A second half chip by Shefki Kuqi handed Palace a hard fought 1-0 win at Selhurst Park after Victor Moses had been sent off moments earlier for a second bookable offence.
The Palace youngster had been booked late in the first half for simulation and then was given a second yellow on the hour mark for a challenge on Mile Sterjovski. The challenge appeared to be a fair one as he used only one foot in the tackle and even won the ball, but the refereee made a quick decision and out came the yellow card.
The first half was a wholly forgettable affair. Neither side managed to gain an upperhand over the other, which resulted in a first half of very few clear cut chances.
Even so, the Selhurst crowd were treated to an early cheer as Nick Carle smashed into one of English football's most popular villians, Robbie Savage. As the two climbed to challenge for an aerial ball, Carle had a yard on him and his momentum left the former Leicester player spinning in midair and crashing to the turf.
The crowd cheered and Carle was booked after just 11 seconds.
On three minutes Rob Hulse saw his swivel and shot fly over the bar, while Palace had to wait until the 17th minute for their first effort of note as an Anthony Stokes cross almost found its way through to Victor Moses at the back post. But,as the youngster prepared to shoot, Paul Connolly managed to get a foot to it and clear.
From the resulting corner, Stokes again caused problems with a whipped cross that was flicked on at the near post. The ball was allowed to run right across the box and only needed a touch to convert it, but there was no one there.
On 25 minutes Johnny Ertl scuffed a low left footed shot past the near post when he found himself in space inside the box, while Stokes followed it up shortly after with a left footed strike that flew wide enough to eventually go out for a throw in.
The ball into the box again caused problems for the Rams shortly before the half hour mark when a Moses long throw was not cleared and the ball fell to Paddy McCarthy. The defender took a touch to control it eight yards out but his shot was blocked and deflected out for a corner.
But it was Derby who should have gone into the break with the lead with two late chances that only needed a touch to be converted.
Nathaniel Clyne was robbed inside his own half and the ball was fed to Gary Teale. The midfielder took the ball down the flank and played a delicious ball right across the Palace six yard box, but Hulse couldn't get their in time and it ran to safety.
Then, shortly before the half time whistle, on the other flank, the ball was again fed into the six yard box after Nick Carle had surrendered possession in a dangerous position, but McCarthy managed to get back and clear.
Derby started the half the brighter of the two sides and it was their danger man, Kris Commons, who came close on two occasions ten minutes into the second period.
His first was a decent effort from 20 yards out when he was afforded the time and space to force Speroni into a decent save.
And then he came close from an almost exact same position a minute later. Lurking on the edge of the box in a central position, the ball was headed clear to him and he hit a first time effort that caused Speroni a few more problems as he again pushed it wide.
From the resulting corner Rob Hulse had thought he scored when he managed to get clear of his marker and crash a header across the underside of the bar.
Palace's afternoon then took a turn for the worse when Moses was harshly sent back to the dressing room, but it was not to matter as Kuqi popped up three minutes later to give his side the lead.
A thumping header from Clint Hill just inside the Derby box was allowed to run right through the Derby backline and into the path of Kuqi, who raced onto it and expertly lobbed an on rushing Stephen Bywater.
Commons continued his one man battle with Julian Speroni when he quickly turned and shot from the edge of the area, but the Palace keeper again came out on top with a smart save down to his right.
Man of the match Kuqi showed his hunger for more goals when, on 78, he was forced to go it alone. By himself with the ball deep in the Derby's box and with two defenders quickly on him, he pushed his way through and aimed a decent drive on the angle and forced Bywater into a save.
Stokes came closest for Palace in their search for a second when he benefited from a quick James Comley break to cut in from the left and curl a measured effort to the far post that ran agonisingly wide.
But it will be Rob Hulse who will be wondering for sometime how he managed to miss Derby's best chance of the game. A deep ball in from Barry Bannan found Hulse all alone inside the six yard box and with only Speroni to beat he managed to blast his first time effort over the bar.
Att:14,736 (999)
At a glance: Anthony Stokes is brought back into the starting eleven as well as Johnny Ertl, while James Comley drops to the bench after starting against Southampton.
Teams:
Crystal Palace - 1. Julian Speroni, 2. Matt Lawrence, 3. Clint Hill (c), 5. Paddy McCarthy, 10. Nick Carle, 11. Victor Moses, 22. Johannes Ertl, 28. Rui Fonte (42. James Comley, ), 32. Shefki Kuqi, 33. Anthony Stokes, 43. Nathaniel Clyne
Subs: 6. Jose Fonte, 8. James Scowcroft, 15. Lee Hills, 44. Kieron Cadogan
Derby County - 13. Stephen Bywater, 2. Paul Connolly (c), 7. Kris Commons (33. Barry Bannan, 85), 8. Robbie Savage, 11. Rob Hulse, 16. Mile Sterjovski (10. Emmanuel Villa, ), 19. Lewin Nyatanga, 22. Andy Todd, 23. Gary Teale, 27. Stephen Pearson (30. John Eustace, 72), 28. Martin Albrechtsen
Subs: 12. Lewis Price, 35. Jason Beardsley
