Peter Taylor continued the Championship campaign after the international break at Carrow Road by giving their first starts in Palace colours to Paul Dickov and Besian Idrizaj.

Both sides have had identical starts to the season but Palace go into the match looking to put behind them the recent three match league run without a win.

Their first opportunity came after just three minutes when Stuart Green was knocked off the ball by Gary Doherty and from the resulting free kick on the edge of the box goalkeeper David Marshall gathered at the second attempt after he couldn't hold the well taken set piece.

The best chance in the opening stages for the home side came from Jamie Cureton who took advantage of a fine run down the right by Jon Otsemobor,after the defender had combined well with Luke Chadwick, The striker put the ball just inches wide.
Green was involved in another chance on 23 minutes when his cross was headed back across goal by James Scowcroft but Dickov was just not able to get a touch on the ball as it run across the face of goal.

The winger also received the first caution of the afternoon when referee Lee Probert showed him yellow for a foul on Darren Huckerby on 38 minutes.

Five minutes before the break Julian Speroni watched carefully as an attempted lob by Simon Lappin went onto the top of the net and then another good break by Otsemobor whose pass into the box set uo Darel Russell whose shot struck the crossbar.

The remaining minutes of the opening period saw James Scowcroft receive Palace's second booking of the afternoon but both sides went in without being able to break the deadlock.

The home side had the best chance of the opening exchanges in the second half when the ball fell to Chris Brown on 50 minutes in front of goal but his effort ended up in the stand behind the goal whilst he would have been disappointed not to have the got the effort on target.
Peter Grant's side continued to press with Doherty heading wide and a shot by Cureton headed out for a corner by defender Tony Craig.

Taylor made his first change from the bench on the hour as he introduced Dougie Freedman for Idrizaj whilst at the same time David Strihavka replaced Brown for the Canaries.
Dickov picked up a caution on his debut just a minute before he was replaced by Clinton Morrison still looking for his 100th goal in Palace colours.

Freedman showed he speed and skill to beat his marker on 73 minutes but his curling effort, after the referee played the advantage for him, went just wide of Marshall's goal.

As the game went into the final fifteen minutes the breakthrough finally came as Lappin's corner was headed home by substitute Strihavka, after a flick on by Dion Dublin, as he rose above the defence to head past Speroni.
Four minutes later the lead was nearly increased as Cureton saw his shot go into the side netting as the home side pressed for their second league win of the season.

The final change was made as Jeff Hughes came on for Green with six minutes remaining.

The fourth official added four minutes onto normal time as the visitors pushed for an equaliser with Leon Cort being pushed up field to see if the extra man in attack could help Palace take a share of the spoils.
Palace were not able to create any further opportunities in that added time as that 73rd minute goal means Palace lose their last three by the odd goal.

Teams:

Norwich Marshall, Otsemobor, Dublin, Doherty, Drury, Chadwick (Croft 75), Lappin, Russell, Huckerby (Brellier 78), Cureton, Brown (Strihavka 62).

Subs Not Used: Gilks, Murray.

Goals: Strihavka 75.

Crystal Palace Speroni, Butterfield, Hudson, Cort, Craig,Soares, Fletcher, Green (Hughes 84), Scowcroft,Idrizaj (Freedman 61), Dickov (Morrison 70).

Subs Not Used: Flinders, Fonte.

Booked: Green, Scowcroft, Dickov.

Att: 24,228  Ref: Lee Probert (Wiltshire).