Football news - Palace dump Spurs out of FA Cup amid penalty farce

Tottenham departed the FA Cup in miserable fashion, losing 2-0 to Crystal Palace in a game which saw them concede a silly penalty and then miss their own.

Connor Wickham - making his first start after two injury-plagued years - opened the scoring after just nine minutes and Andros Townsend doubled the advantage from the spot 10 minutes before the half-time break, as Palace raced into a two-goal lead to give Spurs a mountain to climb. Kyle Walker-Peters was at fault with an inexplicable handball.

Tottenham were presented with a golden opportunity to get back into the contest just before the interval but their week of penalty nightmares continued as Kieran Trippier dragged his effort from 12 yards wide.

The visitors continued to rally after the restart but were unable to find a way back into the game, as Mauricio Pochettino - who opted to rest Christian Eriksen - was made to pay for fielding a weakened side.

Defeat signals the end of Tottenham's FA Cup dream at the last 32 stage, and with only a maximum of six other Premier League teams able to claim a spot in the fifth round, this was a huge opportunity of lifting some much-needed silverware missed.

Having suffered injuries to key players and a couple of devastating league defeats that have all but ended their title aspirations, Spurs signed off a truly miserable month by exiting the FA Cup just four days after that Carabao Cup knockout to Chelsea. Is their season unravelling? Nine points behind leaders Liverpool and a daunting last-16 Champions League tie with Dortmund to come, without the injured Kane and Alli, it would seem that way. Is it going to be another trophyless season at Spurs?

The 27-year-old came back to haunt his former club, scoring the penalty that put the game beyond Spurs; a goal that capped a driving performance from the flying forward.

Crystal Palace: Speroni 8, Ward 7, Kelly 7, Sann 6, Van Aanholt 6, Meyer 7, Kouyate 6, Schlupp 7, Townsend 8, Zaha 7, Wickham 7. Subs: Milivojevic N/A, Benteke 5, Ayew N/A.

Tottenham: Gazzaniga 6, Trippier 5, Sanchez 5, Foyth 7, Vertonghen 4, Walker-Peters 4, Dier 5, Skipp 5, Nkoudou 4, Lucas 5, Llorente 5. Subs: Wanyama 4, Lamela 6, Sterling N/A.

9' - GOAL! Crystal Palace 1-0 Tottenham: It's Wickham who breaks the deadlock, the man making his return after two injury-plagued years! He's in the right place at the right time to bundle the ball over the line with his thigh after Gazzaniga parried Schlupp's shot into his path.

33' - PENALTY TO PALACE! In a moment of madness, Walker-Peters handles the ball to take a cross away from the head of Wickham. The referee has an easy decision to make... it's a penalty!

34' - GOAL! Crystal Palace 2-0 Tottenham: Townsend curls the ball into the corner, sending Gazzaniga the wrong way. He opts not to celebrate against his former club. Spurs are in BIG trouble here.

43' - PENALTY TO SPURS! Van Aanholt goes through Foyth who goes down and the referee points to the spot!

44' - TRIPPIER MISSES IT! Tottenham's penalty nightmare this week continues! He steps up and curls the ball a yard wide of Speroni's post. My goodness!