UNFORTUNATE was a word used a lot by Peter Taylor to describe the outcome of a close run south London derby.

The Palace manager felt his team didn't deserve to lose and only an error by keeper Julian Speroni cost them the game.

The goal came in the 74th minute when Charlton substitute Svetoslav Todorov capitalised on a mix up in the Palace defence, lobbing the ball over a stranded Speroni before tapping into an empty net.

Taylor said: "The goalkeeper shouted for the ball and the centre half left it.

"If a keeper leaves his line shouting keeper's, he has got to come and get it, he has got to claim it. That's the old rule."

He added: "If Todorov was to go and beat 300 people and put it in the top left hand corner I can live with that, but not on a goal which has come from a long kick.

"That is a very disappointing goal and I don't expect us to concede like that."

But Taylor was forgiving of his keeper's mistake and praised Speroni and the team.

He said: "Unfortunately it is hard for Jules to accept that, but he is big enough to accept that and I am sure he will bounce back.

"People make mistakes and people bounce back from them and that is what we have got to do.

"Julian has been excellent at the end of last season and the start of this season. He has been excellent, safe as houses, but today unfortunately there was an error."

He added: "I don't think we deserved to lose because everyone gave it their best.

"I think there were some good performances from the players and I think we didn't deserve to lose.

"It was a tough local derby. We were playing against a team which was in the Premier League last year, so that's not easy.

"I don't think it was ever going to be a real open game.

"The game looked like a draw but I think we had three sensible chances and I'm not so sure they had more than Iwelumo's shot which hit the crossbar."