Friday, February 26, 2021
Division Two Playoffs 1988 1989 Blackburn Rovers Crystal Palace
31st May 1989 Ewood Park
Crystal Palace strode triumphantly into Division One amid amazing scenes when Ian Wright scored a stunning winner three minutes from the end of time in the second leg of their promotion play-off at Selhurst Park. Wright's carefully placed header capped a magnificent performance from Steve Coppell's team as they clawed back Blackburn's two-goal advantage from the first leg. In a contest that could not be bettered as a sporting spectacle, Palace remained true to their season-long philosophy and gambled on attack. It was daring, painfully exciting, but above all successful. In the frenzied atmosphere. Palace benefited from an early break, when the prolific Wright scrambled home his first goal after Pardew's cross had caused havoc. Only the heroics of central defender Hendry kept Blackburn from disintegrating, but they stayed ahead on aggregate until just after the interval. Atkins needlessly brought down McGoldrick, anil Madden converted the penalty to set up the eventual dramatic finish.