Andros Townsend's goal of the month contender added to the carnival feel at Selhurst Park as they ran out 2-0 winners over Burnley.

Roy Hodgson's men had 29 efforts at goal but it was James McArthur's first half strike and Townsend's rocket of a shot that counted.

The Holmesdale Fanatics announced they’d be making a return for the remainder of the season which created a party atmosphere that had been missing, and the players responded in kind.

Luka Milivojevic and Wilfried Zaha were guilty of squandering golden chances to ease the tension in the ground before Towsend's strike, but they'll worry not as they got the win they fully deserved.

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Hodgson’s men, lead by the mercurial Max Meyer flew out of the traps encouraged by the deafening support.

Carnival Feel

Meyer nearly broke the deadlock inside nine minutes when he saw his curling effort bringing the best out of Joe Hart.

Palace were playing nothing like a side languishing at the bottom of the league, Burnley were.

They got their reward on 15minutes when a cross-come-shot from McArthur found it’s way in at the back post after Meyer’s run across the box glued Hart to the spot.

The carnival in the stands continued.

With their tails up, Meyer was playing with the confidence that had seen him become one of the hottest properties in European football last year. He went close again, this time curling just wide from inside the box after wrong footing two Burnley defenders.

The first half was near perfect from Palace, the only worry is that they’d only managed the one score.

Chances Galore

Palace were out early in the second half in a sign of intent and almost doubled the lead on 50minutes.

The up-until-now quiet Wilfried Zaha somehow managed to find room to get a shot off which Hart, again, produced a great fingertip save to keep the visitors in the game.

The Ivorian was then guilty of lashing an effort over the bar from 12-yards out after some great work from Andros Townsend.

He knows he should’ve done much, much better.

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More chances came Palace’s way without them converting.

Captain Milivojevic guilty of dragging his shot horribly wide when faced with just the keeper to beat from six yards out.

McArthur was then left amazed how his effort from four-yards out was superbly blocked by Charlie Taylor.

Zaha then hit the crossbar which would've surely got Hodgson and co on the bench thinking it wasn't to be their day.

Up Stepped Townsend

As nerves started to creep in to the home support, there was a huge sigh of relief in the roar that followed Townsend's 78th minute rocket.

Cutting in from the left, he unleashed an unstoppable left footed shot to the top far corner leaving the impressive Hart no chance.

The carnival had returned!