Patrick Suffo scored his first goal since his summer move from French side Nantes to keep up United's play-off push.

United had looked the likely winners despite Palace pushing for an equaliser late in the game.

Both sides failed to take their opportunities in an open first half. Paul Peschisolido had two half chances in the opening 10 minutes.

Shaun Murphy flicked on a free-kick but Peschisolido was unable to make contact with the ball in the area. Minutes later Greg Berthalter's clearance fell to the on-loan forward but he headed over the bar.

Palace responded when Simon Rodger crossed to the back post, but Keith Curle did enough to snub out the threat from Hayden Mullins.

On 16 minutes Roger crossed for Mullins who was in plenty of space but he volleyed high and wide.

As United continued to go forward Berthalter was booked for bundling Paul Devlin to the ground with space opening up in front of him.

Suffo replace Peschisolido on 25 minutes and Palace had a good chance to break the deadlock when Clinton Morrison flicked the ball past Tracey in the area but his weak shot was cleared off the line by Rob Kozluk.

In first-half stoppage time good work on the left from D'Jaffo sent Santos clear, but his snapshot was wide of Kolinko's left-hand post.

United took the lead after 55 minutes when Santos found Devlin on the right wing and he nudged the ball for Suffo, who cut inside a defender before beating Kolinko on his near post.

Palace then had a real let-off when hesitant defending allowed D'Jaffo a one-on-one with the keeper but he headed straight at Kolinko with the goal at his mercy.

Kozluk and Devlin combined well on the right wing from the corner, but Kolinko was fouled with United players waiting to pounce.

Late in the game Rodger played the ball to Freedman, but his left-foot effort lacked enough power to trouble Tracey.

In stoppage time Andrejs Rubins clipped the top of United's bar after good build-up play from Palace, but United held out for the spoils.

Teams:

Sheff Utd: Tracey, Kozluk, Murphy, Curle, Ullathorne (Montgomery 50), Devlin, Brown, Santos, Ford, Peschisolido (Suffo 23), D'Jaffo, Suffo (Kelly 77).

Subs Not Used: Woodward, Jagielka.

Booked: Curle.

Goals: Suffo 51.

Crystal Palace: Kolinko, Smith, Austin, Berhalter, Frampton (Freedman 71), Rodger, Black, Thomson, Mullins (Carlisle 84), Morrison, Forssell (Rubins 71).

Subs Not Used: Fuller, Gray.

Booked: Berhalter, Smith, Black.

Att: 18,924

Ref: A Hall (Birmingham).