Harewood - netted a stunning solo goal.
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A stunning second-half strike from Marlon Harewood helped Nottingham Forest secure a significant win in an entertaining clash of play-off hopefuls.
Receiving the ball on the right touchline, and with his back to goal, the speedy striker produced a marvellous flick and turn to leave Tony Popovic and then Kit Symons in his wake before slamming home a rising shot from an acute
angle to make it 2-0 after Michael Dawson had opened the scoring.
Palace cut the deficit through an Andrew Johnson penalty, but it was fitting that Harewood's goal secured three more precious points for Forest.
It took the hosts just four minutes to open the scoring, thanks to a fine piece of improvisation from defender John Thompson.
Jim Brennan's inswinging corner was not high enough, but Thompson flicked the ball up at the near post and Dawson rifled low into the net from near the penalty spot.
Forest nearly went two up in bizarre fashion midway through the half, as a bouncing ball in the Palace box was sliced over his own bar by Darren Powell.
And the former Brentford man did not have a monopoly on threatening his own goal, as proved by Riccardo Scimeca's 25th minute free-kick which Popovic diverted inches past the far post.
Moments later the big Australian almost played a crucial role at the other end, nodding back Danny Butterfield's free-kick for Shaun Derry to see his diving header tipped on to the bar by Darren Ward in the Forest goal.
The attacking sentiments of both teams showed no signs of abating after the break - a fact that almost cost Forest dear when one failed forward thrust left them totally exposed.
Dele Adebola looked certain to be the beneficiary as he bore down on goal in a lung-busting 60-yard dash, only for Mathieu Louis-Jean's last-gasp lunge to force the Nigerian to shoot wide.
In the 59th minute that miss was made to look even more costly as Harewood turned in his show-stopping party piece.
Palace's reaction was to throw caution to the wind, bringing on midfielder Steve Thomson and striker Ade Akinbiyi for defenders Symons and Popovic.
After Powell somehow did enough to put Harewood off a one-on-one, the gamble looked to be paying off as Dawson felled the on-rushing Johnson and the Eagles forward slotted home the 75th minute spot-kick.
But despite taking the game to Forest in the closing stages, there was to be no Palace leveller.
Teams Nottm Forest Ward, Louis-Jean, Dawson, Hjelde, Brennan,
Thompson, Scimeca, Williams, Reid (Doig 79), Johnson, Harewood.
Subs Not Used: Jess, Roche, Westcarr, Bopp.
Booked: Louis-Jean, Dawson.
Goals: Dawson 4, Harewood 59.
Crystal Palace Berthelin, Powell, Symons (Thomson 72),
Popovic (Akinbiyi 72), Butterfield, Mullins, Derry, Gray,
Adebola, Freedman (Black 57), Johnson.
Subs Not Used: Kolinko, Granville.
Goals: Johnson 75 pen.
Att: 26,012
Ref: G Poll (Hertfordshire).
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