Palace pay the penalty

A 90th minute penalty helped struggling Derby County snatch all three points at Pride Park on Saturday to all but end Crystal Palace's faint hopes of automatic promotion.

Referee Alan Wiley incurred the wrath of Palace boss Iain Dowie when he awarded a soft spot kick after adjudging Eagles centre back Darren Ward had tripped Kevin Lisbie inside the box.

Inigo Idiakez initially saw his spot kick saved by the excellent Gabor Kiraly but the Spanish striker was alert enough to tuck the rebound home to seal victory for Derby.

Dowie said: "I don't want to talk about him Wiley but what he did out there has made it impossible.

"He wants to be the centre of attention and he's spoiled a very good game right at the death.

"I didn't think it was a penalty, no way. We've had two at the other end that haven't been given when the goalkeeper clatters into Andrew Johnson and I suspect there was a handball on the line at the start of the second half.

"But I'm not saying any more about it, I don't want to give him the satisfaction of the attention."

Palace had derservedly taken an 18th minute lead in what would turn out to be a pulsating encounter.

Clinton Morrison bundled home from close range after calamity keeper Lee Camp failed to hold a fierce Andrew Johnson strike, fumbling the ball into the path of the Irish hitman to bag the opening goal.

The Rams levelelled just 10 minutes later after Idiakez cut in from the right and unleashed a curling 25-yard effort that flew past the outstretched arm of Kiraly and into the top left hand corner of the Palace goal.

Both teams then had excellent opportunities to take the lead. First Derby through Idiakez who saw his free-kick on the edge of the area superbly saved by Kiraly in the 29th minute.

Moments later Palace form man Jobi McAnuff crashed a 20-yard dipping volley on to the underside of the Rams crossbar that flew to the prone Lee Camp only to roll to safety.

After the break, Palace came out fighting. Straight from kick-off McAnuff stole down the right to play Ben Watson in. Somehow Camp kept Watson out and when the Palace midfielder got a second bite of the cherry it was cleared off the line.

Sixty minutes in, Palace felt they should have had a penalty when Camp pole-axed Johnson in the box only for McAnuff to fire over the crossbar with the goal unguarded.

But it was Derby who ended the game strongest with Kiraly saving one-on-one efforts from Idiakez and Lisbie.

PALACE STAR MAN: Gabor Kiraly. Although Palace were creative in midfield and upfront, the giant Hungarian stole the show with some class saves. Very unlucky not to save last-minute penaly kick.PALACE: Kiraly 9, Ward 6, Boyce 6, Fitz Hall 6, Leigertwood 7, McAnuff 7 (Soares 90 5), Hughes 7, Watson 7, Riihilahti 7 (Reich 77 6), Morrison 8 (Freedman 89 5), Johnson 8