It is advantage Bristol City going into the second leg of the Play-Off semi finals. A late David Noble strike was added to Louis Carey's 53rd minute opener to give the Robins a 2-1 the lead after Ben Watson had equalised from the spot.

City, on the back of their comprehensive 3-0 victory over Preston last weekend, started the game the brighter and had the Palace defence under some momentary early pressure.

However, the home side soon settled and began to get into their stride, with the lively Victor Moses offering a real threat down the left hand side. On 10 minutes the winger used his quick feet to work himself some space in a wide position, cut in to the middle of the park and layed the ball off to Ben Watson whose first time effort flew over the bar. City's intentions were eminent during the Palace move with some heavy challenges leaving two players heaped on the floor without any caution or words from the referee.

Two minutes later and Scott Sinclair showed for the first time just why he has become such a fans favourite here at Selhurst. He picked the ball up in wide right position, squared up two defenders, before using his quick feet to squeeze the ball between them. The defenders stuck out a sympathetic leg and felled the Palace forward just on the edge of the box. Penalty shouts were raised but, on a second look, the offence indeed happened just before the line. Watson stood up to take it but his high cross was wasteful and was in no danger to the away goal.

Yet it was a serious statement from Palace that they were going to take the game to fourth placed City and no attempt in the first half showed it more than Danny Butterfield's 35 yard effort in the 14th minute. From a corner, the Robins defence scrambled the ball away but only to a waiting Butterfield who hit a first time, right-footed, drive that slammed straight into the keeper's arms.

City responded on 20 with some neat interplay between Lee Trundle and Michael McIndoe. The City forward played a neat ball around the home defence to McIndoe who had made a late run and just as he was about to pull the trigger, Jose Fonte slid in and denied him with a brilliant challenge.

Just before the half-hour mark, Sinclair again set about causing problems and nicked it past his marker, sprinted onto it and flicked the ball past the keeper. Unfortunately, the ball hit the underside of Adrian Basso, which took all of the sting out of the ball and allowed the defenders to clear it.

As the half drew to a close, City had the momentum going forward and should have opened the scoring on 36 minutes when Dele Adebola was picked out by a Bradley Orr cross. The commanding forward did everything right, heading it down, but Julian Speroni was equal to it and pushed it round the post.

Final blood though was Palace's as Morrison came close to finding the net. Sinclair cut into the middle of the park, passed it to Watson who laid it into the path of the Palace striker who stuck out an outstretched leg but the ball ran into the keeper's arms.

A minute into the second half and the Palace faithful had their heads in their hands when Ben Watson's drive fizzed past the far post. The Eagle's midfielder picked the ball up 25 yards from goal and aimed a low drive to the far corner but it took a slight deflection and ran just wide.

However, City fans were celebrating for real on 53 when their side carved out a well worked opener. A free kick, 30 yards out, caught the Palace defence off guard as it was played into the box to Nick Carle who then laid it off to Louis Carey. The defender ran across the box and hit a sweetly struck, right-footed, shot that curled past a helpless Speroni and into the top corner. The effort stunned the Selhurst crowd into momentary silence.

Two minutes later Clint Hill climbed highest in a packed area and aimed a decent header to the corner of the goal only to see his effort acrobatically saved by Basso.

Gary Johnson' men were defending resolutely and were keeping much of the home side's efforts down to half chances. A corner from Watson was played to the back post, knocked back for Hudson who stuck out a hopeful boot. However, there was no conviction or power in the shot and it looped over the bar.

But Hudson was causing all sorts of problems from set pieces and his contribution almost paid off when he again climbed highest in a packed box and headed back across goal. Substitute, Paul Ifill, reacted quickest, but the ball seemed to come just too quickly and it went wide.

With Neil Warnock's men committing forward, Adebola took full advantage as he surged through the back line and past Matt Lawrence and Hudson. His run took him right into the box but his final touch was a heavy one and it took him wide so that his eventual left footed strike was always fighting against a tight angle as it smashed into the side netting.

Palace rallied and some interesting tactical moves by Warnock saw Fonte being pushed up front. Matt Lawrence, on for Shaun Derry, slipped into the back four, and it had an almost immediate affect. Fonte received the ball in the box, controlled it with his chest, let it drop before turning on a sixpence. His quick turn surprised his marker, Carey, whose right foot clipped the heel of the defender-turn-striker and the referee pointed to the spot.

Watson, who admitted that he would have felt the pressure last weekend had his spot kick meant it would bring his side back level late in the game, stepped up to take it and calmly stroked it past Basso and into the bottom left hand corner.

Everyone was set for the game to run out as a 1-1 draw until a late 90th minute strike had everyone re-thinking. Palace failed to clear their lines and the ball found Carle who headed it into the path of Noble. The midfielder took a touch to control it before unleashing a brilliant 25 yard shot that flew past Speroni and into the top corner.

So, it will be 2-1 going into the second leg and Palace will have to cope with the cauldron that is Ashton Gate. However, despite the defecit, Palace are still in this tie and with every chance of making it through to Wembley.

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