Palace stun Everton in five-goal thriller

Crystal Palace put a serious dent in Everton’s Champions League aspirations with a 3-2 win at Goodison Park.

Goals from Jason Puncheon, Scott Dann and Cameron Jerome proved decisive as the visitors brought the Toffees’ impressive run of home form to an end.

The Londoners’ fourth consecutive win sees them move onto 40 points and well away from relegation danger in 11th.

Puncheon’s fourth goal in three games came on 22 minutes when Yannick Bolasie’s cross was palmed away to Marouane Chamakh, who cushioned the ball for Puncheon to finish.

Dann crashed home a header four minutes into the second half, forcing Roberto Martinez to respond with his second and third substitutions before the hour mark.

Steven Naismith bundled home a Leighton Baines knock-down to lift the home crowd, but Jerome added another on 72 minutes with a delicate curling effort.

Kevin Mirallas pounced on a deflection off Joe Ledley to bring the home side back within one goal, but the Toffees couldn’t make late pressure count.

22’ GOAL: Everton 0-1 Crystal Palace – Jason Puncheon receives a cushioned ball from Marouane Chamakh, and curls the ball past Tim Howard’s right hand.

34’ – CHANCE Palace: Yannick Bolasie’s fierce shot comes back off the Everton upright; Cameron Jerome can’t capitalise on the rebound

49' - GOAL: Everton 0-2 Crystal Palace  - Scott Dann doubles the visitors’ lead with a thumping header from a corner.

58’ - DOUBLE SUBSTITUTION – Everton: Roberto Martinez has already brought on Steven Naismith at half-time; he now adds Leon Osman and James McCarthy to the mix.

60' - GOAL: Everton 1-2 Crystal Palace: A deep cross from Mirallas is nodded back across the box by Leighton Baines, and Naismith bundles home. Game on!

72' - GOAL: Everton 1-3 Crystal Palace: Jerome restores Palace’s two-goal advantage with a cool finish after good work from Puncheon.

80’ – CHANCE Everton: Ross Barkley skips across the box and fires a shot across Speroni, but the Argentine saves with his legs.

85' - GOAL: Everton 2-3 Crystal Palace: Barkley’s through ball clips off Joe Ledley’s heel; Mirallas is alive to it and rounds Speroni to net Everton’s second.

90 + 6’ – FULL TIME – in spite of heavy pressure during six minutes of added time, the Toffees can’t get the equaliser, and the visitors leave with all three points.

Jason Puncheon scored for the fourth time in three matches as Crystal Palace won four games in a row for the first time since December 2007.

Despite their loss this evening, Everton’s points tally of 66 is their highest-ever in the Premier league.

TALKING POINT: Pulis performs prestidigitation – This Palace team looked a shoo-in for relegation after ten games. Tony Pulis has not only pulled them away from the relegation zone, he may end up getting them into the top half of the league by the season’s end. Liverpool and Man city, beware!

MAN OF THE MATCH: Yannick Bolasie (Crystal Palace). A constant thorn in Everton’s side tonight with his pace and directness, the Congolese is a massive asset in Tony Pulis’ game-plan of tight defending and attacking on the break.

EVERTON: Howard 6, Coleman 6, Baines 6, Stones 7, Distin 6, Barry 5, Deulofeu 6, Barkley 7, Mirallas 7, McGeady 6, Lukaku 5. Subs: Naismith 6, McCarthy 5, Osman 6.

CRYSTAL PALACE: Speroni 7, Ward 7, Mariappa 6, Dann 7, Delaney 6, Jedinak 7, Bolasie 8, Puncheon 7, Ledley 7, Chamakh 8, Jerome 7. Subs: Parr 6, O’Keefe 6, Murray 6.