After a mixed first half of the campaign, Palace had begun to creep up the table under Iain Dowie, and suddenly there were whispers of a play-off spot.
With two games to go, they still needed two wins to guarantee a shot at returning to the top-flight, and Walsall were the first to stand in their way.
At Selhurst Park, the game laboured on with no sign of reward, until – with just two minutes remaining – the referee pointed to the spot. Andrew Johnson stepped up and smashed goalwards, but Jimmy Walker made the save, only for Johnson to tap home the rebound.
Results elsewhere meant Palace had moved into the play-off spots and into fifth place, where a draw in the final game of the season at Coventry would guarantee their place.
The Eagles would beat Sunderland in a dramatic semi-final, before edging past West Ham United at the Millennium Stadium to reclaim their place in the Premier League.