Crystal Palace 4 Hull C 2: Stockdale suffers at hands of Phillips as veteran striker dents Tigers’ hopes with hat-trick

The 39-year-old was a surprise January signing by Eagles manager Ian Holloway and a surprise inclusion in the starting line-up, having previously made six substitute appearances since his move from Blackpool.

But he marked his first start in style with a treble to take his tally for the club to five as Palace moved to within a point of Hull, who dropped to third.

Jay Simpson pulled one back for the Tigers but Wilfried Zaha hit number four before David Meyler struck again in stoppage time.

Phillips may not have been given the chance to open the scoring from the penalty spot had Glenn Murray not missed from 12 yards earlier in the first half.

The former England striker had wanted to take that spot-kick, so when referee Mark Haywood controversially awarded Palace a second penalty, there was only going to be one outcome.

Hull keeper David Stockdale denied Murray, the country’s top scorer, a 29th goal of the season but he could not keep out Phillips.

Stockdale had looked nervy in the opening stages and almost gifted Palace the lead when he dropped Jacob Butterfield’s cross at the feet of Peter Ramage, but his shot was hacked off the line by Ahmed Elmohamady.

Murray’s big chance came in the 30th minute after Jonathan Williams collected Dean Moxey’s ball into the area and was bundled over by Meyler.

Regular penalty-taker Murray stepped up and, although he struck his effort well enough, Stockdale dived to his right to pull off a fine save.

But referee Haywood gave Palace another opportunity right at the end of the first half when the linesman adjudged Murray’s shot had hit Jack Hobbs’ arm in the area.

Hull protested the decision long and hard but Phillips was not to be denied, the veteran frontman smashing his shot down the middle.

Although Stockdale got a hand to the ball, he could not prevent it rolling over the line.

Six minutes after the interval Phillips grabbed his second when he collected a pass from Zaha and, despite hitting his shot into the ground, it had enough power to beat Stockdale.

And 60 seconds later he completed his hat-trick with a deflected effort from another clever pass from Zaha.

Simpson got on the scoresheet when he headed in Elmohamady’s cross in the 73rd minute, but Zaha ensured there would be no fightback three minutes later with a neat lob over Stockdale.

Meyler nodded in Hull’s second with moments to go, Robbie Brady providing the cross, but it was not enough.

Crystal Palace: Speroni, Dikgacoi, Delaney, Ramage, Moxey, Zaha, Jedinak, Butterfield (Dobbie 78), Williams (Parr 65), Phillips (Bolasie 74), Murray. Unused substitutes: Price, Marrow, Wilbraham, Moritz.

Hull: Stockdale, Chester (McShane 59), Bruce, Hobbs, Elmohamady, Koren (Simpson 69), Meyler, Quinn (Fathi 69), Brady, Boyd, Gedo. Unused substitutes: Jakupovic, Evans, Faye, Proschwitz.

Referee: M Haywood (W Yorkshire).

Cardiff maintained their five-point lead at the top of the Championship despite being held to a 1-1 draw at home to Derby last night.

The Rams looked to be on course for a surprise win at the Cardiff City Stadium when Conor Sammon hit the opening goal 15 minutes from time.

The leaders were coming off the back of a 2-1 defeat to Middlesbrough and could ill-afford to give away any more of their advantage at the summit, and duly defended the cushion they enjoyed at kick-off after Craig Noone struck an 82nd-minute equaliser.

Dean Saunders finally tasted victory as Wolves manager at the 10th attempt after a 2-0 win at Millwall, who have now lost seven of their last eight league games.

David Edwards fired the visitors in front after nine minutes and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake added a superb second just after an hour as Wolves climbed out of the bottom three.

Nottingham Forest needed a late goal to see off nine-man Ipswich 1-0 at the City Ground.

In a match played out in thick fog, the visitors did themselves no favours as they lost Lee Martin to a red card shortly before half-time.

Richard Stearman likewise saw red in the 70th minute and the Tractor Boys were finally punished six minutes from the end as Lewis McGugan fired home.

The Lancashire derby went in Bolton’s favour as Chris Eagles’ injury-time effort condemned Blackburn to a 1-0 defeat at the Reebok Stadium.

Peterborough remain in the relegation zone after being held to a 2-2 draw by Charlton at London Road.

Birmingham were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Blackpool, while Bristol City and Brighton finished goalless.