PALACE stretched Villa's goal drought to 592 minutes but, in all honesty, that was nothing to brag about.

Boss Steve Coppell clearly agreed, declining to comment on a dismal display by his own goal-shy youngsters.

Villa have scored just twice all year, with one goal in 11 matches. Yet they looked a far better side than Coppell's fading outfit.

Nigel Martyn played a key role in prolonging Villa's agony with the saves that mattered - from Dalian Atkinson, Dwight Yorke and German Matthias Breitkreutz.

Atkinson should have ended Villa's famine in the 65th minute when Kevin Richardson opened Palace up with a telling final ball.

But the £1.7 million striker blasted wide.

Palace struggled to cope with a fierce wind and a well-rehearsed Villa offside trap. Reduced to long-range efforts, their best first-half attempt was a well-struck Gareth Southgate drive turned wide by Nigel Spink.

Paul Mortimer found the net but was ruled out for handball. And it was Mortimer who missed Palace's two, best chances late on.

Both times he did well to get free in oceans of space but couldn't find the shot to beat Spink.