Crystal Palace 1 Leeds United 0: Party at Palace falls flat as Leeds hit by Danns winner

Instead, what the visiting hordes got come 5pm yesterday was a wake as United’s play-off hopes all but died at the ‘other’ Palace.

Victories elsewhere for Nottingham Forest and Millwall mean Leeds, who for so long looked nailed on to finish in the top six, are down to ninth in the Championship table.

With two games to play and United in such wretched form that they have collected just six points from a possible 24, there is surely no way back for Simon Grayson’s men.

Of course, when the campaign kicked-off back in August, a top-10 finish would have been a perfectly acceptable return.

However, after being second at Christmas and spending five months in the play-off places, there was an unmistakeable sense of disappointment as the supporters headed north from Selhurst Park at the final whistle. Perhaps the biggest cause of frustration was that, on several occasions this term, Leeds have proved they are good enough to challenge for promotion.

Unfortunately, when it mattered the most during the run-in, Grayson’s men were found wanting with tired legs and the lack of cover for top scorer Luciano Becchio ultimately proving to be the club’s undoing.

The Argentinian, who missed the trip to south London with a hamstring injury, was again sorely missed with United well below-par without their talisman.

Allied to a disappointing attacking display was a return to the defensive fragility that has proved so costly this term, something Grayson had hoped to have seen the back of following last Friday’s goalless draw against Reading.

In naming the same starting XI against Palace, the clear hope was that Leeds would be as solid as they had been against the Royals.

Unfortunately for the 5,296 fans who headed south to the capital, those hopes lasted all of 76 seconds – the time it took for Palace to score what proved to be the winning goal.

Not for the first time this season, United contributed to their own downfall with some lamentable defending.

First, Paul Connolly failed to cut out a searching right-wing cross ahead of Dean Moxey, whose subsequent cross was only half-cleared to Neil Danns.

Standing on the edge of the area, the midfielder then looked up before drilling a low shot that took a wicked deflection off Andy O’Brien to loop beyond Kasper Schmeichel.

Falling behind so early was the worst possible start for Leeds and their afternoon almost got a lot worse on 14 minutes when a fresh-air kick from Richard Naylor allowed Jermaine Easter to race clear.

Much to Naylor’s relief, O’Brien then came to the rescue of his defensive partner with a perfectly-executed tackle.

It was a let-off for Leeds but not a lesson they heeded, as was proved when Palace were presented with a golden opportunity courtesy of some sloppy play by Schmeichel.

After kicking an attempted clearance straight at Naylor, the Danish goalkeeper compounded his error by doing exactly the same to the on-rushing Steffen Iversen.

The ball rebounded towards the touchline, prompting Schmeichel to race after Iversen who, thankfully for Leeds, made a hash of the subsequent cross and the visitors were able to clear.

Seven minutes before the break, Palace wasted another golden opportunity when Easter headed a Nathaniel Clyne cross wide despite being unmarked.

United’s final let-off of the half came in stoppage time when poor defending meant Kagisho Dikgacoi was presented with an opening he fluffed by shooting straight at Schmeichel.

In contrast to their hosts, Leeds offered very little going forward in the opening 45 minutes, save for a couple of probing crosses from Robert Snodgrass that saw Anthony Gardner concede a corner and then O’Brien head wide.

Grayson responded to United’s first-half battering by bringing Neil Kilkenny and Sanchez Watt on for the ineffective Jake Livermore and Paul Connolly respectively.

The move did, at least, pep Leeds up with Johnson, who in the reshuffle had moved to left-back, curling a shot straight at Julian Speroni and Gradel going close after being released by Jonny Howson.

Watt then had two efforts blocked before the Arsenal loanee picked out Davide Somma with an incisive pass, only for the South African to scuff a shot at Speroni.

Snodgrass also went close before Naylor ballooned a shot over the crossbar in the final minute.

There was still time for Danns to be shown a red card for a lunge at Snodgrass but it did little to lighten the disconsolate mood among the Leeds hordes at the final whistle as they reflected on a hugely damaging defeat.

Crystal Palace: Speroni; Clyne, McCarthy, Gardner, Moxey; Zaha, Dikgacoi (Agustien77), Danns, Wright; Easter (Vaughan 73), Iversen (Davis 81). Unused substitutes: Price, Garvan, Cadogan, Vaughan, Counago.

Leeds United: Schmeichel; Connolly (Watt 46), Naylor, O’Brien, Lichaj; Livermore (Kilkenny 46), Johnson; Snodgrass, Howson, Gradel; Paynter (Somma 73). Unused substitutes: Higgs, Bannan, Bromby, McCormack.

Referee: N Swarbrick (Lancashire).