Without wishing to tempt fate, this victory at the Britannia Stadium in front of the Sky cameras should have cemented Palace's place in the top six.A healthy gap has now opened up between Iain Dowie's men and the chasing pack, and barring a calamity they should be contesting May's play-offs at worst.

The evening's first opening was carved out by Stoke left-back Marlon Broomes, whose cross was met by the head of striker Mamady Sidibe. On a bitterly cold night in Staffordshire, Gabor Kiraly would have been grateful for the exercise, though in truth the save was regulation.

At the other end Jobi McAnuff, playing wide on the left, was presented with Palace's first opportunity, but the former Cardiff man's radar was awry and he found only the side netting.

After 10 minutes Palace appealed for a penalty when the recalled Aki Riihilahti appeared to be hauled down in the box, but referee Tony Leake waved play on.

Five minutes later the Eagles' Finnish midfielder was again involved in the action when he met McAnuff's scuffed cross-shot, but the ball skewed off his right boot and behind for a goal-kick.

After quarter of an hour the deadlock was almost broken by the most unlikely of sources when Michael Duberry pounced on Broomes' knock down, but the centre half's shot betrayed his status as a defender as it sailed harmlessly over Kiraly's bar.

Three minutes later Hill himself went a great deal closer when he fired in a shot from fully 25 yards, but Kiraly was equal to the task - acrobatically so. From the resulting corner the Hungarian keeper was required to make a more routine stop from Russell's low drive.

As the end to end nature of the contest continued McAnuff was presented with arguably the game's clearest chance, but Steve Simonsen in the Stoke goal stooped admirably to repel the winger's volley.

Two free-kicks then came and went in short succession, as first Hughes and then Gallagher failed to trouble Simonsen and Kiraly respectively.

After 30 minutes the deadlock was broken, as Boyce's marauding run down the right culminated in McAnuff prodding the ball home at the far post to give the visitors the lead.

Five minutes later they nearly doubled their advantage when Johnson, being roundly booed by the Stoke faithful for a perceived dive, picked out Riihilahti with a precise centre, only for the Finn to head wastefully over. Five minutes before the break Palace were nearly made to pay for their profligacy when Gallagher fired in a free-kick which Kiraly did well to save.

The second-half began in spectacular fashion with two goals in as many minutes. Josip Skoko's headed equaliser was followed almost immediately by McAnuff's second of the night.

Like the first - which may have been credited as a Sidibe own goal - there was more than an element of luck about the strike, which took a wicked deflection en route to goal.

Johnson then had the chance to extend Palace's lead, but his lob was slightly overhit then at the other end a fine double save by Kiraly - first from Bangoura and then from Russell - kept the visitors' lead intact.

Twelve minutes into a frantic second period Johnson grabbed the goal his endeavour had merited when he rushed onto McAnuff's through ball to plant his shot firmly beneath Simonsen's body.

Game, set and - one would hope - match.

As the half progressed Stoke's attempts to find a way back into the game became increasingly desperate, as a series of long range pot shots failed to trouble Kiraly. The closest they came to a consolation was when Skoko fired in a dipping free-kick which was well saved by the Hungarian.

That scare apart, the Eagles looked fairly comfortable as they registered their second double of the season, following the home and away wins over QPR.

PALACE (4-4-2): Kiraly; Boyce, Ward, Hall, Borrowdale; McAnuff (Soares 85), Watson (Leigertwood 83), Riihilahti, Hughes; Morrison, Johnson.
Subs not used: Freedman, Reich, Speroni.
Scorers: Sidibe (og), McAnuff, Johnson.

STOKE (4-3-3): Simonsen; Hoefkens (Buxton 24), Hill, Duberry, Broomes; Brammer, Skoko, Russell; Sidibe, Gallagher (Sigurdsson 71), Bangoura.
Subs not used: De Goey, Junior, Kopteff.
Scorers: Skoko.
Booked: Broomes

Referee: Tony Leake
Attendance: 10,121.