Crystal Palace 4-2 Bristol City

CRYSTAL Palace put the disappointment of last week's defeat at Cardiff behind them to produce one of their best displays of the season with an impressive win over Bristol City.

Facing City for the first time since the play-off defeat at the end of last season, the Eagles fielded an attacking line up, with Nick Carle - in for the ill Shaun Derry - starting against his former side.

Palace got off to a good start and had a goal ruled out after eight minutes.

Ben Watson's corner was bundled in, only for referee Grant Hegley to rule City Keeper Adriano Basso had been fouled.

Palace did not have to wait much longer to take the lead.

Penned in at the edge of their own area, Paul Ifill and Carle passed their way out of danger to set Sean Scannell free on the left.

Scannell race towards the City goal, passing to Craig Beattie, who cut inside.

It looked as though Beattie had wasted a shooting chance, but he slipped the ball to John Oster on the right side of the area and the former Everton man made no mistake with the finish.

The Eagles were full of confidence and doubled their lead minutes later, as Scannell shot past Basso into the bottom left-hand corner to make it 2-0.

Ben Watson came close to making it 3-0 before the break, but his free kick curled just wide of the post.

Palace looked to be well in control, but Dele Adebola hooked a shot past Julian Speroni a few minutes before the break to make it 2-1.

The Eagles kept pushing forward into the second half, with Shefki Kuqi, on for the injured Ifill, proving a handfull for the Bristol City defence.

Another Palace goal from a corner was ruled out by the referee, but the Eagles soon regained their two-goal lead.

Kuqi controlled the ball with his chest, made a neat turn and raced towards goal.

The big Finn's cross-shot found Beattie in the area, and the on-loan West Brom man scored his third goal for Palace.

The Eagles kept on pressing, and Scannell came close to scoring his second after a mazy dribble from the left wing all the way to the right side of the area, but his shot was blocked.

Minutes later, a Kuqi knockdown set up Carle, who saw his shot blocked.

From the resulting corner, Oster sent the ball into the area for Jose Fonte to head home for his first goal of the season as the Eagles made it 4-1.

City substitute Nicky Maynard quickly made it 4-2 after taking the ball round Speroni and slotting home, but Palace ran out deserved winners.

Crystal Palace: Speroni; Clyne, Fonte, McCarthy, Hill; Scannell (Moses 90), Oster (Ertl 81), Watson, Carle, Ifill (Kuqi 50); Beattie.

SUBS NOT USED: Flahavan, Danns.

Att: 14,599