C Palace 2-0 Rotherham

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Crystal Palace moved into the top six in Division One with their fourth consecutive win.

Clinton Morrison broke the deadlock 10 minutes after the break before Jamie Smith doubled the lead 11 minutes from time.

Rotherham were looking to build on their shock FA Cup win over Southampton and could have taken the lead on a pitch that soon began to cut up.

Alan Lee got his head on Rob Scott's long throw but Palace keeper Alex Kolinko clawed the ball away from under his crossbar.

Vital challenge

Not to be outdone, Mike Pollitt pulled off a magnificent stop to keep out Dougie Freedman's header.

Kolinko came to the home side's rescue again on the stroke of half-time, when he dived smartly to keep out Lee's 25-yard thunderbolt.

Palace boss Trevor Francis brought on Smith and Julian Gray in the second half - and within 10 minutes the move paid off.

Skipper Hayden Mullins won a vital challenge in the centre circle, released the ball quickly to Morrison, who burst into the penalty area before tucking a low shot past Pollitt.

Morrison could have added to his tally but was denied by a splendid tackle by Pollitt.

Smith then struck to send Rotherham spinning to defeat, firing low into the far corner from Danny Granville's left-wing cross.

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Crystal Palace: Kolinko, Fleming, Symons, Granville, Popovic, Mullins, Rodger, Riihilahti, Kirovski, Freedman, Morrison. Subs: Smith, Hopkin, Gray, Benjamin, Clarke.

Rotherham: Pollitt, Scott, Swailes, McIntosh, Watson, Lee, Talbot, Hurst, Mullin, Warne, Richard Barker. Subs: Robins, Daws, Gray, Monkhouse, Branston.

Referee: M Cooper (Walsall).