CRYSTAL Palace are out of the FA Cup following a 2-1 defeat at Wigan Athletic this afternoon.
The home side took the lead thanks to former Eagle Ben Watson in the first half, but Palace equalised through substitute Aaron Wilbraham shortly after his introduction.
But Uwe Rosler's side regained their lead soon after when James McClean sent a low shot beyond Julian Speroni from the edge of the box.
Dwight Gayle thought he had won a penalty in added-on time for a shirt tug but referee Mike Jones wasn't interested, leaving Tony Pulis and his squad furious.
Wigan carved out the first opening early on when Nicky Maynard headed back across goal from a deep delivery but Julian Speroni launched himself to claim well.
But it wasn't long until the Eagles responded as Jason Puncheon played a good ball through to Marouane Chamakh, who cut the ball back to Cameron Jerome to curl towards the top corner but Wigan goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi threw himself across to turn away for a corner.
Palace upped the ante as returning skipper Paddy McCarthy attacked the set-piece, but when the ball went back out wide, Jerome looked to have been brought down but instead was booked for diving.
Tony Pulis' side created the next chance when Stuart O'Keefe arrived on the edge of the box but his low effort was easily gathered by Al-Habsi.
Speroni then had to brave to deny Maynard, who looked to latch on to a ball back into the box after Jonathan Parr had failed to clear Roger Espinoza's cross.
Wigan looked threatening through McManaman in particular, and Jerome was close to playing in Puncheon at the other end after collecting a fantastic pass from O'Keefe.
However, it was the Latics who took the lead on 35 minutes through former Eagle Ben Watson. A left-wing delivery found the Palace Academy graduate arriving eight yards out to give the FA Cup holders the lead.
And Pulis' side suffered further woe as Parr was stretchered off after what appeared to be an innocuous challenge on the left. It was certainly a sad sight to see the Norwegian taken off covered with a blanket in a head brace and oxygen supply.
No further changes were made at the break, and O'Keefe had the first effort of the second period but saw his left-foot shot easily held.
On the hour, Palace should have been level through three chances back-to-back. Following a free-kick, shots were blocked from Jerome and O'Keefe.
The ball then fell to Marouane Chamakh but it wouldn't sit up nicely for the striker and it eventually came to a corner.
The inswinging set-piece was cleared off the line by Al-Habsi, before Puncheon lashed a shot towards goal only for the custodian to pull off a superb tip-over.
And it didn't stop there as Puncheon played the ball back to O'Keefe, who sent a deep cross towards the far post but McCarthy couldn't keep his header down.
Pulis threw on Aaron Wilbraham and Dwight Gayle for Jerome and Chamakh midway through the half – and it served up a treat for the travelling Palace fans.
From Bannan's whipped-in corner, Wilbraham got in front of his marker superbly to prod home an equaliser. It was a goal thoroughly deserved for the striker after a hip operation in October.
And then Gayle nearly put the Eagles into the lead. Running down the left wing, the striker cut inside, dropped his shoulder to deceive the Wigan defence and forced Al-Habsi into a stunning save.
However, Wigan stunned Palace by restoring their lead on 77 minutes when McClean had too much space to run at the Eagles' defence and he let fly with a low left-foot drive to beat Speroni.
Wilbraham sent a dipping volley way over the bar before the striker was yellow-carded for a high arm while challenging for an aerial ball.
Gayle thought he had won Palace a penalty on 90 minutes when his shirt appeared to be tugged back, but the striker did go down very easily.
Pulis and his backroom staff were furious with referee Mike Jones, who hadn't had the best of matches anyway and his decision not to award them a spot-kick topped it off.
Palace huffed and puffed for a late equaliser but it wasn't to be and they go out of this year's competition.
Palace: Speroni, Mariappa, McCarthy (c), Delaney, Parr (Moxey 45), Puncheon, O'Keefe, Guedioura, Bannan, Chamakh (Gayle 66), Jerome (Wilbraham 66).
Subs Not Used: Price, Campana, Boateng, Williams.
Attendance: 9,542 (1,627 Palace fans).
Referee: Michael Jones
Report by Croydon Advertiser Sports Reporter Mark Ritson
