Dougie Freedman take a tumble. Photo: Action Images.

Crystal Palace fell to a second straight home defeat at Selhurst Park as a goal in each half helped West Bromwich Albion to a 2-0 win in the Championship.

The Eagles were unfortunate to go in at the break a goal down following a Zoltan Gera strike in added time and the points were all but sealed for the Baggies early in the second half as they scored a clincher through Diomansy Kamara.

It just wasn't Palace's night though, with all of the hard work and endeavour showing for nothing in the end in what was a frustrating evening for the Eagles.

Albion, in fairness, looked an accomplished side and strong throughout but Palace will be disapppointed not to have tested them more.

Gabor Kiraly was forced into a fine save in the early stages, when his Hungarian compatriot Gera hit an audacious dipping shot from 30 yards. Kiraly was alert enough to scamper back and tip the ball over the bar though, with the effort looking goalbound.

Whilst Palace were stringing passes together and enjoying plenty of possession, chances were proving hard to come by but James Scowcroft came close to connecting with Mark Kennedy's pacy cross in the 25th minute, only for Albion defender Chris Perry to get a crucial flick beyond him.

Palace had Kiraly to thank again in the 27th minute, when he got a hand to Curtis Davies' looping header to turn the ball over the bar. From the resulting corner, it was Ben Watson who cleared off the line after Kamara met Darren Carter's cross with a powerful header.

Another Carter corner caused problems for Palace soon after, but Paul Robinson guided his header over the bar after evading his marker well.

Leon Cort had a decent opportunity for the Eagles on the half hour mark, when Kennedy played a free kick into the area. He looked in two minds whether to head or volley the ball and ended up opting for the latter, but could only shoot wide from close range.

Tom Soares, playing in an advanced central midfield role, then curled in a shot from the edge of the area after receiving the ball from Gary Borrowdale but his ambitious effort went high and wide of the target.

A dubiously awarded corner then saw Robinson miss another decent headed chance, when Carter picked him out with his flag kick in the 39th minute.

With half time approaching, a Watson centre was glanced across goal by Scowcroft but fortunately for Albion keeper Pascal Zuberbuhler, it went narrowly wide of the target.

With the first half in added time though, Albion edged ahead when the ball was worked out to Nathan Ellington in acres of space on the right. He played an inviting low cross into the area, where Gera arrived late to bundle the ball home from close range.

Peter Taylor made a change at the break, with Dougie Freedman replacing Mark Hudson and moving Watson to right-back as the Eagles looked to get back in the game.

It wasn't to have the desired effect though as within three minutes of the re-start, Palace were caught out by a Jason Koumas slide-rule pass and Kamara broke clear of the defence to smash home a second.

Palace tried to battle back and when Soares dug out a cross from the right, it was met by Shefki Kuqi at the far post but his header was saved by Zuberbuhler.

Watson then whipped in a low cross for Freedman, but again Zuberbuhler was well placed to make the save and keep the Eagles at bay before Cort saw another attempt go wide, after he bustled his way across the area to reach Kennedy's corner to win a firm header only to direct it off target.

A quickly taken free kick saw Freedman played in down the right channel of the box, but his inviting centre was missed by a posse of players and drifted across goal to no-one.

Palace were enjoying their best spell of the game by now and Carl Fletcher then saw a fierce shot bravely blocked on the edge of the area after the ball was only half cleared by the Albion defence.

With Clinton Morrison and Stuart Green added as further substitutes, Palace were looking for a way back into the game but Albion were content to sit on their lead with Davies and Chris Perry looking particularly assured in front of Zuberbuhler at the back.

Morrison did have the ball in the net after 79 minutes, but the whistle had already been blown for a foul in the build-up as Palace continued to press.

With time running out, Palace hit a post through Scowcroft's shot but it didn't rebound in favour of Morrison and Albion were allowed to clear. Three minutes of injury time were added, but Palace couldn't find a way back and had to suffer another defeat.

Palace: Kiraly, Ward, Hudson (Freedman, 45) Borrowdale, Cort, Scowcroft, Watson, Kennedy, Soares, Fletcher (Green, 68) Kuqi (Morrison, 68) Subs not used: Speroni, Granville.

West Bromwich Albion: Zuberbuhler, Robinson, Perry, Davies, Greening, Ellington (Quashie, 73) Gera, Albrechtsen, Kamara, Carter, Koumas. Subs not used: Watson, Hartson, Steele, McShane.

Bookings: Mark Hudson (18 minutes), James Scowcroft (23 minutes).