Glenn Murray's solitary strike was enough for Crystal Palace as they won their first league game in eight.

The 28-year-old struck soon after half-time, slotting home after a neat turn by Wilfried Zaha to condemn Nottingham Forest to their fourth straight defeat.

It was a fifth goal of the season for a player who recently hit a Carling Cup winner against Manchester United.

Steve Cotterill's Forest remain in the relegation zone having not scored in their last four games.

The goalscorer could have put Palace ahead early on but Forest goalkeeper Lee Camp saved well from his 25-yard drive.

Former Liverpool winger Paul Anderson's shot was blocked by defender Anthony Gardner as Forest pushed for the opener.

Lewis McGugan could have scored but headed narrowly over from Andy Reid's cross.

Murray was the hero for Palace, though, as he ended their long wait for a Championship victory.

Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cotterill: "We could have been 4-0 up at half-time and ended up winning the game six.

"There is not a lot wrong with us and we played some fantastic football. But it's not a big secret that we struggle to score goals.

"If we had a regular 20-goal-a-season man we would not have lost the games we have come to the stage when one or two of our strikers have got to come to the fore.

"We have tried all sorts of permutations, we work on our finishing in training but we have got to find a way of taking chances and getting on the end of all the crosses that go into the opposition box."

Crystal Palace manager Dougie Freedman: "It was a fantastic result and the performance merited it.

"Forest are a good team with good attacking players but we stood up to them and got our rewards.

"We showed a lot of spirit and pride to come away with a result. Our performances recently have been good but we have not been getting the crucial goals. Today we did.

"We are a growing team and a growing club and to be sitting in the top half of the division and in the semi-final of a cup is great. The good thing is that we are getting better all the time."

Lineup, Bookings (7) & Substitutions (5)

Nottingham Forest

  • 01 Camp
  • 03 Cunningham Booked
  • 04 Chambers
  • 05 Morgan (Reid - 20' )
  • 16 Gunter
  • 07 Anderson (McGugan - 72' )
  • 14 Greening Booked
  • 19 Moussi Booked
  • 28 Majewski (Blackstock - 72' Booked )
  • 12 McCleary
  • 20 Tudgay

Substitutes

  • 21 Smith
  • 10 McGugan
  • 11 Reid
  • 23 Blackstock
  • 24 Findley

Crystal Palace

  • 01 Speroni
  • 02 Clyne
  • 03 Wright
  • 05 McCarthy
  • 06 Gardner
  • 04 Parr
  • 15 Jedinak Booked
  • 28 O'Keefe (Dikgacoi - 77' )
  • 11 Scannell (Easter - 81' )
  • 16 Zaha Booked
  • 17 Murray Booked

Substitutes

  • 34 Price
  • 07 Ambrose
  • 08 Dikgacoi
  • 19 Easter
  • 35 C Martin
Ref: Phil Gibbs
Att: 21,405

Match Stats

Shots

12 6

On target

7 2

Corners

11 1

Fouls

8 10

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +5:30

The referee brings the game to a close.

90:00 +4:44 Booking

Booking Dexter Blackstock receives a caution for unsporting behaviour.

90:00 +4:33

Dexter Blackstock gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Jonathan Parr. Free kick taken by Jonathan Parr.

90:00 +3:12

The referee blows for offside against Glenn Murray. Indirect free kick taken by Lee Camp.

90:00 +2:25

Andy Reid sends in a cross, save by Julian Speroni.

90:00 +0:15

A cross is delivered by Greg Cunningham, Dexter Blackstock takes a shot. Save made by Julian Speroni.

88:58

Shot from just outside the area by Kagisho Dikgacoi goes over the bar.

86:28

Jermaine Easter is adjudged to have handled the ball. Luke Chambers takes the direct free kick.

85:37

Shot by Lewis McGugan. Save by Julian Speroni.

84:54

The official flags Glenn Murray offside. Lee Camp takes the free kick.

84:22

Unfair challenge on Patrick McCarthy by Dexter Blackstock results in a free kick. Julian Speroni restarts play with the free kick.

83:09

Garath McCleary produces a cross, clearance made by Patrick McCarthy.

81:29

Outswinging corner taken by Lewis McGugan, Luke Chambers has a headed effort at goal from deep inside the area missing to the left of the target.

81:18

Corner taken by Lewis McGugan from the right by-line, Jonathan Parr makes a clearance.

81:05

The ball is swung over by Greg Cunningham, blocked by Jonathan Parr.

80:22 Substitution

Substitution Jermaine Easter replaces Sean Scannell.

80:07

Effort on goal by Wilfried Zaha from inside the area goes harmlessly over the bar.

79:21

The ball is sent over by Andy Reid.

77:03

Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Andy Reid, Lewis McGugan has a headed effort from just outside the penalty area which clears the crossbar.

76:13 Substitution

Substitution Stuart O'Keefe goes off and Kagisho Dikgacoi comes on.

75:51

The ball is swung over by Garath McCleary, Anthony Gardner makes a clearance.

74:13

Patrick McCarthy concedes a free kick for a foul on Dexter Blackstock. Direct strike on goal from the free kick comes in from Lewis McGugan.

71:04

Free kick taken by Lee Camp.

71:04 Substitution

Substitution Dexter Blackstock comes on in place of Radoslaw Majewski.

71:04 Substitution

Substitution Lewis McGugan comes on in place of Paul Anderson.

71:04

Stuart O'Keefe is flagged offside by the assistant referee.

70:20

Free kick crossed by Sean Scannell.

70:20 Booking

Booking Guy Moussi goes into the book for unsporting behaviour.

