to our tally.

The board was raised to tell us, once again, that three minutes was to be added to the end, but there was no real action to report, and as the final whistle sounded Palace fans all around the ground, and presumably across the nation, and indeed the globe, stood and applauded the fine effort put in by the boys in red and blue. There should be few that can find much fault in a performance such as this, and we now all look forward to the trip to Gresty Road, and a chance to actually get back into the top six, before the playoffs come along.

Colin Pryce

Crystal Palace: Nico Vaesen, Danny Granville, Danny Butterfield, Tony Popovic, Mikele Leigertwood, Wayne Routledge (Tommy Black 81), Aki Riihilahti (Shaun Derry 79), Michael Hughes, Julian Gray, Andrew Johnson, Neil Shipperley (Dougie Freedman 76).

Substitutes not used: Cedric Berthelin, Kit Symons.

Sunderland: Mart Poom, Danny Williams, Gary Breen, Phil Babb, Julio Arca, Matthew Piper (John Oster 60), Jeff Whitley, Jason McAteer, Tommy Smith (Thomas Myhre 22), Darren Byfield (Marcus Stewart 60), Kevin Kyle.

Substitutes not used: Sean Thornton, Joachim Bjorkland.

Attendance: 18,291

Referee: Mr P Dowd