Darren Ambrose struck twice as Crystal Palace climbed off the foot of the Championship table by beating Coventry.
The midfielder, out injured for much of Palace's troubled campaign so far, showed his value to the Eagles.
City contributed to their own downfall, however, after goalkeeper Keiren Westwood handled a backpass to present Ambrose with his first-half opener.
Ambrose tucked away the second from the penalty spot in the second half after Richard Wood had fouled James Vaughan.
It was a second succesive win for the south Londoners, but Coventry, who have now lost three games on the trot, made the livelier start at Selhurst Park.
Marlon King, still to open his goal-scoring account since returning to football with the Sky Blues in September, had the game's first chance when he superbly controlled a high ball in the area and forced a fine save from Julian Speroni.
Palace's Argentine goalkeeper also kept out a Gary McSheffrey header before Lukas Jutkiewicz toe-poked McSheffrey's cross inches wide.
King should have broken his duck moments later when he was played in by Carl Baker, but the former Wigan striker skied his effort.
When McSheffrey sent a horrible backpass towards his goalkeeper, Westwood had little option but to catch the ball, conceding a free-kick on the edge of the six-yard box.
With every Coventry player back on the goal-line, Vaughan shaped to shoot but instead rolled the ball to Ambrose, who thumped it into the net.
Lee Carsley was denied an equaliser when his header was brilliantly saved by Speroni and two minutes later Palace doubled their advantage with Ambrose's penalty - awarded despite Coventy claims that the foul had occurred outside the box.
Live text and stats
Saturday, 13 November 2010
Npower Championship
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Crystal Palace
2-0
Coventry
FT
(HT 1-0)
Ambrose 33
Ambrose (pen) 54
Crystal Palace
01 Speroni
02 Clyne
03 Wright yellow card
04 Davis (Gardner 25)
05 McCarthy
07 Ambrose (N'Diaye 85)
08 Danns yellow card
10 Garvan
30 Marrow
09 Vaughan yellow card (Counago 79)
16 Zaha
Substitutes
13 Price,
31 Gardner,
15 Cadogan,
21 Djilali,
25 N'Diaye,
29 Obika,
32 Counago
Coventry
01 Westwood
02 Keogh
06 McPake yellow card
15 Cranie (O'Donovan 82)
24 Wood yellow card
05 Carsley
08 Doyle
18 Baker (Gunnarsson 65)
09 King (Eastwood 71)
11 Jutkiewicz
19 McSheffrey
Substitutes
23 Ireland,
26 Clarke,
30 Cameron,
17 Gunnarsson,
40 Thomas,
10 Eastwood,
29 O'Donovan
Ref: MillerAtt: 13,278
CRYSTAL PALACE
COVENTRY
Possession
Crystal Palace50%
Coventry50%
Attempts on target
Crystal Palace4
Coventry4
Attempts off target
Crystal Palace5
Coventry9
Corners
Crystal Palace3
Coventry6
Fouls
Crystal Palace9
Coventry7
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+4:06 The referee blows for the end of the match.
Correction - 90:00+2:24 The official flags Nathaniel Clyne offside. Free kick taken by Keiren Westwood.
90:00+2:24 The assistant referee signals for offside against Nathaniel Clyne. Direct free kick taken by Keiren Westwood.
89:57 Freddy Eastwood produces a right-footed shot from just outside the penalty box that misses to the left of the goal.
86:15 The assistant referee flags for offside against Lukas Jutkiewicz. Patrick McCarthy takes the free kick.
85:11 Substitution Alassane N'Diaye is brought on as a substitute for Darren Ambrose.
Correction - 83:03 Corner from the left by-line taken by Darren Ambrose, free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on James McPake by Patrick McCarthy. Keiren Westwood takes the direct free kick.
83:03 Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Darren Ambrose, James McPake fouled by Patrick McCarthy, the ref awards a free kick. Keiren Westwood takes the direct free kick.
81:11 Substitution Martin Cranie leaves the field to be replaced by Roy O'Donovan.
81:11 Free kick awarded for a foul by Freddy Eastwood on Anthony Gardner. Direct free kick taken by Julian Speroni.
80:19 Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Darren Ambrose, James McPake makes a clearance.
79:31 Michael Doyle is adjudged to have handled the ball. Direct free kick taken by David Wright.
79:08 Substitution James Vaughan leaves the field to be replaced by Pablo Counago.
74:48 Handball by Alex Marrow. Direct free kick taken by Gary McSheffrey.
73:01 Free kick awarded for a foul by Nathaniel Clyne on Gary McSheffrey. Keiren Westwood takes the direct free kick.
70:46 The assistant referee signals for offside against Freddy Eastwood. Julian Speroni takes the direct free kick.
70:03 Substitution Freddy Eastwood joins the action as a substitute, replacing Marlon King.
70:03 The referee blows for offside against Wilfried Zaha. Free kick taken by Keiren Westwood.
69:07 Nathaniel Clyne produces a right-footed shot from deep inside the penalty area which goes wide of the left-hand post.
68:01 The assistant referee flags for offside against Wilfried Zaha. Direct free kick taken by Keiren Westwood.
66:40 Darren Ambrose takes a shot. Keiren Westwood makes a comfortable save.
65:45 Shot by Gary McSheffrey from deep inside the penalty area misses to the right of the goal.
64:51 Substitution (Coventry) makes a substitution, with Aron Gunnarsson coming on for Carl Baker.
61:44 James Vaughan takes a shot. Save by Keiren Westwood.
