Crystal Palace came from behind to secure a victory over Preston that lifts them out of the relegation zone.
The home side fell behind in the eighth minute when Preston broke and Keith Treacy slid home Paul Coutts's pass.
They drew level before half time when Neil Danns poked in after Sean Scannell had nodded on Calvin Andrew's cross.
Danns teed up Darren Ambrose to fire Palace ahead just after the break before Andrew sealed the points late on with a neat finish from close range.
The win means the Eagles have now taken an impressive seven points from their last three games to lift them to 20th in the table, a point ahead above the relegation zone.
They are now only four points behind Preston, who will be glancing uneasily over their shoulders following their sixth successive game without a victory.
Crystal Palace manager Paul Hart: "Nothing hinges on one game but that was a massive game for us in terms of belief and confidence.
"We said we felt we'd move out of the bottom three if we won and we have and psychologically I think it's a massive lift.
"But we are not finished. We have to maintain this form and probably take it to the last game, you can't plan not to. We are prepared to dig in and fight as we did today.
Preston manager Darren Ferguson: "We have to stick together. I think we need one more win from our last four, maybe not even that.
"The chairman said: 'Make sure you keep us in the league, then we'll look to next season'.
"I'm sure people will get nervy but we need to keep composed."
Live text and stats
Monday, 5 April 2010
Championship
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Crystal Palace
3-1
Preston
FT
(HT 1-1)
Danns 40
Ambrose 50
Andrew 84
Treacy 8
Crystal Palace
01 Speroni
03 Hill
04 Derry
05 McCarthy
17 Lawrence yellow card
22 Ertl
07 Ambrose
08 Danns yellow card
09 John
14 Scannell yellow card (Carle 86)
18 Andrew yellow card
Substitutes
35 Manns,
10 Carle,
26 Cadogan,
28 Comley,
33 N'Diaye,
37 Holland,
36 Zaha
Preston
01 Lonergan
12 St. Ledger
19 Jones
20 Williams (Brown 81)
24 Ward
11 Carter (Davidson 68)
15 Coutts
16 Treacy
23 James
26 Parkin yellow card
33 Mellor yellow card
Substitutes
22 Henderson,
02 Hart,
03 Davidson,
14 Chilvers,
04 Chaplow,
34 Barton,
09 Brown
Ref: EastAtt: 16,642
CRYSTAL PALACE
PRESTON
Possession
Crystal Palace53%
Preston47%
Attempts on target
Crystal Palace7
Preston3
Attempts off target
Crystal Palace4
Preston8
Corners
Crystal Palace4
Preston11
Fouls
Crystal Palace9
Preston8
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+3:41 The referee brings the game to a close.
90:00+3:13 Short corner taken by Neil Danns from the right by-line.
90:00+1:23 Free kick awarded for a foul by Neil Danns on Jon Parkin. Free kick crossed left-footed by Callum Davidson, clearance made by Clint Hill.
90:00+0:51 Keith Treacy takes the chance to get an effort at goal. Save by Julian Speroni.
85:51 Foul by Clint Hill on Jon Parkin, free kick awarded. Shot comes in from Keith Treacy from the free kick, save by Julian Speroni. Paul Coutts takes the inswinging corner, save made by Julian Speroni.
83:55 Booking Calvin Andrew is cautioned by the ref for leaving the field of play without the referee's permission.
83:51 Substitution Nick Carle replaces Sean Scannell.
83:51 GOAL - Calvin Andrew:Crystal Palace 3 - 1 Preston Goal scored by Calvin Andrew from inside the six-yard box low into the middle of the goal. Crystal Palace 3-1 Preston.
82:11 Corner taken left-footed by Keith Treacy from the right by-line, Johannes Ertl makes a clearance.
80:14 Substitution Tom Williams goes off and Chris Brown comes on.
79:53 Shot by Matthew James from outside the area goes high over the crossbar.
79:08 The assistant referee flags for offside against Calvin Andrew. Sean St. Ledger takes the free kick.
77:12 Julian Speroni takes the direct free kick.
77:12 Booking Neil Mellor receives a yellow card.
76:58 Neil Mellor challenges Patrick McCarthy unfairly and gives away a free kick.
76:11 Calvin Andrew is caught offside. Sean St. Ledger takes the indirect free kick.
75:34 The official flags Stern John offside. Andy Lonergan takes the indirect free kick.
74:32 Neil Danns gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Billy Jones. Free kick taken by Andy Lonergan.
72:30 Julian Speroni restarts play with the free kick.
72:30 Booking Booking for Jon Parkin.
71:36 Corner taken by Paul Coutts from the left by-line to the near post, free kick awarded for a foul by Jon Parkin on Julian Speroni.
70:41 Matthew James produces a right-footed shot from long range that goes harmlessly over the bar.
69:01 Free kick crossed right-footed by Paul Coutts, Shaun Derry manages to make a clearance.
69:01 Booking Sean Scannell is cautioned by the ref for unsporting behaviour.
68:53 Sean Scannell gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Callum Davidson.
