Palace snatched a point at Gresty Road this afternoon thanks to an inspired display of goalkeeping from Aleks Kolinko. The Latvian, who had been a doubt for the game produced several fine saves to thwart the home attack. The home side started brightly and Rodney Jack missed the target with a snap shot in the third minute. Palace responded with Curtis Fleming and Clinton Morrison combining to set up Ade Akinbiyi, but his effort was easily saved by Bankole in the Crewe goal. Dean Austin cleared an Efe Sodge header off the line, before Kolinko produced the first of his brilliant saves from Rob Hulse. After the break Crewe continued to push forward and should have taken the lead just after the hour mark, when Hulse chose to shoot from an acute angle and hit the side netting with Jack in oceans of space inside the six yard box. Tommy Black had the ball in the Crewe net, but his effort was ruled out for offside. Palace could so nearly have snatched all three points when Dougie Freedman's excuisite lob hit the bar on 85 minutes, but were fortunate to have survived the Crewe pressure thus far and could be satisfied with a point. Crewe are still stuck in the relegation mire, but if they continue to play as they did today, there is every hope for their survival.