Glenn Murray's 39th-minute strike sent Crystal Palace into the break with a 1-0 advantage over Birmingham City in this afternoon's Championship clash.
© PA Photos
Palace fired an early warning shot as early as the first minute when Wilfried Zaha picked up Jonathan Parr's cross inside the box and fired over the bar.
Birmingham created a few chances of their own in the first half. Scottish winger Christopher Burke tested Julian Speroni in the Palace goal in the eighth minute and Marlon King shot wide shortly after.
Neither side gave the other an inch in the first period, but Birmingham almost opened the scoring on 36 minutes through Peter Lovenkrands.
The Dane was denied by the in-form Speroni, and would rue his miss shortly after.
Yannick Bolasie swung a cross into the danger area in the 39th minute and Murray pounced from close range to make it 1-0 to Palace at the break.
Mark Langshaw
