CRYSTAL Palace had to settle for a point tonight after a 1-1 draw at home to Newcastle United.
The result moves Alan Pardew's side on to 27 points alongside Everton, who lost 1-0 at Chelsea.
Papiss Cisse gave the Toon the lead just before the break at Selhurst Park with a bullet header but substitute Fraizer Campbell made sure the Eagles came away with something with an equaliser in the second period.
Yannick Bolasie, returning from African Cup of Nations duty proved to be the spark Palace needed, delivering for his team-mate from out wide.
Wilfried Zaha shot at Tim Krul early on after a fast move involving Marouane Chamakh and Yaya Sanogo, before Joe Ledley headed over from a free-kick soon after.
Jason Puncheon then scooped a pass over the Newcastle backline for the advancing Martin Kelly, but as his shot was saved the offside flag was raised on the far side.
Chances dried up from then on as both teams struggled to gain any momentum up to the half-hour mark, but Palace would have been slightly more satisfied with their start.
Fraizer Campbell had come on for the injured Sanogo and looked to have broken the deadlock with ten minutes to go before the break, but the offside flag was raised again.
However, slightly against the run of play and Newcastle took the lead through Papiss Cisse minutes before half-time.
Daryl Janmaat got to the right byline away from Wilfried Zaha and delivered for the striker to plant a firm header past the Speroni at full stretch.
Into the second half and Campbell headed wide from a Puncheon free-kick early on. However, Newcastle were dealing with everything thrown at them quite comfortably.
Something needed changing and Pardew had no choice but to go for it, sending on Dwight Gayle after 66 minutes for the tiring Chamakh.
Yannick Bolasie was also sent on for Kelly, and within three minutes the returning winger was involved in Palace's equaliser.
The Democratic Republic of Congo star sent in a fantastic ball behind the Newcastle defence from the right and Campbell slid in to stab home past Krul.
Zaha had a great chance to put the Eagles ahead five minutes later when he controlled well inside the box but his ferocious shot was superbly blocked by a Newcastle player.
Brede Hangeland got up well to meet a Puncheon corner but couldn't get enough power on a header, and with three minutes added on at the end the Eagles did all they could to look for a winner.
But they had to make-do with a point and they will now prepare for an FA Cup fifth round tie with Liverpool in SE25 in 72 hours' time.
Palace: Speroni, Ward, Kelly (Bolasie 68), Hangeland, Delaney, McArthur, Ledley, Puncheon, Zaha, Chamakh (Gayle 66), Sanogo (Campbell 26).
Subs Not Used: Hennessey, Mariappa, Mutch, Murray.
Referee: Andre Marriner
Report by Palace reporter Mark Ritson, for the Croydon Advertiser
