A disastrous first half performance by Leicester City in their npower Championship opener at Selhurst Park, meant that a spirited second half fightback wasn't enough to earn them a point against George Burley's Crystal Palace.

Before the break Wilfried Zaha, Darren Ambrose and Alan Lee all found the net as Leicester were well below their best. Second half goals from Andy King and DJ Campbell gave Leicester hope of an unlikely comeback but the hosts held on to take all three points.

There weren't too many surprises in Paulo Sousa's first starting line-up, with only one change from the side that started the final pre-season game against Sunderland at the Walkers, with Robbie Neilson coming in for trialist Michael Lamey at right back.

DJ Campbell and Matty Fryatt were paired up front, whilst Matt Oakley was handed the captain's armband.

For Palace, new manager George Burley handed debuts to Owen Garvan, Andrew Dorman and Julian Bennett.

Both teams looked to exploit the pace they had in the final third of the field in the opening exchanges, with Palace youngsters Zaha and Kieran Cadogan looking to get in behind the City defence, whilst at the other end Dyer volleyed over for City from a raking Oakley pass.

When a pattern did begin to develop in the game, it was Palace that had more of the play, and from a left wing corner debutant Owen Garvan's low right footed shot was well blocked by Jack Hobbs.

After fifteen minutes City hit the post, but the offside flag was up, so Andy King's header from Lloyd Dyer's cross wouldn't have counted had it of found the net.

Just before the twenty minute mark Palace hit the front via some route one football. Speroni's long clearance wasn't dealt with and seventeen year old striker Wilfried Zaha hammered a fierce right footed shot into the roof of the net.

The goal only served to encourage Palace and they poured forward in waves. When the second goal did come, it was courtesy of a glancing deflection. Darren Ambrose cut in from the left and his shot came off Michael Morrison and beat Chris Weale.

As the rain came down at Selhurst Park, City couldn't get any kind of foothold in the game and Palace controlled the midfield.

Five minutes before the break Leicester found themselves 3-0 down. A Palace attack down the left saw Zaha shoot at Chris Weale, but his save went straight into the path of Alan Lee who couldn't miss from close range.

Just before the break City had a couple of chances to cut the defecit but Fryatt missed from four yards out and Dyer's longe range shot was well saved by Speroni.

City started brightly after half time as well, forcing a couple of corners, but they still couldn't really test Julian Speroni. In fact it was Weale who had to make the first save of the half, a good low stop from Ambrose's free kick.

Before cutting the deficit, City did send Palace a warning, when Lloyd Dyer cut in from the left flank and was unlucky not to score when his well struck shot came back off the cross-bar.

Then three minutes before the hour mark Leicester did find the net. An inch perfect Robbie Neilson cross was well headed home by Andy King for 3-1.

After the goal Leicester just kept on coming, and mid-way through the second half some good goalkeeping from Julian Speroni kept it at 3-1. DJ Campbell's cross found Dyer who forced Speroni to make a sharp instinct save.

With sixteen minutes to play both goalkeepers were called into action in quick succession. Firstly Speroni had to save well from King who shot low from the edge of the area, and as Palace broke quickly up-field Weale kept his side in the game by beating away an right footed Ambrose effort.

City then threatened from a couple of set pieces, and twice the ball dropped to Michael Morrison but on both occasions the former Cambridge defender couldn't find the target.

Six minutes before the end City had a second goal, when Steve Howard's inviting low right wing cross was well finished by DJ Campbell.

After that City never really threatened Julian Speroni's goal again, as Palace hacked everything clear and protected their slender advantage.

City: Weale, Neilson, Hobbs, Morrison, Berner, King, Oakley (c), N'Guessan (Wellens, 60), Dyer, Fryatt (Howard, 61), Campbell
Subs: Logan, Parkes, Moore, Kennedy, John

Palace: Speroni, Clyne, Davis, McCarthy, Ambrose, Lee (Andrew, 63), Garvan, Dorman, Cadogan (N'Diaye, 63), Zaha (Dijlali, 77), Bennett
Subs: Barrett, Price, Holland, Holness

Attendance: 17,486