Tony Pulis was triumphant against his former club, with Crystal Palace snatching a vital victory at the expense of Stoke City. The goal from Jason Puncheon proved sufficient, with the three points pulling Palace out of the relegation zone.
The hosts got things started quickly at Selhurst Park, although they probably didn’t mean to take their chances at both ends. In the 5th minute, Joel Ward got on the end of a cross from Yannick Bolasie, but placed his header just wide. Moments later, Palace defender Danny Gabbidon very nearly put the ball past his own keeper when trying to clear the danger.
Stoke, much more so than under Pulis, were set to go for it as well, with Marc Wilson forcing Julian Speroni into a save after a free kick from Charlie Adam. Shortly thereafter, leftback Erik Pieters got himself forward and slammed in a shot, but could only get the ball into the side netting.
The visitors kicked off the second half with another great chance. Jonathan Walters headed on to Charlie Adam, who evaded the Palace defenders before putting in a shot from distance. The midfielder came within inches - and ultimately, Stoke were left to rue the missed chance.
Not five minutes later, Palace took the lead - and kept it. Jason Puncheon pounced to steal the ball from Stoke and went for goal himself, slotting the ball into the bottom left corner.
Surprisingly enough, Pulis’s side didn’t cease their attack after the goal, with a wide variety of players looking to get a second for Palace. Ward came close again, forcing a save from Jack Butland. The Stoke keeper had to work quickly to stop Marouane Chamakh from scoring the rebound, and then to deny another from Puncheon.
Stoke did everything they could to grab a point at the death, to the point of throwing Ryan Shawcross forward in hopes that the defender would somehow knock one in. Adam forced a save in added time, but that was as close as the Potters could come.
Crystal Palace: Speroni, Mariappa, Gabbidon, Delaney, Parr, Bolasie (Moxey 86), Ward, Jedinak, Puncheon, Guédioura (O’Keefe 68), Chamakh (Wilbraham 86)
Goals: Puncheon 51'
Stoke City: Butland, Cameron, Shawcross, Wilson, Pieters, Whelan (Ireland 58), Nzonzi, Adam, Walters (Guidetti 79), Assaidi (Arnautović 72), Crouch