70:11

Free kick awarded for a foul by Guy Moussi on Glenn Murray.

68:18 Booking

Booking Booking for Glenn Murray.

68:02

Glenn Murray is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Lee Camp takes the free kick.

67:23

The ball is delivered by Glenn Murray.

66:13

The referee blows for offside. Lee Camp restarts play with the free kick.

65:47

Glenn Murray concedes a free kick for a foul on Guy Moussi. Greg Cunningham takes the free kick.

63:42

Mile Jedinak gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Andy Reid. Andy Reid takes the direct free kick.

62:25

Corner from the right by-line taken by Andy Reid, clearance made by Sean Scannell.

62:11

A cross is delivered by Garath McCleary, Julian Speroni makes a save.

60:13

Free kick awarded for a foul by Garath McCleary on Sean Scannell. Direct free kick taken by Jonathan Parr.

59:42

David Wright has an effort at goal from outside the box which goes wide left of the goal.

59:08

Handball by Luke Chambers. David Wright takes the free kick.

58:44

The ball is delivered by Greg Cunningham, Marcus Tudgay takes a shot. Julian Speroni makes a save.

55:56

Assist by Wilfried Zaha.

55:56 Goal scored

Goal - Glenn Murray - Nott'm For 0 - 1 C Palace Glenn Murray scores a goal from inside the area to the bottom left corner of the goal. Nottm Forest 0-1 Crystal Palace.

54:52 Booking

Booking Caution for Jonathan Greening.

54:35 Booking

Booking Greg Cunningham is shown a yellow card.

54:13 Booking

Booking Wilfried Zaha is shown a yellow card.

53:22

Unfair challenge on Wilfried Zaha by Jonathan Greening results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Sean Scannell.

50:14

Corner from the left by-line taken by Andy Reid, Julian Speroni makes a save.

50:07

A cross is delivered by Garath McCleary, Nathaniel Clyne gets a block in.

49:33

Jonathan Greening delivers the ball, save made by Julian Speroni.

48:59

Corner taken right-footed by Jonathan Greening to the near post, Glenn Murray makes a clearance.

48:40

Jonathan Greening sends in a cross, Anthony Gardner manages to make a clearance.

48:08

Marcus Tudgay fouled by Jonathan Parr, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Andy Reid.

47:13

Shot on goal by Radoslaw Majewski from just inside the area goes over the target.

45:54

Unfair challenge on Guy Moussi by Glenn Murray results in a free kick. Lee Camp restarts play with the free kick.

45:01

The referee starts the second half.

45:00 +3:12

The first half comes to an end.

45:00 +2:13

The ball is delivered by Chris Gunter.

45:00 +1:41

Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Mile Jedinak played to the near post, clearance by Jonathan Greening.

45:00 +0:19

Unfair challenge on Wilfried Zaha by Andy Reid results in a free kick. Sean Scannell takes the direct free kick, Anthony Gardner produces a drilled right-footed shot from 12 yards. Save by Lee Camp.

42:08

Nathaniel Clyne produces a cross, Luke Chambers makes a clearance.

40:58

Foul by Guy Moussi on Glenn Murray, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by David Wright.

36:14

Andy Reid delivers the ball from the free kick left-footed from left wing, clearance by Glenn Murray.

36:14 Booking

Booking Mile Jedinak receives a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.

36:06

Mile Jedinak challenges Greg Cunningham unfairly and gives away a free kick.

32:59

Garath McCleary sends in a cross.

32:10

The assistant referee signals for offside against Wilfried Zaha.

28:49

Jonathan Greening handles the ball and concedes a free kick. Nathaniel Clyne takes the direct free kick.

25:22

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Marcus Tudgay by Anthony Gardner. Andy Reid takes the free kick.

23:32

Jonathan Greening takes the inswinging corner, clearance made by Nathaniel Clyne.

23:03

Corner taken left-footed by Andy Reid from the right by-line, clearance by Anthony Gardner.

22:47

Garath McCleary has an effort at goal from 20 yards. Save by Julian Speroni.

19:01 Substitution

Substitution Wes Morgan leaves the field to be replaced by Andy Reid.

14:43

Inswinging corner taken by Jonathan Greening, clearance by Patrick McCarthy.

14:11

Garath McCleary takes a shot. Blocked by Wilfried Zaha.

13:39

Outswinging corner taken by Jonathan Greening from the right by-line played to the near post, Anthony Gardner makes a clearance.

13:20

Luke Chambers takes a shot. Julian Speroni makes a save.

13:05

Effort on goal by Guy Moussi from 20 yards.

12:46

Corner taken by Jonathan Greening from the right by-line played to the near post, clearance made by Glenn Murray.

12:29

Paul Anderson has a drilled shot. Anthony Gardner gets a block in.

10:07

Wes Morgan fouled by Glenn Murray, the ref awards a free kick. Lee Camp takes the direct free kick.

7:54

Glenn Murray gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Jonathan Greening. Direct free kick taken by Jonathan Greening.

6:30

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Jonathan Parr by Radoslaw Majewski. Julian Speroni takes the free kick.

3:40

Free kick awarded for a foul by Mile Jedinak on Wes Morgan. Free kick taken by Lee Camp.

3:20

Glenn Murray has an effort at goal from 25 yards. Save made by Lee Camp.

2:39

A cross is delivered by Guy Moussi.

2:29

Chris Gunter crosses the ball, Anthony Gardner makes a clearance.

1:14

Marcus Tudgay delivers the ball, David Wright makes a clearance.

0:00

The game begins.

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