Two penalties ten minutes apart saw Palace and Brighton come away with a point a piece in a thoroughly over-policed derby at Selhurst Park.

Chris Martin blasted in the first penalty in the 64th minute after Wilfried Zaha went down under a challenge from Will Buckley in the Brighton area.

Brighton then converted a penalty of their own in the 74th minute after Buckley was 'fouled' by Nathaniel Clyne in the box after what can only be described as a massive defensive cock-up.

Palace were off on the front foot and it was Zaha who had the best of the first half. The youngster side-stepped, flip-flapped and stepped over anything that met him down the right wing and nearly assisted an own goal when his drilled cross was headed narrowly wide by Buckley.

Zaha, who had been targeted by bLOLton in the January transfer window, also had a shot saved by weeds' 'keeper Peter Brezovan shortly before the break.

Brighton weren't without their chances however, as Speroni found himself equal to a close range effort from Amex goalscorer Craig Mackail-Smith and Barnes saw his shot blocked by Paul McShane - the loanee centre back perhaps challenging for a regular starting place.

After the break everything was coming up Martin, as the forward on loan from Norwich found himself to have adapted well to playing behind a loan striker. He saw a long-range effort sail inches over the cross-bar before stepping up to convert Palace's penalty.

To say Buckley went down easily for the Brighton penalty would be an understatement - I haven't seen anybody go down with such enthusiasm since inadvertently wandering onto the set of a Snoop Dogg music video.

Barnes stepped up and dispatched his penalty to level the game at 1-1.

Palace now sit seven points outside of the play-offs.

After the game, Palace boss Freedman said: "I don't think that was a penalty but we were sloppy in giving the ref and linesman the opportunity to give one.

"Our award was more of a penalty. Wilf has quick feet and the defender lunged in.

"My player feels his back leg was taken.

"We took a grip, and we overpowered and outplayed them in the second half. They couldn't live with our movement."

Speaking on Bolton's January interest in Wilf, the Doog said: "There was never any doubt Wilfried would stay. I have a fantastic board and they felt it wasn't time to sell him."

Meanwhile, Brighton boss Gus Poyet disagreed with both penalties.

"I didn't think either were penalties and I'm disappointed with a draw," he said.

Palace XI: Speroni; Clyne, McShane, Gardner, Parr; Jedinak, KG; Zaha, Martin (Garvan), Scannell (Ambrose); Easter (Murray).

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