Fitz Hall has admitted that the Eagles' promotion chances will suffer if the club fails to overcome their away day hoodoo.

Saturday's defeat at Cardiff means the Eagles have now gone 11 months without a win on their travels, the last being a 1-0 win at Birmingham in October 2004.

Hall admits that the Eagles need to eradicate the problem fast if his side are to become serious promotion contenders.

Hall said: "Our away form is very disappointing. We need to start winning away from home if we want to climb up the table. It isn't any good just winning home matches."

The 1-0 defeat capped a miserable week for the Eagles, following last Tuesday's loss at Reading and injuries to strikers Andrew Johnson and Jon Macken. Contrast that to one week ago, when the Eagles were on the back of their fourth straight win and fourth straight clean sheet.

With games against Preston North End, Sheffield Wednesday and Queens Park Rangers, Coventry City and Brighton Hove Albion coming up in the next few weeks, Hall feels the club can put together a bit of form and kick-start their faltering season.

He said: "You are going to have knock-backs all through the season. This will not be our last. We just have to keep picking ourselves up."

Injuries are now starting to take their toll on the Palace side, with Danny Granville, Dougie Freedman, Mikele Leigertwood, Emmerson Boyce and Jobi McAnuff all spending time on the treatment table in recent weeks, as well as Johnson and Macken.

But with a 46-game league campaign, Hall admits injuries are to be expected and is confident the Eagles squad has enough strength in depth to deal with the missing numbers and get through this current rut.

He added: "With the amount of games, there are going to be loads of people missing. I doubt anyone will play the whole season. We just have to cope with that and I feel we have the depth in the squad to do that."