BATTLING City grabbed a useful point away to Neil Warnock's in-form Palace with their third consecutive 1-1 draw of the festive period.

Darel Russell gave an energetic City side the lead in the ninth minute when he rolled home his second goal in three games, only for Clinton Morrison to level for the Eagles five minutes after the break.

An entertaining game saw Glenn Roeder's Canaries extend their unbeaten run to seven games and Palace extend theirs to 13, as both clubs continue their rejuvenation under new managers.

Before the game City boss Roeder made some key changes to the team following Saturday's 1-1 draw at home to Wolves.

Into the starting line-up came skipper Mark Fotheringham, making a welcome return to action after a brief lay-off due to a hamstring strain, Lee Croft and Dion Dublin.

With Jimmy Smith having returned to Chelsea at the end of his loan spell, the others to make way were Darren Huckerby and Ched Evans, who were both on the substitutes bench at Selhurst Park.

With Dublin joining leading scorer Jamie Cureton up front, the likely midfield set-up behind them looked to be Croft on the right, Pattison on the left and a central pairing of Russell and Fotheringham.

There was also a return to the squad for Scottish midfielder Simon Lappin, another of today's substitutes.

Palace started the game full of confidence as you would expect after a run of 12 games unbeaten - and tested Marshall in only the 2nd minute, Soares hitting a low shot which Marshall collected at the second attempt.

Within a minute Scannell's cross from the right was knocked on by Scowcroft into the path of Morrison - but the one-time City loan target blazed well over from 14 yards with only Marshall to beat.

It was a let-off for City but they responded well, Croft stinging the hands of Speroni with a low angled drive after collecting a good ball from Pattison.

And after that they went one better as they stunned the Selhurst Park crowd by taking the lead in the 9th minute.

The goal came when Cureton deftly volleyed Otsemobor's throw into the box into the path of Dublin, comprehensively beating the Palace offside line in the process. With Speroni scrambling across to block the anticipated shot from Dublin the veteran striker instead hit the ball across the six-yard box, giving Russell the easiest of chances to tap the ball into the empty net.

It was Russell's second goal in three games as Norwich looked to end Palace's surge towards the play-offs under Neil Warnock.

They had a reasonably chance to extend their lead in the 13th minute when Croft's cross from the right was met by a firm header from Dublin - but fortunately for Palace it was straight at Speroni and he clutched to the ball to his chest.

City were now playing some nice, confident football, with Dublin in particular displaying some clever touches as City pushed for a second.

In the 20th minute after good work from Fotheringham on the right, Dublin found himself with the ball at his feet 22 yards out - and attempted a cheeky chip over Speroni which cleared the bar by a couple of feet.

A minute later Jason Shackell found himself the recipient of the game's first yellow card as he was cautioned for a heavy challenge on Scannell.

The Norwich pressure continued as first they earned a free-kick on the right which was intelligently rolled into the path of Cureton by Fotheringham, but the City striker was unable to turn and shoot with the ball behind him.

Then in the 25th minute a foul on Russell on the edge of the Palace box gave Mo Camara a chance to blast a free-kick goalwards, but it was deflected over and behind off the Palace wall.

Palace were desperate to claw their way back on to level terms and were inches away from doing just that in the 27th minute when Morrison and Scowcroft combined to set up Butterfield, only for his fierce low drive to skid narrowly wide of the far post.

Lee Croft did well in the 33rd minute to control a deep ball to the right-hand corner before whipping in a cross which after taking a slight deflection was met by a diving header from Cureton, only for Speroni to collect comfortably.

Palace were then forced to make a substitution, Danny Butterfield presumably having picked up a knock as he made way for Jose Fonte.

But Fonte and his team-mates seemed half asleep in the 36th minute as huge goal-kick from Marshall was allowed to bounce all the way through to Cureton on the right-hand side of the Palace box. However, with Russell racing into the centre of the area, Cureton chose to shoot from a tight angle and Speroni easily saved.

In the 40th minute a brief period of home pressure ended when Scannell blazed well over from 20 yards under pressure from Shackell.

With the half edging towards its conclusion, the home fans were just beginning to voice their frustration - which wasn't helped when referee Mr M.Thorpe (rightly) awarded a free-kick on the right touchline for obstruction on Croft.

Pattison swung over a good free-kick met with a firm header from Dublin which flew well wide from 12 yards out.

Half-time: Crystal Palace 0, Norwich City 1

The Canaries carried on were they had left off after the break, Cureton's looping header from Croft's superb run and cross tipped over at full stretch by Speroni with barely a minute of the second half on the clock.

But all of their hard work so far was undone in the 50th minute as they conceded what can only be described as a soft goal.

It came when Ben Watson's deep free-kick into the box was allowed to drop to the completely unmarked Clinton Morrison to net past Marshall with an easy back-header from about seven yards.

City were stung into action and nearly made an immediate response as Darel Russell picked up the ball on the edge of the Palace box and crashed a low shot goalwards only to be denied by a superb block from Derry.

With half an hour to go there was a close scrape for City as Morrison capitalised on defensive hesitancy to blast in an effort which was deflected a foot over the City bar - with the referee signalling a goal-kick although it looked as if Shackell may have got the last touch diving in well to block the danger.

In the 69th minute Warnock made another change, Watson making way for Carl Fletcher.

Three minutes later Tom Soares showed good skill to break clear on City's right, but with perhaps more productive options open to him chose to try a curler from 30 yards which drifted well wide.

Roeder made a double change in the 77th minute, Ched Evans replacing Cureton and Darren Huckerby coming on for Croft to a 'warm' welcome from the Palace fans.

Both sides began to look cautious as the final stages of the game approached, though Scowcroft will feel he could have done better with his 83rd minute header from Hill's cross which was too close to Marshall and easily dealt with.

Warnock made his final change a minute later, Dougie Freedman on for Scannell.

The game was finely poised - and at the other end in the 88th minute Pattison picked out Evans with a good pass through a crowded Palace area and the young sub's turn and shot fizzed just wide of Speroni's far post.

As the match entered the four minutes of injury time Freedman rolled a long pass across the edge of the City box to fellow Palace sub Fletcher, but his shot was well held by Marshall.

Crystal Palace: Speroni, Lawrence, Hill, Hudson (c), Scowcroft, Morrison, Watson (Fletcher 69), Soares, Butterfield (Fonte 35), Derry, Scannell (Freedman 84). Subs not used: Hills, Hall.

Norwich City: Marshall, Otsemobor, Shackell, Croft (Huckerby 77), Dublin, Cureton (Evans 77), Fotheringham (c), Camara, Russell, Pattison, Doherty. Subs not used: Brown, Lappin, Arnold.