Stoke City came from behind to earn a 1-1 draw in their Premier League match against Crystal Palace.
James McArthur gave the Eagles an 11th-minute lead when he headed in Yannick Bolasie's cross.
Their advantage was short lived, as Peter Crouch tapped home two minutes later to ensure his side a share of the spoils.
Here, Sports Mole takes a closer look at the events that unfolded at Selhurst Park.
Match Statistics:
CRYSTAL PALACE:
Shots 10
On Target 3
Possession 44%
Corners 9
Fouls 12
STOKE CITY:
Shots 7
On Target 3
Possession 56%
Corners 8
Fouls 11
Was the result fair?
A draw sums up what was a very evenly-contested and hard-fought match. Most of the action came inside the first 13 minutes, when Crouch quickly equalised after McArthur had headed Palace in front. That was as exciting as it got, as the game was played largely in the centre of the pitch. There was a real battle for supremacy of the ball, with Stoke edging out the possession stakes. A point is not the worst result for either side, but, with tough spells over Christmas, there was a chance to go on and claim a precious win.
Crystal Palace's performance
The Eagles produced a confident display last week against Tottenham Hotspur and they began brightly when Bolasie got down the left and whipped in a fine cross for McArthur to head in. Had they not conceded so quickly, they could have gone on to dominate the match, but a lapse at the back cost them dearly. They created a couple more decent chances before the break, with Bolasie and Wilfried Zaha again looking very dangerous on the wings. The second half was largely a forgettable affair and their only chance of note came from McArthur's drive that forced Asmir Begovic into a good save. They were slightly hanging on at the end, but their defence stood firm.
Stoke City's performance
Last weekend, Stoke were ahead within 19 seconds against Arsenal, but today they started poorly and fell behind. However, they responded extremely well to conceding and, although the goal was fortunate, there was some great play in the build-up from the vastly-improved Bojan. They went on to enjoy a lot of the ball, but failed to get in behind the Palace backline. Following a scrappy second half, they pushed hard in the closing stages for a goal, but they were unable to work a clear-cut opportunity.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Yannick Bolasie: The tricky winger has been in great form for Palace recently and he was a constant menace down the left. He supplied the opening goal with a fine delivery and supplied a number of other decent crosses. His club may have a hard time holding onto him in January.
Biggest gaffe
Both teams could have done better for each goal, but there were no glaring defensive mistakes. There were not any bad misses from the strikers either, as each team created very little in the second half.
Referee's performance
Due to a number of fouls by each team, Kevin Friend gave plenty of free kicks. There was also a slight suspicion of a penalty in the first half when Zaha's cross appeared to hit Erik Pieters on the hand, but he was right not to give anything, as the defender was standing just a yard away when the ball struck him.
What next?
Crystal Palace: The Eagles face a daunting trip to resurgent champions Manchester City next Saturday.
Stoke City: Stoke are not in action again until December 22, when they welcome Chelsea to the Britannia Stadium.
Alex Meyers
