Championship: Crystal Palace 1 Birmingham City 0

BIRMINGHAM City failed to address their away day malaise, losing to a late goal that looked increasingly possible if not probable.

Kagisho Dikgacoi's sharp glancing header in the 84th minute condemned Blues to a third successive Championship defeat on the road, and a seventh in all.

And just like in those other recent trips to Cardiff City and Hull City - and at SC Braga for that matter, another 1-0 defeat - Blues weren't necessarily poor, just not decisive or authoritative enough where and when it mattered.

Palace stretched their Selhurst Park unbeaten sequence to a ninth game, their improved performance in the second-half just about meriting such reward.

But for Blues, this was a missed opportunity to make up some ground in their pursuit of the play-off places.

And the match, in the main a tight affair, followed a familiar pattern in that Blues were unable to finish off the openings they fashioned and make their dominant spells count.

Blues shape and composure on the ball ensured that they enjoyed plenty of possession and early control.

Their approach work in the first-half was good and although there was not that cutting edge lacking, they had caused Palace much more concern than they had encountered themselves.

After the break, however, it was different as the Eagles ramped up their attacking play and gave Blue some torrid moments, especially at corners, culminating in the goal.

Hughton opted to go with a 4-5-1 with Nathan Redmond and Chris Burke as the wide men - Jean Beausejour didn't even make the 16 - and Keith Fahey sitting a little deeper in the central midfield three.

Blues began jauntily and posed Palace problems, but were unable to find that important breakthrough.

Julian Speroni spilled a long-range effort by Redmond as the game warmed up and midway through the opening period Blues went close from a corner.

Guirane N'Daw flicked the ball on and Curtis Davies, stretching at the far post, just couldn't quite turn it in.

Boaz Myhill pushed away a fierce half-volley by Mile Jedinak as Palace got more into it and then, in the 29th minute, David Murphy came to the rescue with a superb bit of work.

In the best opportunity carved in the first-half, Nathaniel Clyne played a give-and-go with Sean Scannell, who backheeled him through.

As Clyne bore down on Myhill and was just about to let rip, Murphy dashed over from the side and at full-stretch got a foot on the ball and turned it behind for corner.

It was a perfectly executed tackle, and a difficult one. Although Clyne went over and Palace appealed for a penalty, Murphy's judgement and action was absolutely sound.