Crystal Palace 0-1 Swansea

Shefki Kuqi returned to haunt his old club as Swansea City sealed their first win at Crystal Palace for 90 years.

The striker scored his first Swans goal since his January arrival as he fired in Andrea Orlandi's knock down.

Swansea's defence, the meanest in the division, held onto their lead to seal their 17th clean sheet this season and strengthened their play-off push.

Alan Lee and Kieran Djilali missed chances but could not rescue a point for Neil Warnock's in-form side.

Cash-strapped Palace had celebrated three successive wins since going into administration last month and had lost just three times at Selhurst Park in the league this season.

But it was the Palace old boy that returned to remind his former club what they are missing.

The Finnish international, making his first Swansea start since his free move from German side TuS Koblenz, fired in from close range after Orlandi headed down Nathan Dyer's right-wing cross.

Kuqi had left Palace last year under a cloud and on a free after being transfer-listed and fined two weeks' wages for making a crude gesture to Palace fans after being substituted in a home defeat by Wolves in February 2008.

Ashley Williams celebrates Swansea's win with Fede Bessone

But his early winner not only broke Swansea's Selhurst Park hoodoo, but extended their unbeaten Championship run to eight matches.

Swansea started to dictate the play early on with their trademark slick passing and movement and Spanish midfielder Orlandi tried his luck from long range but Julian Speroni made a comfortable save.

Orlandi was the architect, threading the ball through to the Finland international who kept his composure and tucked a neat finish beyond Speroni from an acute angle.

Palace responded and started to compete in midfield but Swansea almost caught them out 28 minutes in when winger Dyer nipped in but dragged his shot into the side-netting from 12 yards out.

The Eagles felt they should have had a penalty 12 minutes before half-time when Lee went down under a challenge from Kuqi, but referee Graham Scott waved away the protests.

Lee was causing some real problems for the Swans' defence but the experienced striker failed to get a strong connection on a cross from Lee Hills.

606: DEBATE Another win and three more vital points and who else to get the goal but Kuqi himself going back to his old club and doing the biz. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come from the flying Finn superjack4life

Paulo Sousa's side almost doubled their lead four minutes into the second half but Argentinian keeper Speroni made a magnificent save to deny Orlandi.

Defender Djilali was presented with an opportunity to draw the home side level but his finish looped over Dorus De Vries and over the crossbar.

Swans full-back Fede Bessone let fly with a long-range drive but his effort was never going to trouble Speroni.

Palace continued to push forward in search of the equaliser and Sean Scannell saw his overhead kick land just over the bar from close range but that was as close as Palace came.

Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock said:

"They are probably the best side we've played this year and I thought until the end we could have got a result but the disappointment is not scoring a goal but they don't concede many.

"I felt we should have had a penalty in the first-half as anywhere else on the pitch it's a free-kick. We were not going to get many chances so we need decisions like that going for you.

"But I thought the referee was poor. He probably had one of those days that he wished he stopped at home."

Swansea City manager Paulo Sousa said:

"It is an important win especially at a tough team like Crystal Palace.

"We tried to play good football but we were well organised so we can get important results like this.

"And Shefki Kuqi is a player who has added something to our squad with different characteristics. And the clean sheets gives us consistency and confidence to look forward with a lot of happiness."

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