Johnson goal seals it for Palace

FT Birmingham 0 Crystal Palace 1

Crystal Palace striker Andy Johnson returned to St Andrews to sink his former team-mates and plunge Birmingham City deeper into relegation trouble.

Johnson had been off-loaded by Blues manager Steve Bruce just over two years ago as part of the deal which brought Clinton Morrison in the opposite direction.

But it was Johnson who was celebrating after finishing off a counter-attack four minutes before half-time for his eighth Premiership goal of the campaign.

It earned Palace their first away win since April and was a massive boost to their hopes of surviving in the top flight.

Birmingham tried desperately to salvage a share of the spoils and Upson had a powerful header blocked by Kiraly after meeting a corner from Darren Anderton.

Then Heskey did well to control a cross from Anderton but the ball did not come down quick enough and he volleyed over the bar.

Bruce brought on Jamie Clapham and Stephen Clemence in the final stages in place of Cunningham and Damien Johnson but Palace survived.

Anderton had a last minute corner to try and test the Palace rearguard but Kiraly collected and then in injury-time Melchiot volleyed inches wide but the final whistle was greeted with boos by the home fans.