Crystal Palace played host to Hull City in the Premier League this evening, looking for the win that would move them level on points with their opponents.
Jason Puncheon scored the only goal of the game in the first half, but the Tigers put up a fight in the second period.
The Palace defence withstood intense pressure, and the points were as good as theirs when Hull goalkeeper Allan McGregor was given his marching orders following an off-the-ball incident late on.
Find out how all the action unfolded with out minute-by-minute text commentary below.
Hello and welcome to our live text coverage of tonight's Premier League contest between Crystal Palace and Hull City, two sides who could really use three points. The Eagles are hoping to push further away from the drop zone, while Hull will be battling to avoid being pulled into a relegation scrap.
Team news incoming...
PALACE: Speroni, Mariappa, Gabbidon, Delaney, Moxey, Puncheon, Ward, Jedinak, Bolasie, Chamakh, Jerome
HULL: McGregor, Bruce, Davies, McShane, Rosenior, Elmohamady, Meyler, Huddlestone, Livermore, Jelavic, Long
We should be in for a great contest tonight, with both managers fielding attacking sides. Marouane Chamakh is the danger man for Palace, partnering Cameron Jerome up front, while Hull have paired up record signings Shane Long and Nikica Jelavic.
Hull boss Steve Bruce took something of a gamble when he signed Jelavic from Everton given that the striker had been misfiring for some time, but it was almost certainly a case of diminished confidence rather than ability. Perhaps he can begin proving that this evening?
These two sides head into the match within touching distance of one another. Palace's revival under Pulis has seen the Premier League's former basement club climb out of the drop zone and push towards mid-table. Victory over 11th-placed Hull would see them draw level on points with them. Who would have guessed they'd be in that position two months ago?
History does not favour the Tigers, who haven't won at Selhurst Park in their last 10 visits in all competitions. The last time they were here, they went down 4-2 during a 2013 Championship fixture that saw veteran striker Kevin Phillips bag a hat-track.
Palace were also victorious in this season's reverse fixture, ending a winless run of eight games with a 1-0 victory at the KC Stadium. Barry Bannan was on target that day, and Pulis watched from the stands.
The Eagles have looked much tighter defensively since Pulis took over, but still struggle to find goals. They are the second-lowest scorers in the Premier League this season ahead of Cardiff City, managing to find the net just 14 times so far.
Goals have also been a problem for the visitors, who have failed to score in their past three league fixtures. Only Aston Villa have gone four matches on the spin without a goal, but the Tigers will be hoping that the captures of Jelavic and Long will nip that problem in the bud.
Based on some of those stats, we could well be in for a goalless draw here, although there are other factors to take into account. Hull don't travel well, having the joint-worst away record in the division alongside Stoke City, but the recruitment of a new strikeforce might just be the shot in the arm they so desperately need.
PREDICTION: Although goals have been a problem for both of these sides, recent developments suggest that trends might just be bucked tonight. I'm going for a 1-1 draw with Chamakh on target for the hosts and Jelavic opening his account for his new club.
There's a milestone to inform you of this evening as Hull midfielder David Meyler makes his 50th appearance for the club. The Irishman has hit seven goals since joining the Tigers from Sunderland and been a mainstay in their starting XI.
Some pre-match comments from members of both teams coming up...
Shane Long: "Obviously, every year the aim is 40 points and the quicker you get there, the better. We’ve got a few games coming up in the next month that are winnable. If we can pick up three points here and there it will take that bit of pressure off us and we can start looking up rather than down."
Steve Bruce: "We hope, fingers crossed, they can work well together. That’s why we’ve paid all this money. One’s big, strong and powerful and the other is quick, mobile and playsoff. It’s got to be given a bit of time but it’s got all the makings of a good partnership."
The Hull boss was, of course, discussing his new strike pairing of Long and Jelavic there. Here's what his opposite number Pulis had to say ahead of tonight's game...
Tony Pulis: "I spent 10 years at Stoke. The supporters have been absolutely wonderful, absolutely fantastic. There would have to be a massive reason to leave and let them down. I’d find that very difficult to do."
The Eagles manager has been quick to distance himself from reports that he could quit Selhurt Park in the future, and after guiding his side to five wins and a draw during his time in charge, that will surely come as a relief for Palace supporters.
Both sets of players are out on there on the pitch ahead of kickoff, but which one will come out on top? Stay tuned to find out!
KICKOFF! Crystal Palace get the match under way, kicking from left to right in this first half.
Hull are the first of the two sides to venture forward as Nikica Jelavic picks up possession from 25 yards out. He unleashes a tame effort that fails to trouble Julian Speroni in the Palace goal.
