New signing Darren Ambrose came to Palace's rescue as Torquay threatened to cause an upset at Selhurst Park in the Carling Cup First Round.

The midfielder had given Palace the lead on 64 minutes when he calmly converted Neil Danns' cross from 10 yards after Danns had done brilliantly down the left to escape his marker and play in an inch perfect cross.

But as mentioned Torquay had Palace fans in stunned silence when Tim Sills superbly headed past Julian Speroni from an outswinging cross.

Amrbose though came to the Eagles' rescue when he managed to hold his nerve to slot the ball past Scott Bevan in the Torquay goal after Alassane N'Diaye had been hauled to the ground by Chris Robertson.

In truth Palace should have won the game three times over in the first half after creating a host of chances that were not converted.

Victor Moses was the stand out player for the home side, bamboozling the Gulls defenders with his feet and trickery and more often than not scythed down for his efforts.

Only three minutes into the game Moses displayed his obvious hunger to get forward and shoot when his strike from 25 yards was deflected off for a corner.

Two minutes later he had an effort comfortably saved again from 25 yards, while he came even closer on the quarter-of-an-hour mark when he controlled the ball with his chest and volleyed just over from 20 yards,

The two new faces in the side, Alan Lee and Ambrose, had chances themselves to give Palace the lead.

Lee did extremely well to back into his marker inside the box, turn and shoot but the ball smashed into the turf, taking the sting out of it and the keeper saved comfortably.

Ambrose though came close through a series of his spectacular efforts. His first was a strike from 30 yards after carrying the ball from within his own half that the keeper saved well down to his left.

While his next two free kicks both deflected past the post for corners.

But it was Danns who came closest for Palace when he was set free down on the left hand side, cut into the box and onto his right foot before smashing a superb effort past Bevan and off the top side of the cross bar.  

Moses continued where he left off in the first by aiming a shot at Bevan's goal a minute into the second period, but the strike was too straight and the Gulls keeper took it comfortably.

Torquay failed to register one chance in the first half, but almost took the lead with their first chance when Scott Rendell's free header was cleared off the line by Danny Butterfield.

The Palace full back didn't know too much about it when it cannoned off his legs as Rendell tried to direct it to the far corner. 

Danns, who had the first half's best chance, then had the best of the second so far when he was picked out quite brilliantly by Moses, but his sidefooted effort flew wide.

In the end Palace's quality proved the difference when they took the lead just after the hour mark . Danns chased down a deep cross to the left flank and was closely monitored by the Torquay full back.

But Danns turned on a sixpence to get away from him before clipping in a pin-point cross for Ambrose, who was unmarked six yards out, to head past Bevan.

The away side provided a welcome reminder that they were not to be underestimated when Robertson headed over from a corner and the Tim Sills forced Speroni into a save.

And it was Sills who had Palace heads in the hands on 74 minutes when he stole a yard on Jose Fonte to power a header past Speroni.

However, two minutes later the Eagles regained the lead when N'Diaye was pulled to the ground inside the box by Robertson and Ambrose converted the resulting spot kick.

Torquay pushed men forward in the later stages but to no avail and Palace saw the game out to progress to the next round.

Full highlights of tonight's victory will be on Palace Player later this week, while we will bring you the Neil Warnock post-match press conference tonight, so stay with cpfc.co.uk for that.

The Carling Cup second round draw will be be made later this week and we will bring you the Palace draw as soon as it happens.

Attendance: 3,140

There are four changes from Saturday's 1-1 draw with Plymouth Argyle. Danny Butterfield is brought in to replace Nathaniel Clyne, Jose Fonte replaces Matt Lawrence, Darren Ambrose in for Freddie Sears and Alan Lee takes up Stern John's role.

Crystal Palace: 1. Julian Speroni, 3. Clint Hill, 4. Shaun Derry (capt), 5. Patrick McCarthy, 6. Jose Fonte, 7. Darren Ambrose, 8. Neil Danns, 11. Victor Moses (14. Sean Scannell, 73), 19. Alan Lee (21. Kieran Djilali, 63), 20. Danny Butterfield, 33. Alassane N'Diaye

Subs: 2. Nathaniel Clyne, 12. Darryl Flahavan, 17. Matt Lawrence, 22. Johnny Ertl, 26. Kieron Cadogan

Torquay United: 1. Scott Bevan, 3. Kevin Nicholson, 5. Chris Robertson, 6. Chris Todd, 8. Tim Sill (capt), 10. Scott Rendell (9. Elliott Benyon, 70), 11. Nicky Wroe, 12. Tyrone Thompson (2. Michael Brough, 90), 15. Wayne Carlisle, 19. Danny Stevens (18. Mustapha Carayol, 70), 23. Kieran Charnock

Subs:4. Mark Ellis, 13. Martin Rice, 16. Lee Hodges, 20. Bon Joyce