EPL: Crystal Palace 3-2 Brighton
Crystal Palace were the victors over rivals Brighton at Selhurst Park
Crystal Palace moved six points clear of the relegation zone after a flurry of first-half goals in their 3-2 win over rivals Brighton at Selhurst Park.
Wilfried Zaha got two of the five scored before the break with James Tomkins also finding the net for the hosts, but goals from Glenn Murray and Jose Izquierdo twice pulled Brighton back to within striking distance.
The visitors pushed hard for an equaliser after the interval with Wayne Hennessey saving well from Dale Stephens and Glenn Murray failing to find the target from point-blank range, but Palace held on for the points.
The win takes Roy Hodgson's team above Swansea into 16th in the table, just one point behind Chris Hughton's Brighton and, more importantly, six clear of Southampton in 18th.
Brighton could not match Palace's intensity in the early stages and were lackadaisical in sending only one man for a short corner in the fifth minute.
Luka Milivojevic wandered into the box and drilled a low shot from a tight angle that found its way under the body of Mat Ryan before being turned in from near the goal-line by Zaha.
Another corner saw Palace double the lead inside a quarter of an hour as Tomkins lashed home left-footed off the legs of Ryan after a scramble inside the penalty box (14).
Brighton soon responded through a corner of their own as Lewis Dunk was left unmarked to head into the path of Murray, who volleyed the ball high into the net against his former club (18).
Palace's lead was restored midway through the first half when Ezequiel Schelotto elected not to track Zaha's run and the Palace hero headed in well from Milivojevic's lofted cross (24).
Just when Hughton's side seemed out of it again, Izquierdo pulled the visitors to within one after eluding Joel Ward on the left and tucking neatly beyond Wayne Hennessey (34).
It remained a feisty contest after the break with Dunk and Stephens both testing the patience of referee Andre Marriner and Brighton might well have snatched something late on.
Firstly, Stephens struck a bouncing ball well with Hennessey doing brilliantly to save low to his right, and then Murray could not make the right connection with a left-wing cross.
That was as close as Brighton came with Palace hanging on to take the points that leave both clubs well placed to renew their rivalry in the Premier League next season.