Crystal Palace - 1 (Shipperley 63.)
West Ham United - 0

This match was the last for the season, and was a "winner take all" situation, with figures bandied about between £22m and £35m as the value to the winning side. That is the estimated value of a season in the Premiership.

West Ham got the match underway; with Andy Melville taking a long punt down the ground that went straight out of play. Neil Shipperley gave away a free kick for a foul on Steve Lomas, but as Matthew Etherington made a run down the field Danny Butterfield was on hand to clear the danger. Nico Vaesen sent a long throw to Andy Johnson, but he was unable to control the ball, and the West Ham defence cleared their lines, and as Mikele Leigertwood sent the ball back up the field of play he failed to find Neil. Michael Hughes got a shot on target as AJ sent a cross in, but his header was from too far out, and the keeper had little trouble dealing with the effort.

David Connolly was caught offside, and as Nico cleared the ball Shaun Derry was unable to reach the pass, the chance was cleared, and then West Ham conceded a free kick for a foul on Aki Riihilahti.

Michael took the free kick, and he played it short to Danny B, his shot blazing past the upright, bringing the Palace crowd to their feet in anticipation. Etherington fouled Wayne Routledge, and as the West Ham man threw the ball away the referee warned him about taking such action in the future. I don't know why players do that; they always get pinged by the referee these days. The free kick was played quickly to Mikele, but his pass went straight out of play, and the advantage was lost once more.

Aki conceded a corner, but Shaun cleared the ball, and shortly after Wayne got past Hayden Mullins, but his cross was poor, failing to find a Palace player in the box. Wayne tried again though, and this time his cross was far better, AJ tried a shot on goal, but presumably he was not listening, as Neil was far better placed behind him, and the header sailed straight over the top of the bar. Tony Popovic did well to cut out a ball destined for Connolly, but a corner was conceded, this time the chance being cleaned up by Michael.

Shaun fouled Michael Carrick, and as Tomas Repka played the ball into Bobby Zamora it was Nico that was first to react, clearing the ball at the first attempt. Shaun was then fouled in turn by Lomas, and he sent the free kick in, a deflection sending the ball behind for the first Palace corner. Shaun then sent the ball in from the corner, and as Stephen Bywater failed to clear the ball Danny Granville was presented with a great chance to score, his shot tamely going behind when it looked so much easier to score.

Tony was penalised for a push on Zamora, but Nico gathered the cross once again, though Zamora was given another chance shortly after as Carrick played him in, this time Nico just managing to divert the ball off his body. Almost immediately at the other end AJ came close as Neil's shot was pushed away and fell kindly for our top marksman, the keeper reacting just in time to save the effort before any more harm could be done. Wayne then got the ball to AJ, but Christian Dailly diverted the effort for a corner, and as Tony headed down the chance it was cleared once again by the defence.

Connolly was caught offside, and at the other end Danny B played Neil in, the big striker just failing to get on the end of the ball. Zamora's shot was charged down by Danny B, a corner being conceded, and as the ball came in from the set piece Dailly put his header wide of the upright. AJ was then caught offside before Mikele had to be alert to clear a chance from Zamora, the resulting corner this time being sent over the top of the bar by Etherington. Neil was fouled by Repka, the free kick being taken by Michael, but Mullins got the better of Tony in a race for the ball.

Michael tried twice to get a shot on goal, the first being pushed back to him, and the second being cleared off the line by Repka. Very close, that was. Neil then tried a shot that was poor, and shortly after Repka was finally booked, this time for a foul on AJ, but the half was almost up. Zamora went down in the box, but the referee waved play on, and despite only one minute being added Etherington managed to get the ball once more into our area, Nico claiming the cross just in the nick of time.

The whistle sounded, the players went to the dressing-rooms for a well deserved orange juice, or whatever it is that they give them these days, and presumably the respective managers had their say about what they wanted to see in the second half. Of course, they couldn't both get what they wanted, and it just remained to be seen who, if anyone, could open the scoring. The rate things were going it appeared as if just one goal might be enough to settle the whole affair.

