Crystal Palace edged closer to Premier League safety with a 1-0 win at Brighton & Hove Albion.
Jordan Ayew’s second-half goal edged a tight derby clash to give Palace back-to-back victories.
The win pushed Palace up to a safe midtable position and 12 points off the relegation places.
Benteke wasted the first chance of the game by completely scuffing James McArthur’s lofted pass over the top.
While Solly March should have done better for the Seagulls as he smashed into the side netting with just Vicente Guaita to beat.
Brighton had the more opportunities in the second half and peppered the Palace goal but the Eagles back line, led by captain Gary Cahill, defended resolutely.
Palace went ahead in the 70th minute after Christian Benteke fed Ayew with a reverse pass and the striker slotted low into the opposite corner off keeper Matt Ryan’s foot. It was the Ghana player’s seventh goal of the season.
Brighton’s day was summed up when Lewis Dunk’s goal-bound header from an Aaron Mooy corner hit striker Neal Maupay in front of the goal line before being cleared.
Wilfried Zaha somehow hit the post from a tight angle in stoppage in front of an empty net to seal the game but it didn’t matter in the end.
Brighton: Ryan, Burn, Dunk, Webster, March (Murray 66), Montoya (Jahanbakhsh 78), Mooy, Bissouma (Alzate 82), Propper, Maupay, Trossard.
Not used: Button, Gross, Stephens, Schelotto.
Palace: Guaita, Van Aanholt, Dann, Cahill, Ward, McArthur, Kouyate, McCarthy (Riedewald 45), Ayew, Zaha, Benteke (Tosun 87).
Not used: Hennessey, Kelly, Milivojevic, Meyer, Townsend.
