MATCH STATS CRYSTAL PALACE: Speroni, Butterfield, Lawrence, Hudson, Hill, Scannell, Watson, Derry, Soares, Scowcroft, Morrison Subs: Fonte (for Butterfield, 32), Fletcher (for Watson, 69), Freedman (for Scannell, 85), Hills, Hall NORWICH CITY: Marshall, Otsemobor, Shackell, Doherty, Camara, Croft, Fotheringham, Russell, Pattison, Dublin, Cureton Subs: Evans (for Cureton, 77), Huckerby (for Croft, 78), Arnold, Brown, Lappin SCORERS: Norwich: Russell (9) Palace: Morrison (50) TOP CANARY: EDP: Dion Dublin ATTENDANCE: 17,199 REFEREE: Mike Thorpe (Suffolk) ADDED TIME: First half: 2 mins Second half: 4 mins YELLOW CARDS: Palace: Hill (foul on Evans, 90) Norwich: Shackell (foul on Scannell, 20), Fotheringham (time wasting, 90) RED CARDS: None SHOTS ON TARGET: Palace 4, Norwich 7 SHOTS OFF TARGET: Palace 7, Norwich 4 CORNERS: Palace 9, Norwich 8 FOULS:  Palace 12, Norwich 15 OFFSIDES:  Palace 1, Norwich 2

Tuesday, January 1, 2008
DAVID CUFFLEY

Regulars at Selhurst Park know only too well that the home team takes the field to the thundering beat of “Glad All Over”.

The Dave Clark Five chart-topper from the 1960s was adopted as a club anthem when Crystal Palace reached the FA Cup final in Steve Coppell's days as manager, and has retained its popularity whatever the fortunes of the South London club.

But go back just a few weeks and, for Norwich City's travelling fans, it was more a case of being glad it's all over each time they ventured out of Norfolk.

Painful trips to Wolves, Queen's Park Rangers and Plymouth were merely the most embarrassing in a run of seven successive away defeats in the Coca-Cola Championship, a depressing sequence that raised fears of City dropping into the third tier of English football for the first time in nearly half a century.

Another of the band's big hits summed up the mood of the players as later described by manager Glenn Roeder after he took over. They were in “Bits and Pieces”.

But the transformation that has taken place over the past two months is best illustrated by the fact that the Canaries were disappointed to take just a point from their New Year's Day game, and this against a Palace team unbeaten in their previous 12 games under new manager Neil Warnock.

Roeder made three changes to his starting line-up after the 1-1 draw at home to Wolves on Saturday and in each case the performance justified the switch.

Darel Russell celebrates after scoring for the second time in three matches.

Skipper Mark Fotheringham gave City a little more composure in midfield, veteran Dion Dublin was influential at both ends of the pitch and winger Lee Croft, restored to the starting line-up in the wide right role previously filled by on-loan Jimmy Smith - with Darren Huckerby left on the bench - was at his liveliest.

There was a bright opening to the contest at both ends.

Palace striker Clinton Morrison brought 'keeper David Marshall into action after just 90 seconds and sent another effort over the top following a touch from James Scowcroft, but City made a promising start of their own.

Croft sped past full-back Clint Hill to test 'keeper Julian Speroni with a shot from a tight angle in only the third minute, and by the ninth minute the Canaries were ahead.

Dublin nodded on Jon Otsemobor's throw-in to Jamie Cureton, took a return pass and squared the ball across the six-yard box for one of the simplest goals Darel Russell will ever score.

City players congratulate Darel Russell after his ninth-minute goal gave City the lead.

A flowing move three minutes later almost stretched their advantage as Cureton flicked Mark Fotheringham's pass on to Croft and his centre was met with a powerful Dublin header, but Speroni was right behind it.

It took Palace until the 26th minute to threaten again when Danny Butterfield clipped the foot of the post with a low drive, but the full-back appeared to suffer a groin strain in the process and had to be replaced soon afterwards.

Cureton twice tried to extend City's lead, first with a header from another Croft centre, then with a shot from a narrow angle straight from Marshall's goal-kick, but each time Speroni was equal to the task.

Half-time: Crystal Palace 0, Norwich City 1

The Canaries were well worth their interval lead, however, and the home 'keeper did even better in the opening minute of the second half when he leapt to tip another Cureton header over the top after more excellent work by Croft.

The value of that save was underlined five minutes after the break when Palace took advantage of a rare moment of indecision in the City rearguard to draw level.

Clinton Morrison glances his header past David Marshall to equalise for Crystal Palace.

Gary Doherty was penalised for a shove, Ben Watson floated the free-kick towards the penalty spot and the unchallenged Morrison judged his glancing header to perfection to give Marshall no chance.

The goal roused the Eagles and stirred the home crowd, but apart from one Tom Soares shot that took a deflection over the top on the hour, City were not unduly troubled.

Marshall saved Scowcroft's header from a Hill cross as the minutes ticked away but it was the Canaries' double substitution that almost delivered a winner three minutes from time as Huckerby and Matty Pattison combined to set up Ched Evans for a low drive that fizzed just past the post.

Marshall was called on once more to save from substitute Carl Fletcher in the final minute and guarantee City their fourth 1-1 draw in five matches.

With Roeder's men still 20th in the table and just four points clear of bottom club Preston, the spectre of League One football has not been totally banished, but the team that almost ended Palace's unbeaten run looks anything but relegation material.

Result: Crystal Palace 1, Norwich City 1