Palace got the second half underway, and this time the respective sides were playing towards their own supporters. Connolly was caught offside once again, and then Palace conceded a corner that was cleared by the defence. Aki fouled Lomas before Zamora was caught offside, whilst at the other end AJ tried a cross that Mullins steered into the side netting. Shaun sent this corner in, and after Tony knocked it down Neil could only blast his shot over the top of the bar. Another chance gone begging.

Lomas sent in a cross that was too deep for the attacking players, and it ran straight out for a goal kick, and from a free kick conceded by Mikele Danny B had to concede yet another corner, Lomas this time trying a shot that Nico did well to hang on to. Another corner to West Ham was cleared by the Palace defence, then suddenly AJ was running at the defence. The keeper could only parry his shot, and it fell neatly to Neil, who from only a yard or so out could not miss; and he didn't. The ball was in the back of the net, and we had the break.

Almost immediately from the restart Connolly had the ball in the back of the net, but before the West Ham supporters had time to cheer they noticed the flag was up, and the strike did not count. As if to compound matters Zamora did exactly the same just a few moments later, and the result was the same, the flag signified offside. Michael then dispossessed Mullins, but his cross into the box was blocked by the West Ham defence, and the Hammers then decided to make a double change, Zamora and Marlon Harewood going off to be replaced by Brian Deane and Nigel Reo-Coker. Palace used the time to make a change of their own, with Danny B making way for last start hero Darren Powell.

A foul by Danny G on Reo-Coker saw Tony clear the ball from our area, and shortly after Shaun was booked for a foul on Lomas. Carrick tried a shot that Nico did well to get down to, and West Ham decided to make their final change, bringing Don Hutchison on for Connolly. Dailly blasted the ball over the top, but his effort was hampered by Mikele, making him pull his shot, and Michael was given a yellow card for a tackle on Etherington. A free kick shortly after to Palace saw the keeper take the ball off the head of the rapidly rising Neil, before Dailly tried a shot at the other end that went well over the top of the bar and a penalty appeal against Mikele was turned down. Etherington made a run on goal, but the ball went behind for a goal kick before AJ sent in a cross that the keeper did well to come out for.

Reo-Coker was the next to get booked, presumably for having a chat to the linesman, before AJ tried to lob the keeper, his effort going just wide of the mark. Mullins was booked for a foul on Michael, and the fourth official signalled 4 minutes of time to be added on. It seems funny, but whenever you are leading you wonder just where all that time came from, and when you are behind you wish it was more.

Deane tried a shot that hit Lomas and went clear before AJ was caught offside. Etherington was booked as it seemed the referee was running out of patience, and suddenly the game was all over. For a moment the Palace supporters were stunned, until the realisation dawned that we had won, the game was over, and the Premiership beckoned next season.

Well done, Iain Dowie, well done the team, and most particularly, well done, the supporters. The joint effort had taken us from relegation candidates at the start of the New Year to the Premiership in the mere space of 25 games. See you all next season, as Palace look to consolidate their position in the top League.

Colin Pryce

Crystal Palace: Nico Vaesen, Danny Granville, Danny Butterfield (Darren Powell 69), Tony Popovic, Mikele Leigertwood, Shaun Derry, Aki Riihilahti, Wayne Routledge, Michael Hughes, Andrew Johnson, Neil Shipperley.

Substitutes not used: Cedric Berthelin, Ben Watson, Dougie Freedman, Tommy Black.

West Ham United: Stephen Bywater, Tomas Repka, Hayden Mullins, Christian Dailly, Andrew Melville, Marlon Harewood (Nigel Reo-Coker 68), Matthew Etherington, Steve Lomas, Michael Carrick, David Connolly (Don Hutchison 74), Bobby Zamora (Brian Deane 68).

Substitutes not used: Rufus Brevett, Pavel Srnicek.

Attendance: 72,523

Referee: Mr G Poll