Dwight Gayle’s stunning added-time strike engulfed Villa Park in a cloud of unseasonal misery as the fight in the bottom end of the Barclays Premier League table began to mirror the scrap at the top.

The late second-half substitute sparked a cascade of booing from the home support by firing home a winner that enabled Tony Pulis to escape the relegation zone for the first time as Crystal Palace boss.

Gayle found himself in a one-on-one situation with covering midfielder Fabian Delph as referee Howard Webb began to look at his watch. The foward cut in from the right to claim his third goal in the top-flight with a curling right-foot shot that left Villa keeper Brad Guzan hopelessly defeated. On the balance of play it was little more than Palace deserved. They arrived with a game-plan, stuck rigidly to it and were rewarded.

Seven points now separate ten teams in the lower reaches of the Premier League. Yet despite a fourth successive defeat, Villa boss Paul Lambert was unable to bring himself to admit that his club were part of what is shaping up to be a desperate struggle.

Professional etiquette perhaps dictated that the Scot said: ‘No, no,’ when asked directly whether his club were — for the second season — fighting to remain in the division. As he pointed out, it is his job to look upwards.

But try telling that to 35,000 Villa fans who were again betrayed by a general lack of know-how on their own turf. Four defeats on the spin and tomorrow’s fixture against Swansea City now appears hugely significant. It is little wonder, given Lambert’s record at Villa Park this season. It is little short of appalling.

Two wins have been outweighed by six defeats. And, in the last six matches before their own supporters, they have failed to score in five of them. The only surprise is that it has taken the crowd this long to turn. Villa striker Andreas Weimann put his finger to his mouth when berated by one particularly upset supporter.

Lambert said he didn’t see it. He had retreated to the home dressing-room by then, head bowed. ‘Fans will vent their frustrations,’ he said. ‘We have to be big enough to take it. You can’t run away from it. ‘

Asked to explain why he did not accept Villa were in a dog-fight, he added: ‘Look, everybody will be doing exactly the same as us. At least ten teams. I’ve got to look upwards. I’m not going to be downbeat. I’ve seen the table. It’s as tight as anything.’

The decisive goal may have been late. But after a drab opening 45 minutes, the game opened up.

An undoubted weak spot has been Villa’s left flank and it was from that side that Palace carved out their first chance. Yannick Bolasie continued the trend of making the life of full back Antonio Luna a misery. He had been pulled apart by Manchester United and he suffered similarly here.

The Palace winger worked his way to the bye-line and pulled the ball back to Jason Puncheon, whose first touch was abysmal. He just about recovered his composure to fire off a shot but Guzan blocked. One minute later, Weimann fired a sidefoot volley straight at Palace keeper Julian Speroni — but the visitors went straight up the other end of the pitch.

Barry Bannan, released by Villa, thought he had opened the scoring only to see Guzan’s big left-hand claw his left-footed grass-cutter on to the post.

Just as the clock was ticking down, Dean Moxey released Gayle. Villa’s defenders had gambled as they chased the winner, going upfield for a corner. They were hopelessly stranded as the Palace sub turned inside impromptu defender Delph and cracked a glorious shot into the top corner.

‘It was a fantastic strike,’ said Pulis.

‘No-one was more pleased than me to see it go in. We knew if we could keep them quiet, the crowd might get restless. We managed to do that.’

And doesn’t Paul Lambert know it. Palace are just three points behind Villa. Another escape act might now be the order of this season for Villa.

—Daily Mail