67:54 Substitution Callum Davidson joins the action as a substitute, replacing Darren Carter.
67:34 Keith Treacy has an effort at goal from 35 yards and went wide left of the net.
63:22 Stern John fouled by Elliott Ward, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Julian Speroni.
62:30 Matthew Lawrence is penalised for a handball. Free kick taken by Matthew James.
60:15 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Sean Scannell by Paul Coutts. Free kick taken by Julian Speroni.
59:40 Calvin Andrew takes a shot from 12 yards. Save made by Andy Lonergan.
Correction - 57:07 Free kick awarded for a foul by Darren Ambrose on Billy Jones. Andy Lonergan restarts play with the free kick.
57:07 Darren Ambrose concedes a free kick for a foul on Billy Jones. Andy Lonergan takes the direct free kick.
54:12 Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Darren Ambrose.
52:32 Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Paul Coutts, save made by Julian Speroni.
49:54 Assist by Neil Danns.
49:54 GOAL - Darren Ambrose:Crystal Palace 2 - 1 Preston Darren Ambrose finds the net with a goal from inside the area high into the middle of the goal. Crystal Palace 2-1 Preston.
49:22 Keith Treacy takes the inswinging corner, Darren Ambrose makes a clearance.
48:52 Paul Coutts fouled by Stern John, the ref awards a free kick. Keith Treacy crosses the ball from the free kick left-footed from right channel, Patrick McCarthy manages to make a clearance.
46:25 Jon Parkin fouled by Patrick McCarthy, the ref awards a free kick. Strike on goal comes in from Elliott Ward from the free kick.
45:01 The referee blows his whistle to start the second half.
45:01 Booking The referee shows Matthew Lawrence a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
Half Time
45:00+2:36 The half-time whistle blows.
45:00+2:16 Keith Treacy challenges Darren Ambrose unfairly and gives away a free kick. Darren Ambrose has a direct shot on goal from the free kick.
45:00+0:42 The referee blows for offside against Stern John. Free kick taken by Matthew James.
44:50 The referee penalises Jon Parkin for handball. Julian Speroni takes the direct free kick.
44:00 Neil Mellor is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Julian Speroni takes the indirect free kick.
43:24 Keith Treacy has an effort at goal from deep inside the area missing to the right of the goal.
39:43 Booking Neil Danns is cautioned.
39:26 Assist by Sean Scannell.
39:26 GOAL - Neil Danns:Crystal Palace 1 - 1 Preston Neil Danns scores a goal from close in low into the middle of the goal. Crystal Palace 1-1 Preston.
37:44 Effort on goal by Neil Danns from just inside the penalty box goes harmlessly over the target.
36:55 Corner taken by Paul Coutts, save made by Julian Speroni.
34:29 Billy Jones gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Calvin Andrew. Clint Hill takes the free kick.
30:27 Keith Treacy takes a inswinging corner to the near post, Calvin Andrew makes a clearance.
28:37 Foul by Jon Parkin on Shaun Derry, free kick awarded. Julian Speroni takes the free kick.
27:22 The ball is swung over by Jon Parkin.
26:14 Keith Treacy takes the inswinging corner, Shaun Derry manages to make a clearance.
25:14 Neil Mellor produces a right-footed shot from just outside the box that misses to the right of the goal.
24:34 Calvin Andrew challenges Paul Coutts unfairly and gives away a free kick. Elliott Ward takes the direct free kick.
22:20 Sean Scannell sends in a cross, save made by Andy Lonergan.
21:02 Stern John is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Free kick taken by Andy Lonergan.
20:15 Darren Carter has an effort at goal from just outside the box which goes wide of the right-hand upright.
Correction - 17:06 Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Darren Ambrose, Calvin Andrew takes a shot.
17:06 Corner taken by Darren Ambrose, Calvin Andrew takes a shot.
15:00 Effort on goal by Paul Coutts from just inside the penalty area goes harmlessly over the target.
13:59 Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Keith Treacy played to the near post, clearance by Shaun Derry.
13:29 Darren Ambrose takes a shot. Andy Lonergan makes a save.
9:49 Corner taken right-footed by Paul Coutts, free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Julian Speroni by Sean St. Ledger. Direct free kick taken by Julian Speroni.
9:10 Foul by Matthew Lawrence on Jon Parkin, free kick awarded. Sean St. Ledger restarts play with the free kick.
7:18 Assist by Paul Coutts.
7:18 GOAL - Keith Treacy:Crystal Palace 0 - 1 Preston Keith Treacy finds the back of the net with a goal from the edge of the penalty area to the bottom right corner of the goal. Crystal Palace 0-1 Preston.
6:11 Corner taken right-footed by Darren Ambrose from the left by-line to the near post, Patrick McCarthy takes a shot. Tom Williams makes a clearance.
3:20 Paul Coutts takes a inswinging corner to the near post, clearance made by Johannes Ertl.
2:22 Effort from deep inside the area by Sean Scannell misses to the right of the target.
1:01 Effort on goal by Stern John from just inside the penalty area goes over the target.
0:00 The referee gets the game started.
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