Crystal Palace 3 (Johnson 24 (pen), Shipperley 63, Freedman 80)

Sunderland 0 Palace produced their best football of the season to tear apart nine man Sunderland on Wednesday night and make their play-off dreams reality.

Goals from Andy Johnson, Neil Shipperley and a wonder-strike from Dougie Freedman lifted Iain Dowie's side to within goal difference of sixth placed West Ham and secured promotion for table-topping Norwich, who can no longer be caught by the third-placed Black Cats.

This play-off six pointer hinged on the 19th minute sending off of Sunderland keeper Mart Poom, who could not stop himself bringing down Johnson when the fleet-footed striker ran clear onto Shipperley's pass and nicked the ball over him.

Referee Phil Dowd had no hesitation in pointing to the spot or producing red for a professional foul, but the Estonian keeper was slightly unlucky because momentum alone took him through Johnson, and Phil Babb may have been able to clear.

Nevertheless, Johnson kept his concentration for a full four minutes while former team-mate Thomas Myhre made his way onto the pitch, before hammering the ball into the roof of the net.

Johnson's 23rd goal of the season lifted him to the top of the Division One scoring charts, and was just reward for the Eagles' dominance in the early stages.

Wing wizards Julian Gray and Wayne Routledge caused the Mackems defence problems from the start, joining Johnson in lightning fast breaks and peppering the box with crosses for outstanding captain Shipperley, who twice went close to opening the scoring.

Not that Mick McCarthy's side, with just one win in eight Selhurst Park visits, did not carry a threat of their own, especially when Mikele Leigertwood, recalled in place of Fulham loan star Mark Hudson, struggled to find his feet early on.

But once Palace opened the scoring the 18,291 crowd were lifted and Palace set about dismantling their ten man visitors. Within a minute Gray was released by Johnson but shot high and wide with his right-foot, before turning Gary Breen inside out and firing just wide of Myhre's far post with his left.

Darren Byfield reminded the Eagles defence that there was no margin for error with a well-struck snap shot which Nico Vaesen held, before Routledge sprinted from halfway and forced a low one handed save from Myhre.

In the second half Palace had to overcome considerable provocation as Sunderland looked for a way back into the game by targeting Gray. Referee Dowd - excellent all evening - was astute enough to book Breen and give Gray a stern talking to when the furious winger was forced to punch his way out of the defender's malicious grip.

McCarthy went for broke on the hour, replacing Byfield with Marcus Stewart and Matt Piper with Jon Oster. Minutes later Oster almost provided the breakthrough with a cross for big Kevin Kyle, but Tony Popovic did enough to put him off. Moments later Palace had the game won, when Johnson broke down the right and faced with two defenders, delivered a delicious cross for the on-rushing Shipperley to head his eighth goal of the season.

Sunderland kept going with Jeff Whitley forcing Vaesen into a fine low stop before Oster broke beyond the defence and fired just wide.

Then four minutes after coming on as substitute, Freedman stole the show with a goal of breath-taking quality. He ran onto Johnson's brave header on the right edge of the area, and first-time struck the dropping ball into the far top corner of the net.

All ten outfield players rushed to huddle round Freedman in a spontaneous show of spirit. With three games to go, Palace are unbeaten in five and looking good for a play-off finish, but Dowie is still urging caution He said: "The lads are on a great run but we must temper that because you can trip up when you believe your own publicity. Everyone will comment on the sending-off but I thought we were edging it before that. We looked bright and hungry."

Mick McCarthy said: "I've got no arguments with the sending-off but it changed the game completely. We were chasing the game with 10 men who've played 50 games this season."

Andy Johnson - Had a hand in all three goals and back to his very best. A cool penalty, a delightful cross for Shipps and a brave flick on for Dougie's outrageous volley. Simply brilliant, as they all were!

Palace: Vaesen, Butterfield, Popovic, Leigertwood, Granville, Routledge (Black 81), Riihilahti (Derry 79), Hughes, Gray, Shipperley (Freedman 76), Johnson.

Not Used: Symons, Berthelin.