Palace have a sniff at goal at the other end following a well-worked free kick from Joel Ward. He finds Mile Jedinak inside the box, who wins the first corner of the evening with a deflected strike that ends up behind.
Hull are looking confident this evening, passing the ball around at lightning pace. Shane Long has just chased down a long ball into the Palace box, but failed to connect with the lofted pass. Jelevic is also making his presence felt up front.
CHANCE! Hull carve out the first clear-cut chance after Jake Livermore plays a searching ball into the area. Jelevic gets in there ahead of his marker but misses the cross at full stretch. He should have done better there!
CHANCE! Palace threaten at the other end following another set piece, with which Jason Puncheon finds the head of Jedinak in front of goal. He out-jumps Allan McGregor and connects well, but heads over the bar.
Hull appeal for a penalty as Jelavic goes down in the box under Adrian Mariappa's challenge, but the referee waves away their protests. They win their first corner of the night moments later as Tom Huddlestone's dangerous cross is headed behind.
PENALTY APPEAL! Shane Long cuts into the box and pushed off the ball by Daniel Gabbidon, whose challenge is clumsy. The referee isn't convinced it was a foul, but that's a contentious decision! Steve Bruce is furious on the touchline.
GOAL! Crystal Palace 1-0 Hull City (Jason Puncheon)
Palace were fortunate to avoid conceding a penalty moments earlier, now they're in front as Jason Puncheon lashes an effort into the top corner from inside the box. Yannick Bolasie played in a cross from the right, finding Puncheon, whose original header was blocked, but he made no mistake the second time around.
Damien Delaney and Shane Long collide just outside the Palace area. Both players come out of the challenge in a bad way, but Delaney took the brunt of that one. Play will stop for a moment, though both men will soldier on.
BOOKING! There's quite a battle going on between Delaney and Long tonight. The former receives the game's first yellow card for going through the Hull striker with a hard challenge. That might well have been retribution for Long's earlier tackle on him!
Half-chance for Palace as Marouane Chamakh cuts into the area and squares a pass towards Cameron Jerome, who dummies it with Yannick Bolasie closing in, but the Hull defence are on hand to scramble the ball away.
Palace looking comfortable in possession since taking the lead, particularly in the final third. If they can keep applying this kind of pressure, the Hull defence looks like it may cave once again.
More pressure from the Eagles as Puncheon hoists a lofted pass into the Hull box. Liam Rosenior heads it behind for a corner, which eventually finds its way to an unmarked Adrian Mariappa, who blazes a shot into the stands.
We've seen little in the way of link-up play between Jelavic and Long so far tonight. The two of them building up an understanding could be vital to the Tigers clawing their way back into this match.
Hull threaten from a free kick as Tom Huddlestone floats a cross into the area, which Mariappa heads clear. Palace attempt to break following the clearance, but the visitors regain possession and push Palace onto the back foot again.
Much better from Hull! They pressed have the Palace rear guard these past few minutes with a long-range attempt from Huddlestone being blocked and Julian Speroni forced to leap high to claim an in-swinging cross.
SHOT! Mile Jedinak goes for goal from another Palace free kick, forcing Allan McGregor to tip his effort behind for a corner. The Tigers keeper made a meal of that one as he had a clear view of it all the way. Bolasie heads over from the resulting corner.
Palace are deserving of their 1-0 lead based on the share of the possession so far, but Hull are making a game of it, with Ahmed Elmohamady and Tom Huddlestone looking capable of providing ammunition for Long and Jelavic.
A great team move from Palace stops in its tracks as Dean Moxey fires into the stand from 20 yards out. The referee's assistant indicates that there will be two minutes of stoppage time in the first half.
SHOT! Tom Huddlestone hits a free kick from just outside the area, forcing Julian Speroni to beat his effort clear. It was an uncomfortable save from the Argentine, and the rebound could have ended up anywhere. Fortunately for Palace, their defence was on hand to clear its lines.
HALF TIME: Crystal Palace 1-0 Hull City
Jason Puncheon's goal separates Crystal Palace and Hull City at half time, and the Eagles deserve their advantage. They have been the more creative of the two sides, and always looked like penetrating the Tigers' defence.
It was by no means one-way traffic in the first period. Hull had two penalty claims turned down, the second of which might well have been given on any other day. Daniel Gabbidon's challenge on Shane Long was clumsy, and could easily have turned out worse for him.
