Football: Sutton in regal mood at Palace

Crystal Palace 1

Dyer 51

Blackburn Rovers 2

Sutton 23, Gallacher 31

Attendance: 20,849

Reclaiming the high ground of the Premiership for the first time since they were champions two years ago is beginning to look like something more than a short-term commitment for Blackburn Rovers.

In spite of playing a large part of the second half at Selhurst Park yesterday without their inspirational bulwark Colin Hendry, who was taken to hospital with concussion, they battled impressively against a reviving Palace to retain the lead they had achieved under their captain's guidance.

Both clubs must have been a bit surprised to find themselves getting towards the end of the first month of the season in elevated positions. Blackburn's resources suggest they should never be outside the top group but their new manager, Roy Hodgson, has been around enough to know that leading any league in August is no guide to endurance, while Palace are again depending on the restored appetite and wit of Steve Coppell, whose homework on opponents is second to none.

Blackburn had every reason to be buoyant following their 7-2 win over Sheffield Wednesday but, equally, Palace had been unlucky to lose to Southampton and had conjured an efficient win at Leeds, where Attilio Lombardo had shown the first signs of being a real acquisition. There is a positional cunning about Lombardo's game that seems to create a circle of space in which to work. Played in a deep central attacking position here, he could keep away from the rugged attentions of Hendry but he badly needed better support. Meanwhile, Blackburn's Martin Dahlin and Chris Sutton at first seemed unlikely to make much progress against Palace's three central defenders.

In the event, Sutton's rich current form, that might have won him an England squad place, overcame the difficulty. When, after 22 minutes Marc Edworthy slipped - or was he pushed? - Sutton raced 20 yards and cut into the Palace penalty area before beating Kevin Miller with a stunning shot, low and hard.

Rovers were able to support Dahlin more often and use their dominating strength in midfield, where Kevin Gallacher was especially effective. Appropriately, it was the Scotsman who turned Rovers' growing control into something more tangible. Dahlin held up the ball, played a Scandinavian one-two with Bohinen and Gallacher benefited, shooting first against Miller then following up to slot the rebound.

Hodgson has worked on Rovers' fitness, and it showed. Stuart Ripley, celebrating his England squad recall, set their pace, which was unrelenting. Palace needed to counter with similar speed in order to find a crack in Rovers' sturdy defence. It came six minutes into the second half when Andy Linighan sent a long ball into the penalty area and, though under pressure, Bruce Dyer managed to head over Tim Flowers.

On that occasion the stalwart Hendry was not able to intervene, but it was his enormous determination that, sadly, led to his injury after 53 minutes when he, Paul Warhurst and Flowers all went for a high ball and collided. Hendry was knocked unconscious and was carefully carried off wearing a neck brace. He was immediately transferred to the Mayday Hospital but, thankfully, was cleared to return to Lancashire on the team bus.

The absence of Hendry allowed Palace to menace Rovers' half, but Lombardo still lacked physical support. Dyer worked prodigiously to improve the situation but his best efforts often coincided with those of Flowers, as did the efforts of Warhurst who was playing against his former club.

Clearly this Blackburn side will not be found wanting in stamina but the fact that perseverance, rather than comparable skill, finally allowed Palace to put them into retreat was a considerable compliment to Coppell's organisation.