Middlesbrough came from a goal down to see off a gutsy Palace side and clinch a Carling Cup quarter-final spot.
Palace went ahead before the break when Jobi McAnuff crossed from the left and Franck Queudrue inexplicably put through his own net from six yards.
But Mark Viduka's thunderous 20-yard strike drew the home side level after a sloppy pass from Mikele Leigertwood.
And Viduka then teed up the winner, playing in Szilard Nemeth, who fired home from an acute angle.
The impressive Viduka, partnering Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink up front, twice threatened early on as Boro started brightly.
But it was the Eagles front duo of Andrew Johnson and Jon Macken who created the first genuine chance of the game.
Johnson, making his first start since September, found Macken, whose shot produced a fine fingertip save from Mark Schwarzer.
Johnson's pace and inventiveness was causing problems in the Boro defence and the Palace man played a big part in the visitors taking the lead.
The England striker released McAnuff on the left flank and when the cross came in, Queudrue somehow knocked the ball past Schwarzer from six yards.
Speroni almost gifted Boro an instant equaliser when he spilled Fabio Rochemback's long-distance effort.
And Viduka was inches away from turning in a teasing cross and was then denied by a wonderful save from Speroni.
An increasingly frustrated home crowd booed their team off at the break, but within 10 minutes of the restart Steve McClaren's men were 2-1 ahead and could easily have been 3-1 up.
Twice Palace gave away possession cheaply and twice Boro made the most of it.
First Viduka took full advantage to crash in a superb long-range equaliser and then Nemeth profited from more sloppy play to shoot Boro ahead from a tight angle.
A rampant Boro poured forward and only the post denied Hasselbaink a thumping third.
A stunned Palace began to lose confidence and increasingly relied on a more direct approach which suited Boro centre-backs Gareth Southgate and Ugo Ehiogu.
Clinton Morrison squandered the visitors' best chance, volleying wildly over when well placed.
But Boro had regained the composure they lacked in the first period and comfortably held on to secure a place in Saturday's draw for the fifth round.
Middlesbrough assistant manager Steve Round:
"The first half was some of the best football we have played this season.
"We created lots without that final through ball being there.
"And there were two great goals in the second half before we went on the back
foot a little bit."
Crystal Palace boss Iain Dowie:
"That is what quality players can do.
"That extra split-second is the difference when you play against Premiership
players. They got two chances and `bang' they scored two goals.
"It was probably the final ball which killed us tonight but it was a spirited
display."
Middlesbrough: Schwarzer, Parnaby, Ehiogu, Southgate, Queudrue, Doriva, Boateng, Rochemback (Bates 78), Nemeth (Pogatetz 57), Viduka, Hasselbaink (Maccarone 62).
Subs Not Used: Jones, Yakubu.
Booked: Southgate, Parnaby.
Goals: Viduka 52, Nemeth 55.
Crystal Palace: Speroni, Boyce, Hudson, Popovic, Borrowdale, Andrews, Leigertwood, Watson, McAnuff (Black 74), Johnson (Morrison 45), Macken (Freedman 75).
Subs Not Used: Kiraly, Ward.
Booked: Andrews.
Goals: Queudrue 31 og.
Att: 10,791
Ref: H Webb (S Yorkshire).
MMIX
