JASON PUNCHEON keeps on proving that he may not be the world’s best penalty-taker – but give him a chance in open play and he can be deadly.
For the second home game running the winger was the man who grabbed a precious three points for Palace as his first-half strike condemned unlucky Hull to defeat.
Puncheon’s spot-kick miss against Tottenham three weeks ago is still talked about as one of the worst ever.
But since then the winger has bagged the winning goal against Stoke – and now this strike, which moved Palace level with Hull on 23points as the survival bid gathered pace.
Hull boss Steve Bruce, who spent four months as Palace manager back in 2001 before walking out to take over at Birmingham, gave debuts tohis new £14.5 million strike force of Shane Long and Nikica Jelavic.
Hull had a good early case for a penalty snubbed by referee Roger East, when Danny Gabbidon appeared to bundle Long over in the area.
But to pile on the agony for Bruce, Palace went straight back up the ?eld and scored. Yannick Bolasie skipped past Paul McShane and crossed.
Puncheon’s ?rst header was inadvertently blocked by team-mate Marouane Chamakh, but the ball came back to the winger and he rammed his shot high into the net.
Hull looked out of sorts as Puncheon and Bolasie raided continually down the ?anks with determination and speed, and when another cross was only half-cleared, Adrian Mariappa cracked a drive just over.
The worry for Palace boss Tony Pulis though, was that the chances were not being taken.
Hull’s Allan McGregor produced a superb save to tip Mile Jedinak’s ?erce 25-yard free-kick over the bar.
Palace were winning most of the 50-50 balls, defending doggedly, and breaking with speed and venom.
Right on the stroke of half-time they almost paid for that pro?igacy, as Tom Huddlestone ?red in a free-kick which Palace keeper Julian Speroni just managed to tip over the bar.
Then Palace were caught again, as Jedinak sloppily lost the ball on the edge of the area.
Jake Livermore pounced, but with the goal gaping, cracked his drive an inch over the bar.Hull werevastlyimproved after what must have been a half-time rollicking from Bruce, and Palace were holding on to their lead with increasing desperation.
Substitute George Boyd forced another save out of Speroni.
Then Liam Rosenoir somehow ?red wide from point-blank range after Livermore’s run, when it seemed easier to score.
Debutant Jelavic then wasted another opportunity.
Hull keeper McGregor was sent off in injury time after a clash with substitute Stuart O’Keefe and Huddlestone took over.