Palace go sixth

As if in response to our win at Plymouth, Palace arguably went one better this evening by winning 2-1 at Stoke City. They may have done it with 11 men but they looked good value for the win and will fancy their chances of hanging on to 6th spot at the weekend if they can beat Scunthorpe at Selhurst. Predictably, Scott Sinclair made the Palace opener with a cross for Tom Soares to head home and he showed plenty of appetite when bursting forward on mazy runs, especially in the first half.

Ipswich could topple Palace on Wednesday evening when they entertain Cardiff at Portman Road but they are not in action again after that until Monday when they are at home again to Norwich in the Farmers' derby.

Plymouth don't play again until next Tuesday when they go to Hillsborough for what looks like a potential banana skin. Wolves face a tough game at Bristol City on Saturday and then have West Brom in a midlands derby next Tuesday.

We need another set of results to go for us before I get my hopes up and Saturday's encounter has a Charlton 1-1 written all over it. In the meantime we need to face facts that we haven't been good enough and don't deserve a play-off berth.