Gray's first senior goal earns Spurs gritty 1-0 win at Palace

LONDON, Dec ‌28 : Archie Gray's first senior goal gave Tottenham Hotspur a vital 1-0 Premier League win at Crystal Palace on Sunday, ending Spurs' poor away run and easing the pressure on their manager Thomas Frank.

Spurs thought they were ahead against the run of play when Richarlison tapped in Pedro Porro's inviting cross, but the goal was disallowed for offside.

Jean-Philippe Mateta should have put Palace in front but headed over from close range after Maxence Lacroix nodded a free kick across the ‌face of goal.

Gray made Palace pay and gave the visitors a barely ‌deserved lead shortly before halftime, nodding home from three yards after Spurs kept a Porro corner alive.

Palace went close to an equaliser with Justin Devenny firing over on the spin and Lacroix heading narrowly wide, though Richarlison had the ball in the net again with 15 minutes to play, only for VAR to intervene once more.

Spurs, who had lost four of their last five away games in all competitions, held on to climb ‍to 11th in the table on 25 points from 18 games. 

Palace, suffering their third straight league defeat and now winless in five games in all competitions, are ninth with 26 points.

GRAY'S FIRST GOAL SETTLES POOR GAME

Both sides began in cagey fashion before Palace started to control the game and Spurs had barely touched the ball for a ​long spell when Richarlison snuck in at ‌the back post to finish from close range in the 17th minute.

Lucas Bergvall, who had teed up Porro to lay the ball on a plate for Richarlison, had strayed offside in ​the build-up, however, and the goal was ruled out.

Mateta squandered Palace's best chance of the half, heading over from close ⁠range, and Palace were left to rue the ‌miss when 19-year-old Gray scored in the 42nd