Crystal Palace 1-2 Leeds

Leeds moved above Watford into third and closed the gap on second-placed Sheffield United to six points after goals from Robbie Blake and Rob Hulse.

The visitors led on 33 minutes when Fitz Hall failed to clear Hulse's cross, allowing Blake to tap in.

And they made it 2-0 after the break when Hulse diverted Liam Miller's cross in off the bar.

Palace improved after Aki Riihilahti's introduction but Jobi McAnuff's curling 20-yard effort was only a consolation.

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Crystal Palace boss Iain Dowie:
"Leeds deserved to win. They were not massively better than us, but we didn't get going until the end.

"We seemed to lack hunger, and that was disappointing. We were second-best far too often in both boxes; it was a really flat performance.

"It was a big opportunity missed. We still hope to reach second place, but we have a mountain to climb."

Leeds boss Kevin Blackwell:
"People thought the race for automatic promotion was finished a long time ago, but we never agreed.

"Sheffield United are still in the ascendancy, but we feel we have a chance of catching them.

"We have to keep chasing, and we are doing as much as we can."

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Crystal Palace: Kiraly, Ward, Fitz Hall, Boyce, Borrowdale, McAnuff, Watson (Riihilahti 56), Hughes, Soares (Leigertwood 58), Johnson, Morrison.
Subs Not Used: Popovic, Andrews, Speroni.

Goals: McAnuff 90.

Leeds: Sullivan, Kelly, Crainey, Butler, Gregan, Lewis (Pugh 87), Miller, Douglas, Derry, Hulse, Blake (Healy 87).
Subs Not Used: Bennett, Bakke, Moore.

Goals: Blake 33, Hulse 53.

Att: 23,843

Ref: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire).