Crystal Palace broke their seven month first half goal drought on their way to a 4-1 win against Blackpool at Selhurst Park.

First half goals from Alan Lee and Neil Danns were added to by second half Darren Ambrose and Alassane N'Diaye strikes that saw off a spirited Blackpool side.

The first 45 were played out at a fast tempo but few chances were created. The visitors were adamant about playing their neat football, but Palace's defence stood firm with Paddy McCarthy the stand out performer in the back line.

Lee opened the scoring two minutes in when he capitalised on a slip by his marker to convert a superb Danny Butterfield cross.

Blackpool responded with a quick break that finished with the ball being played into Brett Ormerod's path on the left flank. The former Southampton front man had acres of space, but too much time as he allowed Julian Speroni to close him down and block his shot well.

Sean Scannell came within a post's width of adding to Palace's lead when he worked himself some space just inside the area for a shot, but it struck the left upright.

The second goal did come, and a brilliantly worked one it was too.

Shaun Derry picked the ball up on the right side, went to pass it backwards but turned on a sixpence and played in a beautiful angled cross into the box where Neil Danns was there to convert it with a thumping header.

The second half was an intriguing affair. Whatever Ian Holloway had said to his side in the dressing room had an uplifting effect as they quickly set about imposing themselves on the play.

And they had what they were looking for early on when Alex Baptiste converted a cross from the right with an unchallenged header six yards out.

But special mention must go to Speroni who pulled off another brilliant save to deny them in the build up. Substitute Ben Burgess managed to get the wrong side of his marker and aimed a header at goal.

Somehow though the Palace keeper managed to get quickly along his line and push it out from almost point blank range.

Johnny Ertl then found Ambrose with a brilliant ball, and the Palace midfielder broke away from his marker, stuck out a left foot, but directed it wide

Blackpool controlled much of the rest of the half's possession, but never created many chances of worth.  Their best came when they caught Palace napping and broke quickly with Ormerod, who played it out wide to Neil Eardley and the right back struck a fizzing drive inches wide of Speroni's near post

But Palace killed off the result on 67 minutes when Ertl played in another great ball over the top of the Seasiders' defence and Ambrose sprung the offside trap before flicking the ball past an onrushing Paul Rachubka.

Ertl could have had a goal himself when he met a corner with a low header, but it was cleared off the line.

The afternoon was rounded off late on when substitute Lee Hills burst down the left flank and whipped in a low cross to other substitute N'Diaye, who had only the simple task of tapping into the net from six yards out.

Ated: 15, 749 (Away: 817)

Teams

Crystal Palace: 1. Julian Speroni, 2. Nathaniel Clyne, 3. Clint Hill, 4. Shaun Derry, 5. Paddy McCarthy, 7. Darren Ambrose (15. Lee Hills, 86), 8. Neil Danns, 14. Sean Scannell (10. Nick Carle, 58), 19. Alan Lee (33. Alassane N'Diaye, 66), 20. Danny Butterfield, 22. Johannes Ertl

Subs: 12. Darryl Flahavan, 21. Kieran Djilali, 26. Kieron Cadogan, 29. Ryan Smith

Blackpool: 1. Paul Rachubka, 3. Stephen Crainey, 4. Keith Southern, 5. Neil Eardley (16. Hameur Bouazza, 86), 10. Brett Ormerod (7. Billy Clarke, 73), 11. David Vaughan, 15. Alex Baptiste, 18. Jason Euell (c), 19. Jay Emmanuel-Thomas (9. Ben Burgess, 45), 24. Rob Edwards, 26. Charlie Adam

Subs: 14. Joe Martin, 20. Alhassan Bangura, 21. Matthew Gilks, 28. Marcel Seip