Black serves up reward for Palace's resilience

Rotherham United 1 Crystal Palace 3

Crystal Palace returned to South Yorkshire, where they were knocked out of the Worthington Cup in midweek by Sheffield United, to demonstrate that the Eagles have not been grounded just yet.

They remain some way short of a First Division play-off place, but leapfrogged Rotherham with this impressive victory and suggested that their manager, Trevor Francis, may be right when he says they have been underachieving so far this season.

A goal from Julian Gray sandwiched between two from Tommy Black did the damage, but they were the reward for a powerful ensemble performance from a patient and well-organised side.

Palace's game plan was to soak up the early pressure from a team which came into the match on the back of two away wins, and to take advantage of whatever breaks came their way. It worked a treat.

Their goalkeeper, Alexander Kolinko, saved from Alan Lee and Darren Powell cleared Paul Warne's shot off the line before Palace scrambled the ball away and Dele Adebola galloped the length of the pitch, leaving defenders in his wake, before crossing for Black to tap in with just 12 minutes gone.

They doubled their advantage in similar fashion on the stroke of half-time when Shaun Derry picked up the ball in midfield and released Gray, who raced down the inside left channel before beating Mike Pollitt with a low, angled drive.

Any thoughts of a Millers revival were halted by the best goal of the game, and again it came out of nothing. Black picked up the ball on the left and, with defenders standing off him, he cut inside and unleashed a 20-yard drive which flew past Pollitt and dipped into the top corner of his net.

Those who believe Rotherham have been punching above their weight seemed vindicated, but they are a big side and try to make the most of it. They launched high balls in the direction of their tall strikers, especially from throw-ins, and Palace did well to survive a barrage into their penalty area.

"They came at us with a bombardment but we saw it off and we were always threatening on the counter-attack," Francis said.

"This is the worst we have played at home all season," said the Rotherham manager, Ronnie Moore. "We thought Palace were there to be beaten with all their injuries, but we didn't perform."

Rotherham's consolation came when Aki Riihilahti handled in the box. Kolinko saved Lee's penalty only for Darren Byfield to scramble in the loose ball. But by then Black and Gray had condemned them to the blues.

Goals: Black (12) 0-1; Gray (45) 0-2; Black (51) 0-3; Byfield (69) 1-3.

Rotherham United (4-4-2): Pollitt; Scott (Bryan, 80), Swailes, Hurst, McIntosh; Warne (Byfield, h-t), Mullin, Daws (Talbot, 66), Monkhouse; Barker, Lee. Substitutes not used: I Gray (gk), Robins.

Crystal Palace (3-5-2): Kolinko; Powell, Symons, Mullins; Butterfield (Togwell, 90), Riihilahti, Derry, Borrowdale, J Gray; Adebola, Black. Substitutes not used: Michopoulos (gk), Williams, Antwi, Heeroo.

Referee: P Joslin (Newark).

Bookings: Rotherham: Mullin, Byfield; Crystal Palace: Gray, Mullins.

Man of the match: Black.

Attendance: 6,829.