A brace from Ross McCormack handed Play Off hopefuls Cardiff City a 2-0 win at Selhurst Park. The City striker converted a first half penalty before sealing the win with a brilliant solo effort in stoppage time of the second.

Palace though were by no means swept aside by the Bluebirds, controlling much of the game after the penalty and were unlucky to be caught out right at the death. 

The south Wales side controlled the opening stages of first half though, carving out a series of excellent opportunities that could have seen them into the break with a greater advantage.

Indeed they thought they had opened their account within three minutes when Michael Chopra headed in from close range from a header back across goal, but the linemsan flagged for offside to rule it out.

A minute later Jay Boothroyd came close with a decent effort from 20 yards, but screwed it just wide of Speroni's near post.

He came even closer four minutes later when Cardiff were awarded a free kick 25 yards out. The forward stepped up and struck a pile driver that fizzed through the wall and forced Speroni into a decent reaction save. The Argentine had to get all of his body behind it just to push it away.

Shefki Kuqi came close with Palace's first chance on 11 minutes. Controlling the ball with his head just inside the box, he let it drop before hitting a decent volley to the far corner that took a deflection for a corner.

Then a moment of madness from City keeper Stuart Taylor as he got caught in No Man's Land trying to clear a long ball. The ball fell to the feet of Rui Fonte 35 yards from the goal and the Portugeuse striker took a touch before trying to lob a scrambing Taylor, but couldn't get enough loft and it was intercepted by a City centre-half.

But Cardiff were always looking the more dangerous and got their reward on 20 minutes. Joe Ledley stole a yard on Nathaniel Clyne, crossing his path in the process and the young right back inadvertently clipped his heels. Unfortunately there was no other option and the referee pointed to the spot.

Ross McCormack, who has scored on ten occasions from the spot this season, stepped up, waited for Speroni to go to his right and then calmly rolled it into the left.

Palace responded straight away began to work their way back into the game, putting some decent pressure on the Cardiff City defence in the final stages of the half. And they almost got their reward straight away but Taylor made ammends for his earlier misdemeanour with a tremendous one handed save.

A Moses shot from just inside the box was deflected off of Kevin McNaughton and looped up and over the City keeper, who looked to be stranded until he managed to stretch out a desperate left hand to tip it over.

Moses was then instrumental in the next Palace chance as he played a neat through ball to Shefki Kuqi, who had made an overlapping run into the box, and his shot ran right across goal.

The Eagles continued to apply pressure on the City defence and shortly before the half hour mark came close through the skipper, Shaun Derry. The midfielder was put through, after a neat Palace move, down the right side of the box but chose to cross the ball instead of shoot and Cardiff managed to clear.

The home side then had a penalty appeal turned away when Clint Hill's shot was cleared on the line. The left back finished off a mass goal mouth scramble with a left footed strike that seemed destined for the top of the net, until it was deflected over for a corner by what looked like the arm of the last defender.

In the late stages of the half, there was a nasty incident between Claude Davis and Roger Johnson, with the City man coming worse off and forced to retire from the field of play. It led to some disappointing scenes as the teams filed away into the dressing rooms, with City manager, Dave Jones and Davis needing to be separated.

The second half, minus Dave Jones and Neil Warnock, was all Palace, with the Eagles emerging from their dressing room a revitalised side. However, the referee became the main talking point of the afternoon as he continued to make some inconsistent decisions.

Palace had an early penalty appeal turned down when Rui Fonte was bundled down to the ground. The Palace striker had done well to worm his way into the box with some excellent footwork, and then took a tumble under a heavy challenge. The appeals went up but Mr Booth turned them away straight away.

City though should have made it 2-0 shortly after when Joe Ledley managed to ghost round the back of the Nathaniel Clyne to aim a terrific left footed volley past the far post from McCormack's deep free kick.

But from then on it was mostly all Palace as the home side controlled the game and City sat back in a desperate bid to protect their slim lead.

Debutant James Comley, on for Shaun Derry at half time, did well to rob a relaxed Jay Boothroyd 25 yard from goal but his shot ended well over the bar as he couldn't set himself properly.

Palace, for all of their pressure, struggled to convert any of it into clear chances throughout the half. Anthony Stokes combined nicely with Rui Fonte to aim a speculative shot at goal, which Taylor saved comfortably. And Fonte had a decent effort himself from the same distance that he curled wide of the far post.

But it was a penalty decision inbetween those chances that Palace will look to with greatest disappointment as a cross into the middle appeared to again be handled by a City player. Unfortunately though, Mr Booth spotted a foul by a Palace player somewhere and gave the decision the other way.

However it was not the worst decision he made all afteroon. Shortly before time was called, a mid-air collision between James Comley and a City defender was given the way of City even though the youngster had merely challenged for the ball and received a fair knock for his troubles. But it was a fair reflection of the official's performance all afternoon.

Unfortunately Palace were always susceptible to a counter attacking move and it came in the final minute. The was ball played up to McCormack and the striker squared up Claude Davis, tricked him with a neat piece of footwork to get past him and then expertly fired past Speroni to make it 2-0.

Attendance: 14,814 (1,349)

Crystal Palace - 1. Julian Speroni, 3. Clint Hill, 4. Shaun Derry (42. James Comley, 45), 5. Paddy McCarthy, 10. Nick Carle, 11. Victor Moses, 25.Claude Davis, 28. Rui Fonte (37. Nathanial Pinney, 89), 32. Shefki Kuqi, 33. Anthony Stokes (44. Kieron Cadogan, 79), 43. Nathaniel Clyne 

Subs: 2. Matt Lawrence, 15. Lee Hills

Cardiff City - 20. Stuart Taylor, 2. Kevin McNaughton, 4. Gavin Rae, 6. Gabor Gyepes, 8. Jay Boothroyd (9. Eddie Johnson, 75), 10. Stephen McPhail, 12. Roger Johnson 1(5. Miguel Comminges), 16. Joe Ledley (c), 18. Michael Chopra, 21. Mark Kennedy, 44. Ross McCormack

Subs: 7. Peter Whittingham, 11. Paul Parry, 13. Tom Heaton,