Blues surged back to the top of the Championship table with a last gasp 1-0 win against Crystal Palace.

The game looked to be heading for a draw before Blues broke the deadlock in the 94th minute of the game thanks to a Garry O'Connor goal.

Stuart Parnaby crossed the ball to the far post where Kevin Phillips fired it across the front of the Palace goalkeeper.

But Speroni was only able to push it onto O'Connor before it found its way into the back of the net.

Alex McLeish's side had earlier created the better chances in the game with goalscorer O'Connor twice hitting the post in the first half.

McLeish was forced into making two changes from the side which started at against Burnley in Blues' last match.

Quincy and David Murphy were both missing through injury, as was James McFadden who had previously been on the bench at Turf Moor.

Franck Queudrue came in for his first start of the season and Cameron Jerome was recalled to the starting XI, where he started on the left side of midfield.

Neil Warnock made just one change to his Palace side with the fit again Danny Butterfield replacing Nathan Clyne.

The game started at a fair pace with both sides happy to put in strong challenges.

Blues broke quickly on nine minutes through Cameron Jerome on the right, but his deep cross into the six yard box was chested out by a Palace defender for a corner just before it reached the waiting Garry O'Connor.

Two minutes later Seb Larsson let fly with a 30 yard effort which flew a yard over the bar.

Then on 16 minutes Lee Carsley tried his luck from the same distance but ballooned it even higher than his teammate over the bar.

Blues were controlling the majority of the possession at this point in the half, with Palace making the odd foray on the counter attack.

A wonderful bit of play almost resulted in Blues taking the lead on 22 minutes.

Franck Queudrue broke from the half way line before bursting through two Palace challenges and releasing the ball to Garry O'Connor on the edge of the Palace box.

O'Connor sent his marker the wrong way before hitting an excellent curling effort which beat Speroni in the Palace goal, but unfortunately bounced back off the base of the post.

Just after the hour mark the Scotsman was desperately unlucky once again after receiving the ball midway inside the opposition half.

He took it on before cutting inside two Palace defenders and curling a powerful shot with his right foot which crashed back off the same post which he had struck just minutes earlier.

On 35 minutes Seb Larsson's pass found Jerome on the edge of the box, but as he sought to round defender Matt Lawrence he was deliberately tripped by the Palace man which led to the first caution of the game.

From the resultant free kick Speroni managed to push away Larsson's goalbound effort for a corner.

Blues continued to press for the remainder of the half but they were unable to turn their dominance into a goal. 

Half time:  Blues 0 Palace 0

During the half time break Blues legend Geoff Horsfield who was recently diagnosed with testicular cancer came onto the pitch where we received a standing ovation from the Blues fans and a loud rendition of 'Feed the Horse and he will score' as the St. Andrew's faithful showed their support for him.

Almost immediately from the kick off Blues were back in attacking action when Jerome cut in from the left, but scuffed his shot and it went wide of the post.
 
The impressive O'Connor was next to try his luck just minutes later, but his long range effort was again well saved by Speroni.

The first substitution of the evening was made by Warnock as Shefki Kuqi entered the proceedings in place of Victor Moses on 59 minutes.

Blues were almost immediately caught out as the ball found the powerful Finn on the edge of their box, but thankfully Parnaby slid in with perfectly timed challenge as the Palace man looked certain to let loose with a shot.

Kevin Phillips' rash shot almost cost Blues dear on 67 minutes.

The striker tried his luck from 40 yards out but the ball was blocked and Palace broke with pace.

Craig Beattie struck a fierce curling shot which went just inches over the cross bar.  

On 68 minutes Marcus Bent came on for a limping Cameron Jerome.

Then five minutes later Nigel Quashie, who had signed on a one month loan for Blues just hours before the kick replaced Kemy Agustien in the centre of the Blues midfield.

It was the west Ham player's first competitive game since March 2007 because of a persistent foot injury.

With the game heading into the last ten minutes it was becoming a scrappy encounter, with plenty of unnecessary fouls from both sides.
 
Warnock made his second and final substitution of the game on 83 minutes when former Blues man Neil Danns came on for Nick Carle.

With two minutes of normal time remaining O'Connor should have done better with his shot from 18 yards following good interplay between Carsley and Phillips, but he skewed his effort wide.

But the Scottish international got his just desserts when he got a slight touch on Phillips' shot to deflect the ball past a despairing Palace keeper and defence and send the crowd into raptures.
 
Full time: Blues 1 Palace 0

Blues: Maik Taylor, Franck Queudrue, Martin Taylor, Stuart Parnaby, Liam Ridgewell, Seb Larsson, Lee Carsley, Kemy Agustien (Nigel Quashie 73), Cameron Jerome (Marcus Bent 68), Garry O'Connor, Kevin Phillips.

Subs not used: Colin Doyle, Jared Wilson, Mehdi Nafti.

Bookings: None 

Palace: Julian Speroni, Paul Ifill (John Ertl), Ben Watson, Matt Lawrence, Victor Moses (Shefki Kuqi 59), Shaun Derry, Craig Beattie, Clint Hill, Danny Butterfield, Jose Fonte, Nick Carle (Neil Danns 83).

Subs not used: Sean Scannell, John Foster.

Bookings: Lawrence 35,

Referee: Nigel Miller

Attendance: 17, 706.