Coventry 2-1 C Palace

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Palace are into the play-offs despite losing at Coventry, who were playing under Peter Reid for the first time.

Danny Butterfield and Nico Vaesen almost scored own goals before Mo Konjic headed Coventry in front.

Mike Doyle finished superbly to make it 2-0 and Bjarni Gudjonsson forced Vaesen into a fine save, while Michael Hughes missed a great chance to pull one back.

Dougie Freedman made it 2-1 and Julian Gray had a shot cleared off the line as Palace hit back in the second half.

Palace had everything to play for but Coventry started like they were the play-off contenders, Gary McSheffrey cutting in from the right and firing straight at Nico Vaesen in the second minute.

Andy Morrell then ran on to a Gudjonsson through ball and, when he failed to control it, Butterfield turned it on to his own post.

KEY MOMENTS 4 mins: Konjic puts Coventry in front 27 mins: Doyle doubles Coventry's lead 64 mins: Freedman pulls one back for Palace 93 mins: Palace reach the play-offs depite their defeat

In the ensuing scramble, the ball came back across goal and almost went in off Vaesen.

The visitors were rocking and when Graham Barrett floated in a cross, Vaesen struggled to turn it over for a corner, from which the unmarked Konjic scored with a thumping downward header.

It was 2-0 when Doyle ran onto McSheffrey's pass and finished superbly into the far corner and Gudjonsson had a long-range shot palmed away by Vaesen as Coventry continued to dominate.

Hughes should have given the visitors hope just before the break but he fired wide following a long Butterfield throw.

It took a good save by Vaesen to deny Youssef Safri after the restart and Iain Dowie decided he had seen enough, replacing Mikele Leigertwood and Aki Rihilati with Freedman and Shaun Derry.

The chances kept coming for Coventry and Calum Davenport's header from Gudjonsson's free-kick was deflected over by Popovic to prevent a third.

But Freedman, who once scored the goal at Stockport which kept Palace in Division One in 2001, gave Dowie's team hope of escaping the right way when he converted Johnson's superb cross to make it 2-1.

Suddenly Palace looked galvanised, although Hughes took the enthusiasm too far with a rash challenge on Barrett, which led to a caution.

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Gray was then clear in the box and, with other players better placed, he blazed over from close range.

It should have been 2-2 moments later when a scything move left the Palace winger with just Scott Shearer to beat from six yards and he did that - but his shot was cleared off the line by Davenport.

The last 15 minutes were predictably frantic and Johnson fired in a dangerous cross which no-one could reach.

McSheffrey raced through and could have put the result beyond doubt but Vaesen denied him with his legs.

But then came a huge roar from the visting fans with news filtering through of an equaliser for Dowie's former club West Ham at Wigan.

Danny Granville had the last chance when he lashed a shot wide in the last minute but it hardly mattered to Palace, who will now face Sunderland.

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Coventry: Shearer, Deloumeaux, Konjic, Davenport, Warnock (Giddings 90), Gudjonsson, Safri, Doyle, Barrett (Jorgensen 78), Morrell (Shaw 72), McSheffrey.
Subs Not Used: Brush, Whing.

Booked: Morrell, McSheffrey.

Crystal Palace: Vaesen, Butterfield, Popovic, Leigertwood (Freedman 59), Granville, Routledge, Hughes, Gray, Riihilahti (Derry 59), Shipperley (Black 83), Johnson.
Subs Not Used: Berthelin, Borrowdale.

Booked: Popovic, Routledge, Hughes.

Attendance: 22,195.

Referee: A Butler (Nottinghamshire).