Match Report : 07/12/2013

Goals from former Bluebird Cameron Jerome and a second-half strike from Marouane Chamakh consigned Cardiff City to defeat at Selhurst Park.

The Palace front men were influential throughout as goals either side of half-time claimed all three points for the Eagles.

City had an early chance to take the lead denied by Julian Speroni from a Fraizer Campbell header, before late efforts from substitute Peter Odemwingie and Jordon Mutch drifted over the bar, in what proved to be a difficult afternoon for City on the road.

Malky Mackay made one change to the side that drew 0-0 with Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium in midweek as Kim Bo Kyung came in to replace Aron Gunnarsson who dropped to the bench.

It looked the wise choice just two minutes into the match as a Cowie cross presented the perfect opportunity for Campbell to head the Bluebirds in front, the City frontman heading low into the ground, only to be denied by a superb Speroni save.

It was a bright start for the Bluebirds, but they were soon to be undone by a rather familiar face, Jerome heading home with six minutes gone to put Palace ahead and make the most of City's numerous chances to clear their lines in the build-up.

It was a goal that put Cardiff on the backfoot, a searching Kim Bo Kyung pass for the on-running Campbell the only real sign of a response to going behind in the first-half.

In fact it was the Eagles who continued to look a threat for the remainder of the initial period, Barry Bannan, Jason Puncheon and Joel Ward all coming close before the interval.

Frustrated by his teams first-half display, Malky introduced Craig Noone into proceedings to replace Cowie on the right side of the City midfield.

It brought fresh impetus to the Bluebirds midfield, but it was Palace who remained threatening on the counter attack, Puncheon's effort from 25-yards drifting just wide of Marshall's near post.

The Scot was soon called into action once again as a Jerome shot ricocheted off Theophile-Catherine before bringing the best from Marshall who palmed it away at his near post.

Soon the Eagles had doubled their lead however, Bannan's dangerous cross for Jerome, cleared by Turner only to see it fall to Chamakh who made no mistake, rifling the ball home into the bottom right hand corner of the net.

Marshall was at his best once again as he clawed a Jerome header just off the line with twenty minutes to go. Referee Mike Jones pointing to his wrist to signal that goal-line technology had gone through it's toughest test to date, but more importantly kept the Bluebirds' deficit to two.

Andreas Cornelius was brought on with fifteen minutes to go as he replaced Campbell, but it was Mutch who almost grabbed a late goal only to head over from a Noone cross.

Cardiff City: Marshall, Caulker (C), Turner, Whittingham, Medel, Campbell (Cornelius 68), Kim (Odemwingie 60), Mutch, Cowie (Noone 45), Theophile-Catherine, John. Subs not used: Lewis; Connolly, Hudson, Gunnarsson.

Crystal Palace: Speroni, Ward, Gabbidon, Delaney, Moxey (Mariappa 25), Dikgacoi, Jedinak, Bannan (O'Keefe 84), Puncheon, Chamakh, Jerome. Subs not used: Price, Williams, Kebe, Gayle, Phillips.

Goals: Jerome (6), Chamakh (57).