Eagles land their first win

Andy Johnson's fifth goal in eight games and Aki Riihilahti's first league goal since November 2002 secured the win in front of 21,825 at Selhurst Park, after Fulham defender Ian Pearce was sent off on six minutes.

Johnson ran onto the 30-year-old's woefully under-hit back-pass and was hauled down, leaving referee Mike Riley no choice but to administer Fulham's fourth red card in four games.

By that stage Palace had already started to carve the visitors apart, with the free-flowing passing game their five-man midfield brings. Just two minutes in, the linchpin Michael Hughes' beautifully weighted ball found Johnson who ghosted past Zat Knight, but smashed his shot straight at Van Der Sar.

Moments later the increasingly impressive Joonas Kolkka found space on the left to deliver a great deep cross which Wayne Routledge headed inches past the far post.

Already under the cosh in a feverish atmosphere, Pearce's dismissal should have worsened the Cottagers' plight. But against the run of play, dangerman Luis Boa Morte burst into the box and tumbled theatrically under Emmerson Boyce's challenge. Riley was well-placed and correctly waved away the penalty claims.

That chance shook Palace into action and they were soon creating chances at will. Riihilahti flashed a header inches wide in the 24th minute, Hughes could not control a Johnson pass when through on goal and Routledge lashed Popovic's brilliant diagonal ball beyond the far post.

Fulham's 10 men battled on however and after Zat Knight hit the wall with an ambitious 35-yard free-kick, Steed Malbranque's drive drew a fantastic finger-tip save from Hungarian goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly.

Boyce then stung Van Der Sar's finger with a vicious rising drive from the right flank and with the break approaching, Johnson really should have done better than to glance Fitz Hall's cross wide.

That was Hall's last contribution as a niggling foot injury saw him replaced by Gonzalo Sorondo at the break.

Palace over-elaborated at times in their desperation to break through, but when the first goal did arrive on 53 minutes, it was stylish and clinical.

The rampaging Boyce played the ball inside to Riihilahti whose cute first-time chip around the corner landed perfectly in Johnson's path for him to slip it through Van Der Sar's legs.

Palace went in search of a second and were nearly rewarded when Routledge squared across the face of goal only for Moritz Volz to nick the ball off Kolkka's toe.

Collins John replaced Brian McBride and soon spurned a rare chance, heading Pembridge's free kick wide.

But Palace finally made the game safe in the 68th minute when a brilliant Routledge corner was met by Riihilahti running from deep. The Finn rose highest in a crowded penalty box and such was the power on his header that Van Der Sar could only push it into the roof of the net.

The pressure relieved, Dowie handed Vassilios Lakis his Palace debut in place of Routledge and brought on the enigmatic Ivan Kaviedes for Aki Riihilahti.

Thereafter the Eagles created and spurned chances at will. Kaviedes ghosted straight through the Fulham defence and took the selfish option in shooting tamely when he had Johnson and Kolkka either side.

Bocanegra was booked for a horrible attempted hack on Johnson, who should then have had a penalty when Boa Morte tripped him in the box. Riley waved the claim away, and perhaps justice was done because the striker looked marginally offside when Kaviedes slipped a superb reverse into the box.

With 10 minutes to go Kiraly was forced into action saving a sharp snap-shot from Steed Malbranque, and then a Boa Morte effort at the near post, but normal service was soon resumed at the other end.

The lively Lakis broke up play in the middle of the park, setting Johnson clear of a tiring defence that did not even bother to chase. Johnson bore down on Van Der Sar with Lakis screaming for a square pass to his left, but the hotshot striker took aim and blasted inches past the left upright.

Kaviedes hit the post after drifting through three challenges and then Kolkka saw his close-range shot deflected over the bar. The final whistle brought relief for Fulham's flagging team and allowed Palace to celebrate their first Premiership win. Everyone stayed behind for that elusive moment, not seen since May 29 Dowie's victory punch!