Once again, Carrow Road proved to be the place to play if your team is on its uppers. Once again, a side that should have gone away with heads hung low instead left with a spring in their step.

Not so long ago Hull paid us a visit and put an end to their miseries on the road. The same week, Leicester almost stole the scene, but again, they have now turned a corner.

Is history to repeat itself? Palace ended their woes last night and now attention is turning to toubled Middlesborough. Is their rescue package now awaiting delivery?

It was forecast that Palace would pull out the stops with manager George Burley's job on the line after he received his board's "full support".

Admittedly, our strong defensive wall wsa different, enforced changes for Adam Drury's injured calf and Elliot Ward sitting on the naughty mat, and we saw Stephen Smith and Jens Berthal Askou as replacements respectively. Some time back Askou was the more dependable centre half, I felt, and ws nervous whenever he was off the pitch. Ring rust might have been to blame, but he did himself no favours when it comes to future contract talks.

Stephen Smith had cause to be on top form. A new baby daughter and a rare chance to start were all the resons he needed to perfrom well. Another one who will worry about the next round of talks about future employment.

It was difficult to tell, from my aspect, just who was responsible for the errors that allowed Palace their easy set-piece goals, but even manager, Paul Lambert says that players should mark their man. After such a good record with our back four, inevitably the finger will point at the replacements.

City began well, staving off the persistent attacks by Palace who exploited our weakness in width by choosing the left flank. Our diamond formation eventually found an opening and a superb cross from Simon Lappin was neatly turned into the net by the head of Grant Holt.

For the remainder of the half City looked to using that weakness and caused some edgy moments for the travelling few from London. But the interval really did see a different side emerge from the tunnel.

City started the second half as if they only needed to be there to win the game. All the enthusiasm and drive that has marked them out as a special breed was gone. As once described, the flicks, the farts and the fannying about weaved no magic against a side with the experiece of Crystal Palace, and half-hearted and underweight passes were cut out too easily.

Luckily, the defence held firm in open play, and the home support were patient, yet silent, as we hoped this was a build up to a goal-scoring feast. Alas, our frailties in defending set pieces turned the game around from celebration to shock and awe.

It wasn't so much the defeat, but the manner of it that resulted in boos echoing across the park at the final whistle. One slip in our recent form sees us drop from third place to fifth, and something needs to be done to prevent Middlesborough from pushing us further down the table.

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