Crystal Palace banished any lingering relegation fears as they came from
behind to beat 10-man Blackburn at Selhurst Park.
Clinton Morrison made Rovers pay for the dismissal of Lee Carsley with a
73rd-minute glancing header past Alan Kelly to secure maximum points.
It was no more than Palace deserved after subjecting their visitors to a
fierce onslaught throughout a passionate contest.
There was good news for the Eagles when they revealed they are a step closer
to moving out of administration - and their on-field future is also brighter
after this hard-fought win.
But for so long Blackburn looked the more likely winners after Matt Jansen
gave them the lead on his return to south London.
He latched on to a diagonal ball from Damien Duff on 26 minutes to lash the
ball past Matt Gregg.
Palace fans had cheered Jansen's name before kick off but they were silenced
by his clinical strike.
Young striker Leon McKenzie and veteran defender Andy Linighan were Palace's
chief culprits in front of goal in the first half, missing several presentable
chances from close range.
But their patient football paid off after the interval when young defender
Ashley Cole levelled with his first goal for the club.
Cole pounced on a defensive error to crash the ball high into the roof of
Kelly's goal on the hour mark.
That was the cue for Carsley to get his marching orders moments later. He
appeared to strike Palace's Stephen Thomson and referee Paul Danson had no
hesitation in brandishing the red card.
Palace, sensing the opportunity to take all three points in their last home
game of the season, pushed forward with vigour and McKenzie should have done
better when he was clean through on Kelly.
But just as the game seemed set to end all square, up popped Morrison to send
the Palace fans into ecstasy.
Teams:
Crystal Palace: Gregg, Smith, Austin, Linighan (Woozley 46),
Cole, Thomson, Foster, Mullins, McKenzie, Forssell, Morrison.
Subs Not Used: Rizzo, Carlisle, Hunt, Kendall.
Booked: Austin.
Goals: Cole 60, Morrison 72.
Blackburn: Kelly, Dailly, Short, Harkness,
McAteer (Gillespie 89), Flitcroft, Carsley, Frandsen, Duff,
Ward, Jansen.
Subs Not Used: Filan, Burgess, Grayson, Hamilton.
Sent Off: Carsley (67).
Booked: McAteer.
Goals: Jansen 27.
Att: 18,272
Ref: P Danson (Leicester).
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