Palace picked up another three points to break the 50 point barrier at Selhurst Park, with skipper Carl Fletcher's goal and a late penalty from Ben Watson enough to see off the challenge of Leicester City.

It was game in which the Eagles could have won by more than two goals, with Palace enjoying the better of the possession and chances throughout but ultimately proving wasteful in front of goal to leave an un-necessarily nervy ending to the game before Watson's spot kick.

The result means Peter Taylor's team are now four games unbeaten, as they cling to the hope of challenging for a top six spot at the end of the season and with nine games remaining, anything is possible.

Palace made changes to the team again, with Watson restored to the starting line up following his impressive cameo as a substitute at Burnley the previous week whilst both Clinton Morrison and Gary Borrowdale were passed fit to play.

Morrison almost picked up where he left off after just 10 minutes, when Ben Watson's quickly taken free kick found him in the box. He turned a shot in, but Patrick Kisnorbo managed to block his effort.

A Borrowdale cross then picked out Morrison in the box and he rose highest to win a header but he glanced the ball just wide of the target.

Palace took a deserved lead after 13 minutes, when Tom Soares was left in space on the right wing. He hit the by-line and pulled a low cross back into the area for Fletcher, who struck a low shot into the bottom corner from around 12 yards.

Dougie Freedman was then inches away from adding a second, when his left footer went narrowly wide of the post following a jinking run through the middle.

Morrison missed a gilt-edged chance when a flowing Palace move saw Fletcher played in down the right channel. He delivered a perfect cross to the far post but Morrison could only prod his shot wide of the target in the 38th minute but the Eagles had done enough to go in at the break with the advantage.

Shortly after the re-start, Morrison was again agonisingly close to netting when Soares' pacy cross from the right flew across the area but was just in front of both the Irishman and James Scowcroft.

At the other end, City's first real effort on goal finally arrived but Richard Stearman directed his header wide of the target from Levi Porter's corner.

Palace needed to find a second goal to show for their superiority and Morrison's neat flick just inside the area set up Freedman for a shot but with Gareth McAuley quick to close him down, his shot went over the bar.

The Foxes really should have been level after 71 minutes, when McAuley climbed highest in the area to head goalwards from Porter's cross. It looked to be troubling Gabor Kiraly, but substitute Elvis Hammond looked to flick it home and only succeeded in turning it over the bar, much to the relief of the Palace defence.

Palace were almost made to pay as full time approached, when Jason Jarrett struck a low shot at goal which forced Kiraly into a full stretch save to keep his clean sheet in tact.

The three points were secured in the last minute though, when Soares' cross into the box caused confusion and a handball from Mark Yeates for the referee to award Palace their first penalty of the season. Watson stepped up to send Paul Henderson the wrong way and net his first goal of the campaign in the process to complete a deserved win.

Palace: Kiraly, Lawrence, Hudson, Cort, Scowcroft, Freedman (Hughes, 73) Morrison (Grabban, 77) Watson, Borrowdale, Soares, Fletcher (c). Subs not used: Speroni, Butterfield, Martin.

Leicester: Henderson, Kisnorbo (c), Hughes, Hume, Horsfield (Hammond, 63) Johnson (Yeates, 70) McAuley, Johansson (Kenton, 90) Stearman, Jarrett, Porter. Subs not used: Logan, Tiatto.

Bookings: Iain Hume (68 minutes)

Sending offs: N/A