60:30 Darren Ambrose takes a shot. Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Darren Ambrose, Header from deep inside the area by James Vaughan goes over the bar. Save by Keiren Westwood.
59:25 Booking James Vaughan is cautioned by the ref for unsporting behaviour.
59:21 Booking Richard Wood is booked.
58:27 Foul by James Vaughan on Richard Wood, free kick awarded. Keiren Westwood restarts play with the free kick.
Correction - 57:25 Darren Ambrose has an effort at goal from just outside the penalty box which goes wide of the left-hand post.
57:25 Shot from just outside the box by Darren Ambrose misses to the left of the target.
Correction - 56:15 Shot by Lukas Jutkiewicz from deep inside the penalty area misses to the left of the goal.
56:15 Effort from deep inside the area by Lukas Jutkiewicz misses to the right of the target.
55:14 The referee blows for offside. Julian Speroni takes the direct free kick.
55:00 Richard Keogh fouled by Wilfried Zaha, the ref awards a free kick. Keiren Westwood takes the direct free kick.
54:14 Marlon King is ruled offside. Julian Speroni takes the direct free kick.
53:19 GOAL - Darren Ambrose:Crystal Palace 2 - 0 Coventry Penalty taken right-footed by Darren Ambrose and scored. Crystal Palace 2-0 Coventry.
51:42 Foul by Richard Wood on James Vaughan, Penalty awarded.
Correction - 49:49 Lee Carsley takes a shot. Save made by Julian Speroni.
49:49 Lee Carsley takes a shot. Save by Julian Speroni.
Correction - 48:08 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Patrick McCarthy by Marlon King. Julian Speroni takes the direct free kick.
48:08 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Patrick McCarthy by Marlon King. Free kick taken by Julian Speroni.
45:37 Booking Booking for Neil Danns.
45:27 Neil Danns challenges Carl Baker unfairly and gives away a free kick. Richard Keogh takes the direct free kick.
45:01 The game restarts for the second half.
Half Time
45:00+2:07 The players leave the pitch at half time.
45:00+1:44 Lukas Jutkiewicz is ruled offside. Free kick taken by Patrick McCarthy.
44:11 Gary McSheffrey challenges Alex Marrow unfairly and gives away a free kick. Nathaniel Clyne restarts play with the free kick.
43:29 Gary McSheffrey produces a left-footed shot from outside the penalty box and misses right.
41:43 Booking David Wright receives a caution.
41:01 David Wright gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Richard Keogh. Gary McSheffrey takes the direct free kick.
40:33 James Vaughan gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Richard Wood. Direct free kick taken by Keiren Westwood.
39:18 Marlon King is caught offside. Anthony Gardner takes the direct free kick.
38:40 Lee Carsley produces a right-footed shot from deep inside the penalty area which goes wide of the right-hand post.
36:13 Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Gary McSheffrey, Julian Speroni manages to make a clearance.
Correction - 32:16 Neil Danns provided the assist for the goal.
32:16 Assist on the goal came from Neil Danns.
32:16 GOAL - Darren Ambrose:Crystal Palace 1 - 0 Coventry Darren Ambrose grabs a goal from close in to the top left corner of the goal. Crystal Palace 1-0 Coventry.
31:37 Neil Danns takes the indirect free kick.
31:01 Booking The referee shows James McPake a yellow card.
30:06 James McPake challenges James Vaughan unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by David Wright.
28:31 Inswinging corner taken by Gary McSheffrey from the right by-line, clearance made by Owen Garvan.
28:09 Corner taken left-footed by Gary McSheffrey from the right by-line, clearance made by Owen Garvan.
27:12 James Vaughan gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Martin Cranie. Direct free kick taken by Marlon King.
25:38 Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Gary McSheffrey from the right by-line, Headed effort from deep inside the penalty area by Richard Keogh misses to the left of the goal.
24:49 Substitution Anthony Gardner on for Claude Davis.
21:00 Marlon King produces a left-footed shot from inside the area that goes over the bar.
19:51 Shot by Gary McSheffrey from outside the box goes high over the target.
18:31 Darren Ambrose has an effort at goal from deep inside the area missing to the left of the goal.
Correction - 16:05 Lukas Jutkiewicz has an effort at goal from close range which goes wide right of the goal.
16:05 Effort from deep inside the area by Lukas Jutkiewicz misses to the right of the goal.
13:22 Lukas Jutkiewicz takes a shot. Julian Speroni makes a save.
11:53 The referee blows for offside against Marlon King. Julian Speroni restarts play with the free kick.
11:20 The assistant referee flags for offside against Wilfried Zaha. Keiren Westwood takes the free kick.
Correction - 10:47 Richard Wood concedes a free kick for a foul on Claude Davis. Direct free kick taken by Julian Speroni.
10:47 Richard Wood challenges Claude Davis unfairly and gives away a free kick. Julian Speroni takes the indirect free kick.
10:32 Corner taken by Gary McSheffrey.
9:25 Gary McSheffrey takes a shot. Save by Julian Speroni.
9:03 Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Gary McSheffrey.
8:45 Marlon King takes a shot. Save by Julian Speroni.
3:28 Wilfried Zaha produces a right-footed shot from just outside the penalty box that misses to the left of the goal.
2:22 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Gary McSheffrey by Alex Marrow. Free kick taken by Michael Doyle.
Correction - 0:10 Foul by Marlon King on Patrick McCarthy, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Darren Ambrose.
0:10 Marlon King challenges Patrick McCarthy unfairly and gives away a free kick. Darren Ambrose takes the indirect free kick.
0:00 The ref blows the whistle to start the match.
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