Dougie Freedman admitted his heart was in his mouth when he saw Canaries striker Grant Holt preparing to pull the trigger late on at Selhurst Park.

City's leading scorer was in the area and with the goal just about at his mercy, but he blazed his effort over the bar – leaving the Palace boss believing the point each was just reward.

'The last 10 minutes, with the energy we put in, we gave them very little opportunity so when it did fall to him it would have been difficult to take had it gone in,' he said. 'I don't think it would have been the right result, but against top players, like Grant, you really have to be on it.

'I thought we broke on them very well, and had a few chances against a top team.

'You could say we were unlucky not to get all three points, but it was fantastic to get a point. I think they'll be up there at the end of the season and they are on form too.

'We are scrapping and the lads did great. It was a little heart in mouth in the last 10 minutes, with the energy we put in (defeat) would've been hard to take.

'Tactically though I thought we were spot on today, and we had great energy and desire to break. I thought the defending was fantastic throughout the game.'

Freedman was happy with new loan signing James Vaughan.

'James looked sharp and he has done in training and I had a good bench today with four strikers,' he said. 'We have a great home record, and I wanted to be solid and give them nothing.'

Freedman gave a first start to young left-back Matthew Parsons, with David Wright switching to a role just in front of the defence.

'It's fantastic, another one off the production line at Crystal Palace,' he said. 'I thought he was outstanding, and he deserves it, he's a really hard working kid. No second thoughts about putting him in.'

Palace remain in trouble, third from bottom of the table from more games than most of their rivals, but Freedman believes there is light at the end of the tunnel.

'The players are really fighting for each other, showing great commitment,' he said.

'We're inches off of making that final decision or that final pass. We have fantastic skill up front and I believe that we will do enough to stay up.

'I'm not concerned about the lack of goals, I've built up from the back and will continue to do that and put my faith in these players. I think it will come and when it does we will go on a run.'