Neither Brighton & Hove Albion nor Crystal Palace could break the deadlock in the first half of their Championship playoff semi-final second leg this evening.
The visitors enjoyed more of the ball in the early stages and had a chance to break the deadlock just five minutes in. Owen Garvan went for goal from distance and Aaron Wilbraham stuck a toe out to poke it goalwards on the way through, but he got too much of it and sent it wide.
Brighton's first chance came in the 13th minute when Will Buckley dispossessed Wilfried Zaha on the edge of the Palace box before shooting, but Julian Speroni got across well to beat it away.
The hosts came close again less than 10 minutes later when Dean Hammond fired a well-struck shot towards goal, but it flew narrowly past the post.
Garvan tested Thomas Kuszczak for the visitors shortly afterwards, attempting an effort on his weaker right foot that the keeper did well to hold on to.
The Seagulls then almost broke the deadlock at their own end as Zaha's cross deflected off Hammond towards his own goal, but Matthew Upson was there to clear.
The two sides entered the break all square, however, leaving the tie delicately poised at 0-0.
Barney Corkhill
