THE play-offs could now be beyond Crystal Palace’s reach, according to boss Dougie Freedman after his side were held to a 0-0 draw at home by promotion-chasing Hull.

It was a game which typified Palace’s season so far as they competed well against strong opposition but ultimately toiled in the final third.

Freedman, though, was nevertheless pleased with his side’s performance.

He said: “You can see why Hull are in the top six, they’ve got great energy and can hit you on the break but we coped with them and showed them what we are about in the second half where we pinned them back and I think we were unfortunate not to get the win.

“We had a game plan and it nearly worked. We had a few crosses and nearly got in there with one or two near misses but it was always going to be a tight game.

“I really am very pleased to come up against a team like Hull and not only stand up to them but I felt we pinned them right back and were unfortunate.”

The result was the Eagles’ seventh draw in nine games, a run of results that has left the SE25 outfit nine points adrift of the top six.

That is a deficit the manager believes may be too much to overcome for a club which has been more used to fighting for their survival over the past couple of seasons.

Freedman explained: “I’ve always said that it would be a huge ask to come from fighting relegation for two years to then get into the play-offs.

“I just think it is too much to ask from the club and the team.

“I think you can see the progress we’ve made both on and off the field and that is the way I’d like it to go.

“If that means that we have to wait one or two years until it is the right time, then I can accept that.

“We are trying to grow a team here and that is going to take time but we believe we’re making big strides in matching these big teams like West Ham, Middlesbrough and Hull and anyone in the top six but to get in there right now might be too far.”

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