Terry’s own goal delivered a major blow to Jose Mourinho’s hopes of delivering the title to Stamford Bridge.

John Terry’s second half own goal ensured Chelsea suffered a second successive away defeat against opposition from the lower half the table, delivering a major blow to Jose Mourinho’s hopes of delivering the title to Stamford Bridge.

Unconvincing in the first half, Mourinho’s side were unable to raise their levels after Terry diverted Joel Ward’s cross past Petr Cech in the 51st minute. Palace stood firm in the face of growing pressure and deserved to claim the win that moved them five points clear of the bottom three.

This time – unlike at Aston Villa – Mourinho was unable to divert attention towards the performance of the referee. In fact, if any team had ground for complaint, it was Palace who saw two strong penalty appeals turned down.

Against a side that had mustered just one goal, a penalty and two points from their last five games, Jose Mourinho’s side were found wanting and had Cameron Jerome’s shot not cannoned back off the woodwork late, the margin of defeat could have been greater.

Chelsea had flown out of the blocks against Arsenal last weekend, putting the game beyond Arsene Wenger’s side with an axplosive start that brought three goals in the opening 17 minutes. Seven days later and it was a very different story.

Mourinho tinkered with his line-up, opting to go with a three-man midfield of David Luiz, Frank Lampard and Nemanja Matic but the change appeared to upset his side’s fluency, allowing Palace to settle comfortably into the game.

The service to forward three Eden Hazard, Fernando Torres and Andre Schurrle was poor. And when the visitors did manage to create their first real opening of the half in the 18th minute when Cesar Azpilicueta’s overlap took him behind the home defence and the the byline, Schurrle was unable to get a full contact on the Spaniard’s low cross at the far post.

It was clear Palace would present a more formidable obstacle than Arsenal had and as they grew in confidence, Pulis’s side began to assert themselves. The pace of Yannick Bolasie and Jason Puncheon down the flanks stretched the visitors and the pair should have produced the opening goal when they combined in 25th minute.

Puncheon was played in behind Azpilicueta by Adrian Mariappa and picked out Bolasie with a cross to the far post. A better first touch would have allowed the winger to place the ball inside Petr Cech’s right hand post but he instead he fired wastefully into the side netting, to the clear frustration of the animated Pulis.

Chelsea were rattled but it could have been worse for Mourinho’s side had referee Lee Mason not dismissed strong penalty appeals after Gary Cahill upended first Cameron Jerome and then, minutes later, Yannick Bolasie.

Mourinho reacted to his side’s frustrating first half display by introducing Oscar for David Luiz but it was Palace who took the initiative. Jerome had already sent a glancing header wide when he should have done better when Terry headed into his own goal from Joel Ward’s left wing cross under pressure from Joe Ledley.

Eden Hazard twice tested Julian Speroni with powerful shots and Terry headed over from a good position but there would be no comeback as Palace held on.

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