CRYSTAL Palace narrowly lost by the single goal to fellow strugglers Norwich City this afternoon at Carrow Road.
And they are bottom of the Premier League again after Sunderland picked up a point away at Aston Villa.
It was a lacklustre first half showing from the Eagles as Norwich threatened to run riot at times, with Nathan Redmond at the heart of their attacking play.
But the Eagles were certainly the better team in the second period and wasted a number of opportunities in Tony Pulis' first game in charge.
Sebastian Bassong had the first chance of the match after 60 seconds when he headed wide from a corner, and then the hosts cranked up the early pressure, indeed.
Their next chance fell to Johan Elmander, who sent a cheeky flick towards goal from a cross and the ball bounced down off the underside of the bar and away.
And as the majority of Carrow Road went to celebrate, the newly-installed goal-line technology flashed up with 'NO GOAL'.
Palace had certainly started the slower as the Canaries went close again, this time Nathan Redmond cut inside from the right before forcing a stunning stop from Julian Speroni.
The Eagles went up the other end and claimed for a penalty when Cameron Jerome's delivery looked to have struck the arm of a defender but a corner was given instead.
Redmond was causing havoc for the Eagles, just as he did last season at Selhurst Park for former club Birmingham City, switching on both flanks throughout the first half.
Jerome nearly carved out the game's opener on 25 minutes when he nutmegged Russell Martin on the by byline before cutting the ball back to Jason Puncheon, whose first time shot was blocked for a corner.
And then the two combined again, this time Puncheon delivered for the big striker, but he couldn't direct his header enough towards goal.
But then the hosts took the lead on the half-hour mark thanks to Gary Hooper. Redmond cut in from the right and the ball fell to Elmander, who poked the ball to Jonny Howson on the left side of the box, before he squared to the former Celtic man to finish.
However, Palace responded instantly as they went up the other end and hit the crossbar themselves.
A loose ball found its way to Bannan on the left side of the box and he drilled a shot against the woodwork via what looked like a header from Martin Olsson.
The Eagles claimed the ball had gone over the line, but it certainly hadn't as Norwich were then awarded a free-kick inside their own half.
Norwich continued to pose a threat towards a Palace side who looked lost at times, and they could count themselves lucky going into half-time just one goal down.
Puncheon had Palace's first glimpse of goal in the second period after just ten seconds when his shot was blocked, before Jedinak sliced an effort well wide from the edge of the box.
Jerome then beat the offside trap down the left and looked to cut inside onto his right, but his effort was blocked.
The Eagles had certainly started the brighter in the second period, and they carved out a good chance when Puncheon played the overlapping Ward down the right and his delivery was claimed by Ruddy under pressure from Chamakh.
Jerome went close to connecting with a free-kick sent in by Bannan soon after as they continued to up the pressure.
And they very nearly equalised through an own goal from Bassong. Puncheon threaded the ball out wide to Bannan, who played Moxey in down the left, and the full-back delivered superbly into the six-yard box before the defender sliced just over his own crossbar.
From the resulting corner, Damien Delaney saw the ball cannon off his head after challenging with John Ruddy and just over the bar.
Tony Pulis sent on Jonny Williams and Jimmy Kebe in a bid to freshen things up with 15 minutes to go, but then for the first time in the second half, Norwich looked a threat.
Dwight Gayle was sent on five minutes later for Chamakh, while Kebe was inches close to an equaliser, drilling a low shot just past the post from the edge of the box.
Jerome had a great chance with two minutes to go when the ball was played in from the left, it fell to Kebe, whose shot was blocked, and it fell to the striker but he couldn't get enough connection to trouble Ruddy.
Palace piled on the pressure at the end and they could have nicked it when Jonny Williams sent in a free-kick, the ball was knocked back in from Jedinak and both Dikgacoi and Gayle went tumbling only for the referee to wave away all protests.
Norwich wound down the clock as Dikgacoi gave away a free-kick and referee Chris Foy blew for full-time.
West Ham are the visitors to Selhurst Park on Tuesday night.
Palace: Speroni, Ward, Gabbidon, Delaney, Moxey, Jedinak, Dikgacoi, Bannan (Williams 73), Puncheon (Kebe 75), Chamakh (Gayle 80), Jerome.
Subs Not Used: Price, Mariappa, Phillips, O'Keefe.
Attendance: 26,851
By Croydon Advertiser Sports Reporter Mark Ritson
