CRYSTAL Palace are off the bottom of the Premier League tonight after a brilliant 1-0 win up at Hull City.
Barry Bannan was the matchwinner, bundling home into an empty net after great play from substitute Cameron Jerome in front of new manager Tony Pulis.
The 55-year-old was announced as the new Eagles boss three hours before kick-off, arriving at the KC Stadium with co-chairman Steve Parish soon after and posing for photographs with a number of Palace fans.
And he would have been delighted with what he had seen, with caretaker boss Keith Millen now set to stand aside after a tremendous time in charge.
Marouane Chamakh was involved in a clash of heads with Paul McShane after just two minutes, with both receiving lengthy treatment,
The Moroccan's head bandage came off twice though during the first half, which led to him being substituted and replaced by Cameron Jerome.
It took a while for Palace to get going, but they carved out their first chance on 15 minutes when the ball was eventually played in to Yannick Bolasie, but he was flagged for offside unfortunately.
There was a scary moment for Julian Speroni when Danny Gabbidon played a strong back-pass to the custodian, and as he went to clear, the ball took a huge bobble and out for a corner.
But Palace nearly caught Hull on the counter soon after, which saw Mile Jedinak play a fancy back-flick to Dikgacoi, who then found Bolasie on the left but he scuffed a shot wide.
Chamakh, before going off, was winning the aerial battles from a defensive point of view, once in particular from a Hull corner with the likes of Curtis Davies lurking.
Dwight Gayle then looked to have been taken out on the edge of the box, but the referee waved away any protests, before Bolasie showed some excellent trickery down the right but his pass towards the overlapping Joel Ward was sloppy.
Dikgacoi won a corner after Barry Bannan's whipped-in delivery was cleared away, while Gayle took aim at goal when Jedinak teed the ball up from the set-piece.
Chamakh made way on 36 minutes for Jerome, and the big striker looked bright in front of former boss Pulis.
Speroni was forced into a save soon after, when Geoge Boyd's shot took a deflection off Ward inside the box, while Palace went up the other end and saw Dikgacoi play a decent ball towards Jerome, who couldn't quite reach it.
The Eagles had a good chance on the stroke of half-time through a dangerous free-kick on the left, but Bolasie's ball in was cleared by Tom Huddlestone.
Into the second half and Palace had a good chance to open the scoring when Jedinak went down the left and fed Bolasie in the box, but he was muscled off the ball.
Then Speroni was called into action, staying big to deny Yannick Sagbo, who was one-on-one with the Argentine.
The ball was eventually cleared up the field and found Bolasie, who looked up and played a superb ball in behind the Hull defence for Gayle, but his effort was snuffed out by Figueroa.
Bolasie was looking bright, and he got the better of Maynor Figueroa down the right before seeing a good cross cleared. But he delivered again for Jerome, who forced a corner.
The winger was tormenting Figueroa indeed, and again delivered well from the right but no one was in the Palace box to connect.
He then had a go himself, collecting a misplaced pass from a Hull player before gliding in and out before dragging a shot wide, while Gayle sent a 25-yard effort well wide.
Jerome nearly drew first blood midway through the half when he ran at the home defence before setting himself up on his right foot and drilling a shot narrowly over.
Dikgacoi was on hand at the other end to deny Sagbo following a corner, and it was the South African's final contribution as he made way for Stuart O'Keefe.
But they were dealt a big blow when Bolasie received a straight red card. After good play on the edge of the box, the winger shaped to shoot on his left and lunged with one foot to retrieve the ball.
However, he caught Jake Livermore – and it was really only worthy of a yellow – before official Anthony Taylor produced the red.
However, they silenced the home faithful soon after by taking the lead.
Jerome was at the heart of Palace's opening – and winning – goal on 84 minutes. The on-loan striker powered into the box down the left before cutting the ball back to Bannan, who slotted home into the empty net.
It was Palace's best chance of the match – and they took it, indeed. "One Keith Millen, there's only one Keith Millen", sang the Palace fans, who saw their caretaker boss point back in recognition.
Hull nearly ruined the party at the death when Liam Rosenior rattled the post from long range following a corner, but despite attempts to get the ball back into box, referee Taylor blew his whistle to the relief of the Palace fans, players and staff.
Keith Millen: You deserved that. Tony Pulis: Welcome, sir.
Palace: Speroni, Ward, Moxey, Gabbidon, Delaney, Bannan, Dikgaco (O'Keefe 75), Jedinak ©, Bolasie, Gayle (Puncheon 86), Chamakh (Jerome 36).
Subs Not Used: Alexander, Mariappa, Phillips, Williams.
By Croydon Advertiser Sports Reporter Mark Ritson