As things stand, Palace will move level on points with Hull, so there is everything to play for in the second half. It's so tight in the lower reaches of the Premier League, so no doubt the Tigers will be looking over their shoulders nervously.
KICK OFF! Hull City get the match back under way.
Hull certainly look capable of getting back into this one, but they will need to get better service to their front pairing of Jelavic and Long in this second half.
SHOT! Long and Jelavic link up as the Irishman lines up his teammate on the edge of the box, but the former Everton man's shot is blocked.
CHANCE! Paul McShane picks out Long in the final third, and he picks out his strike partner Jelavic with a looping cross into the box. The Croatian squanders the chance, the ball rebounding off his shoulder and going behind.
SHOT! Another Hull chance goes begging as Jake Livermore picks up possession from 18 yards out and goes for goal, his strike flying over the crossbar and into the stand. He had the time and space to do better, but Hull are looking rejuvenated in this second half.
Steve Bruce's side are keeping Palace on the back foot in this second period, forcing them to defend deep. They are preparing to make a change, with George Boyd warming up on the touchline.
Palace apply some pressure themselves, but the move breaks down when Mile Jedinak puts way too much on a long ball and almost puts it out of the stadium. Hull have made their first chance, bringing on Boyd for David Meyler.
SAVE! Jelavic nods the ball on for Boyd to hit one from outside the box. The Scot's effort skims across the damp surface and Speroni can only parry it at full stretch. Long hits the rebound into the sidenetting from close range, but the offside flag spares his blushes.
CHANCE! Hull continue to pile on the pressure, Jake Livermore ghosting inside the box and firing a low cross across the face of goal. It hits Liam Rosenior, who is mere yards out, and ends up behind. That could have gone anywhere!
Half-chance for Hull as Jelavic bears down on goal and fires over from a tight angle. Chamakh is booked moments later for a mistimed challenge on Huddlestone.
Palace have played in defensive game in this second period, allowing Hull to ask all of the questions. The Eagles look solid at the back, but they are living dangerously.
CHANCE! Jason Puncheon plays in a cross from the right, and Jake Livermore's clearance falls kindly for substitute Patrick McCarthy, but his strike is blocked.
GREAT TACKLE! Puncheon unleashes Chamakh with a sneaky through ball, but Livermore steals it from the Palace striker's feet with an inch-perfect sliding tackle. There was no margin for error there as Chamakh was almost clean through on goal!
Another half-chance falls Hull's way as Boyd swings in a cross from the right and Jelavic connects to its with a high boot. Unfortunately for the Tigers, the Croatian's timing was well off, allowing Speroni to gather.
The two sides are looking evenly matched as the second half rolls on. Palace have defended doggedly, but have started to press Hull more these past few minutes.
Julian Speroni is down and in some discomfort after falling awkwardly when stretching to claim a cross. He drags himself to his feet and looks fit to continue, much to the relief of Pulis on the touchline.
Cameron Jerome and Allan McGregor are involved in an off-the-ball incident as the Palace striker lunges at the opposition's goalkeeper after he had claimed the ball. McGregor had both hands on the ball, so Jerome was reckless, receiving a booking for his part in the incident.
Jason Puncheon surges along the left wing with only Marouane Chamakh in support. He cuts inside the area and maintains possession well, but is forced off the ball by the back-peddling Jake Livermore.
Palace come close to carving out a golden opportunity to kill the game off as substitutes Stuart O'Keefe and Aaron Wilbraham link up. The latter is close to latching onto a through ball from his teammate, but his first touch let him down.
There will be five minutes of stoppage time to play. That will feel like an eternity for Palace and their supporters!
RED CARD! Oh my word! Hull keeper Allan McGregor is shown a red card for lashing out at Stuart O'Keefe after the Palace man went in late with a challenge. The Tigers stopper kicked O'Keefe off the ball and can have no complains about the early bath! With Steve Bruce having used all of his subs, Tom Huddlestone will finish the match in goal, while O'Keefe is booked for his part in the incident.
SHOT! Hull come within inches of snatching an equaliser at the death as the ball falls to substitute Stephen Quinn just outside the area. He hits it first time, and his effort flies narrowly wide of the far post with Speroni beaten!
FULL TIME: Crystal Palace 1-0 Hull City
Huddlestone didn't have a save to make, but his side still come away empty handed as Jason Puncheon's first-half strike wins it for Palace, who move level on points with Hull and take another step towards Premier League survival.
That's all we have time for tonight, but stick with Sports Mole for reports, analysis and reaction from all of tonight's games. Many thanks for joining us!
Written by
Mark Langshaw
Mark Langshaw
