A tremendous second-half rearguard action from Crystal Palace secured a 2-1 win over Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday.

A 41st minute Glenn Murray penalty and a Wilfried Zaha effort in first half stoppage time gave the Eagles the ascendency at the break after Mame Diouf had given Stoke the early lead.

And, despite the Potters dominating the second half, boss Alan Pardew’s men held on for a ninth Premier League win of the season that on the whole they deserved.

And, while Palace may not have been at their best, lone striker Murray believed it was a victory built on hard graft.

"Maybe it wasn't the greatest performance on the ball, but we showed huge character to come to Stoke, grab the two goals, look fter those and come away with a win," he said.

"It is always going to be tough job here they play it into your box a lot and make you defend. It can get quite lonely up front for me.

"You have to accept it is going to be a lonely afternoon and you have to fight for every scrap you get."

He added: "You have to change [where you put penalties] all the time, if you put it in the same place the goalkeepers are going to know. They do their homework. 

"It was a different penalty for me, but it got to where I wanted it to go and I'm happy about that."

Diouf gave his side the advantage on 14 minutes as he latched onto a speculative Charlie Adam free-kick to prod home from close range.

It was sloppy from Palace, but capped a fine opening 15 minutes for Adam, who seemed most likely to break the deadlock as he pulled the strings from midfield and had twice forced Speroni in to action.

Palace were not without their moments as Jason Puncheon and Yannick Bolasie threatened on occasion and just as the first half appeared to be meandering towards a close the game came to life.

Zaha was booked by referee Andre Marriner, much to the displeasure of Pardew, and it sparked his side into life.

Bolasie was flattened by Asmir Begovic in the City goal as he went for a bouncing ball into the box, but it could easily have been given the other way with the forward’s foot well above waist height.

Murray fired home the penalty and then five minutes later Zaha put his side in front as he poked home a Murray flick-on from a Julian Speroni clearance.

Stoke weathered a Palace storm that blew for 15 minutes after the break.

McArthur may have had a penalty four minutes after the restart, but picked up a yellow card for trying to make the most of minimal contact from Adam, Stoke’s best player.

The Scotsman fizzed one wide from distance moments later, before Puncheon fired high and wide from Zaha's square ball inside the box.

Defender Scott Dann got in on the act as he had time to chest down and volley onto the post from a corner, but after that Stoke might wonder how they did not get a point.

Speronis saved at the feet of Stephen Ireland and they had strong claims for a penalty turned down on 65 minutes when Joel Ward slid in to block Diouf’s effort with his hands – although he will have known little about it.

Three minutes later Adam’s free-kick evaded everyone and Speroni had to react to tip over, before having to do the same from the resulting corner seconds later.

Ward cleared from inside the six yard box as Mark Arnautovic threatened from the left but Palace largely kept Stoke at arm's length.

Bolasie shot straight at Bergovic in the closing 10 minutes in a moment of attacking defiance from the Eagles as they held on for the three points that all-but ensures their Premier League status for next term.

Palace: Speroni; Ward, Delaney, Dann, Souare (Kelly, 70); McArthur, Ledley; Zaha (Gayle, 80), Puncheon, Bolaise; Murray (Ameobi, 86).

Att: 27,532 (2921 awaY)