We were well beaten at Selhurst Park on Monday night to dent our hopes of a top four finish.
We were never really at the races in south London, and found ourselves two goals down midway through the first half.
Mikel Arteta made some attacking changes in the second half and we at last began to create chances, but Wilfried Zaha won and scored a penalty on the break to seal our fate.
It had been a scrappy opening 15 minutes or so before the hosts took the lead with a header from a free-kick. Joachim Anderson won the initial header back across goal and Jean-Philippe Mateta was all alone to nod the ball in.