Crystal Palace 1-0 Derby

Shefki Kuqi's strike secured victory for 10-man Crystal Palace over struggling Derby to virtually assure the Eagles' Championship survival.

The game sprung into life in the 60th minute when Palace winger Victor Moses was dismissed for a second bookable offence for a foul on Mile Sterjovski.

Three minutes later though Kuqi raced clear before applying a superb lobbed finish to give the home side the lead.

Rob Hulse hit the crossbar during a Derby surge but Palace held on.

Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock:

"The referee got the sending off completely wrong. Victor was touched for the first one and then he played the ball for the second.

"But the sending off won us the game. It seemed to give us more urgency.

"Overall it was a great effort by us when you consider all the injuries we had."

Derby manager Nigel Clough:

"We didn't take our chances, especially the one that fell to Rob Hulse in the 94th minute.

"I thought we had got to grips with the game in the second half but I think they had a feeling of injustice over the sending off and that seemed to galvanise them.

"We have to win one out of last three games - or at least get a couple or draws - if we want to be OK."

Crystal Palace: Speroni, Clyne, Lawrence, McCarthy, Hill, Moses, Carle, Ertl, Rui Fonte (Comley 66), Kuqi, Stokes.
Subs Not Used: Jose Fonte, Scowcroft, Hills, Cadogan.

Sent Off: Moses (60).

Booked: Carle, Moses, Lawrence.

Goals: Kuqi 63.

Derby: Bywater, Connolly, Todd, Albrechtsen, Nyatanga, Sterjovski (Villa 76), Savage, Pearson (Eustace 72), Teale, Commons (Bannan 85), Hulse.
Subs Not Used: Price, Beardsley.

Booked: Sterjovski.

Att: 14,736

Ref: Keith Woolmer (Northamptonshire).