Crewe 0-0 C Palace

Dean Ashton (right) endured a frustrating afternoon

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Goal-shy Crewe wasted a glorious opportunity for a morale-boosting win against Crystal Palace to leave themselves firmly in relegation trouble.

Dario Gradi's men spurned a dozen chances to haul themselves closer to safety in a goalless stalemate that did neither side any favours.

Palace also saw any lingering hope of a play-off spot all but disappear as the visitors matched their hosts' profligacy in front of goal.

Only relegated Stockport have scored fewer goals at home than Crewe, who extended their winless sequence to nine matches with this result.

Francis was also left frustrated

And it wasn't hard to see why as they twice failed to take the lead within the first ten minutes.

First defender Efe Sodje had a powerful header from a corner cleared off the line, before Dean Ashton's poor control wasted a good opening.

A strong run from the young striker shortly afterwards, then a delicate touch on the edge of the box, both ended in shots blazed over the bar.

And Ashton further blotted his copybook when he became the first player booked after 25 minutes for a crude tackle on Steven Thomson.

Palace have slipped from league leaders in October to 11th under Trevor Francis, and are now six points off a play-off spot with two games left.

They looked the more composed side early on, Dougie Freedman denied by the alertness of Crewe keeper Ademola Bankole before Clinton Morrison failed to connect properly with a right-wing cross.

Wasteful

But Crewe continued to create the better chances, top scorer Rob Hulse spurning four opportunities before half-time.

First he saw a snap-shot deflected into the hands of Alex Kolinko - recalled in place of the injured Matt Clarke - before seeing a header well saved by the Palace keeper on the half-hour.

And in the moments immediately before the interval, Hulse volleyed a half-chance over before Kolinko saved superbly from another header.

Rodney Jack also sent a venomous shot inches over, and appeared to be held back by Dean Austin when through on goal on the hour.

But the visitors were equally wasteful, Ade Akinbiyi continuing his miserable form in front of goal.

Freedman fared no better than his colleagues

The former Leicester striker saw a header clip the cross-bar after 43 minutes, and another attempt cleared off the line early in the second half.

A third headed chance went begging from Simon Rodger's precise cross, while Julian Gray should also have done better from close range after 51 minutes.

Francis opted to replace Republic of Ireland striker Morrison with midfielder Tommy Black for the second half, pushing Freedman further forward.

But the Scotland striker was just as wasteful as his colleagues with a woeful header wide in the 56th minute.

At the other end, Palace were again indebted to the brilliance of Kolinko to deny another Sodje header from a corner, while Jack sidefooted wide after 69 minutes.

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Crewe: Bankole, Wright, Walton, Sodje, Smith, Sorvel, Lunt, Whalley, Jack, Hulse, Ashton. Subs: Ince, Foster, Vaughan, Steve Jones, Collins.

Crystal Palace: Kolinko, Austin, Mullins, Granville, Fleming, Riihilahti, Thomson, Gray, Freedman, Morrison, Akinbiyi. Subs: Black, Rubins, Frampton, Carasso, Rodger.

Referee: B Knight (Orpington)