Crystal Palace vs Stoke City. Premier League.
Selhurst ParkAttendance23,990.
Saturday 7 May 2016 18:24, UK
Crystal Palace secured their Premier League status for next season with a 2-1 victory over Stoke at Selhurst Park on Saturday.
Two second-half strikes from Dwight Gayle helped the Eagles come from behind against Mark Hughes' men, who have now lost four of their last five league games.
Palace dominated possession in the game's early stages but fell behind to a well-worked Charlie Adam strike midway through the first half.
Gayle, in for injured club captain Mile Jedinak, levelled the scores with a simple finish shortly after half-time.
The former Peterborough striker then grabbed his second with a well-struck free-kick after Connor Wickham had been brought down by Ryan Shawcross.
The home side began the game brightly and went close to an opener inside two minutes when Yohan Cabaye fired a deflected free-kick narrowly wide of Jakob Haugaard's right-hand post.
Palace then had a penalty appeal turned down by referee Kevin Friend after Gayle was bundled over, although contact appeared to occur outside the box.
Palace manager Alan Pardew's side were enjoying long spells of possession in the sunshine at Selhurst but were unable to fashion any clear-cut chances, with Jason Puncheon and Joel Ward both guilty of wasting shots in and around the Stoke box.
The Potters began to grow into the game and should have taken the lead through Xherdan Shaqiri. The Switzerland international was played through on goal by Marko Arnautovic, only to fire straight at Hennessey.
However, the visitors didn't have to wait long for an opening goal. After winning the ball in midfield, Giannelli Imbula fed Arnautovic, who in turn played in Adam with a perfectly weighted through-ball.
The former Liverpool and Blackpool midfielder, starting just his second game of the season, fired a low shot past Hennessey into the bottom right corner.
Palace were stung into action and had another penalty shout dismissed when Gayle went down in the box under pressure shortly before half-time.
Pardew would have been concerned with his side's first half performance, along with an injury to Cabaye that forced the France midfielder off at half-time.
Palace had been limited to a number of speculative efforts in the first period but took just one minute to equalise in the second.
Yannick Bolasie received the ball inside the opposition's half and managed to weave his way past two defenders before appearing to be tripped in the area.
Friend allowed play to continue after the ball fell to Gayle, who made no mistake with a simple finish past Haugaard.
Puncheon then fired over from close range, shortly before Wickham hit the post with a header, as Palace threatened to cut loose.
A second home goal seemed inevitable and duly arrived from the boot of Gayle, who curled a superb 25 yard free-kick into Haugaard's top corner to put the hosts deservedly ahead with 20 minutes remaining.
Hughes responded by introducing Stephen Ireland and Jonathon Walters and the double change appeared to work almost immediately when Peter Crouch went close with a header from inside the six-yard box.
Walters then scuffed a shot from a promising area whilst Arnautovic shot over the bar with an open goal gaping as Stoke pushed for an equaliser in the closing stages of the match.
However, Palace were able to hold on to a vital win which quelled any lingering concerns surrounding the club's Premier League survival this season.
Player ratings
Crystal Palace: Hennessey (6), Ward (7), Dann (7), Delaney (7), Souare (7), Puncheon (7), McArthur (7), Cabaye (6), Bolasie (7), Gayle (8), Wickham (6).
Subs used: Mutch (6), Sako (5), Ledley (5).
Stoke City: Haugaard (5), Bardsley (5), Shawcross (5), Cameron (6), Pieters (6), Whelan (5), Imbula (7), Shaqiri (6), Adam (7), Arnautovic (6), Crouch (5).
Subs used: Ireland (5), Walters (6), Bojan (5).
Man of the match: Dwight Gayle.
