Crystal Palace 1-0 Sunderland

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Mark Hudson scored the only goal as Crystal Palace ended Sunderland's seven-match unbeaten run.

Grant Leadbitter had an early chance for the visitors while Clinton Morrison wasted a good opportunity for Palace.

Hudson's winner came on 41 minutes when he fired home on the half-volley after Shefki Kuqi won a header in the box.

Dean Whitehead sent a header just over and Julian Speroni denied Stanislav Varga as the Eagles defence withstood Sunderland's second-half pressure.

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Crystal Palace manager Peter Taylor singled out match-winner Hudson and goalkeeper Speroni following his side's 1-0 win against Sunderland.

Taylor said of Hudson: "People were maybe a touch negative about him, but to me he's a good lad on the training pitch and he's playing very well."

And he said of Speroni: "I thought the one save Julian made from the header was outstanding.

"It was disappointing to give away a free header but Jules has now played two matches and been very good."

Sunderland manager Roy Keane said: "I don't think we deserved anything. You've got to earn the right to win a game and it just passed us by.

"The game was there for the taking and we were looking to go on to the next step in terms of getting near the play-offs, but clearly we're not ready.

"And, clearly, some of our players aren't ready for the next challenge and that makes it so frustrating."

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Crystal Palace: Speroni, Ward, Hudson, Butterfield, Borrowdale, McAnuff, Soares, Fletcher, Kennedy (Lawrence 89), Morrison (Freedman 83), Kuqi (Scowcroft 71).Subs Not Used: Flinders, Reich.

Booked: Fletcher.

Goals: Hudson 41.

Sunderland: Ward, Caldwell, Varga, Nosworthy, Collins, Whitehead, Leadbitter (Wallace 60), Kavanagh, Miller (Yorke 75), Murphy (Brown 75), Connolly.Subs Not Used: Fulop, Nyatanga.

Booked: Varga.

Att: 17,439

Ref: L Probert (Gloucestershire).