True to form, Sunderland will have to do things the hard way if they are going to make it into the First Division play-off final on Monday night.

The Black Cats will need to claw back a one-goal deficit at the Stadium of Light after losing 3-2 to Crystal Palace in the opening leg of their semi-final at Selhurst Park last night.

We have been here before of course. Sunderland looked to be dead and buried when they drew 0-0 with Newcastle in the home leg of their play-off semi-final in 1990, only to follow that result with an implausible 2-0 win at St James' Park.

And things looked equally as bleak six years ago when the Black Cats lost 2-1 to Sheffield United at Bramall Lane before winning the return game 2-0 on Wearside.

A similar two-goal margin would do just fine in two days' time, but it is impossible to escape the feeling that Sunderland should be in a much better position following an incredible night in South London.

A cat and mouse first half was totally transformed after the interval with both sides throwing caution to the wind in pursuit of a place in the Premiership.

Marcus Stewart's 50th-minute penalty put Sunderland into the driving seat, but Neil Shipperley's header and a deflected strike from Danny Butterfield saw the pendulum swing Palace's way.

Kevin Kyle looked to have re-established the Black Cats' dominance with an 85th-minute leveller but, crucially, there was still time for Andy Johnson to complicate matters with his 31st goal of the season.

Sunderland entered the play-offs buoyed by back-to-back wins over Norwich and Burnley, but Palace were still the side going into last night's semi-final opener on a roll, having won 13 of their final 19 games.

Manager Mick McCarthy displayed his ruthless streak by making five changes from the scratch side that ruined Stan Ternent's leaving party at Burnley five days earlier.

Mart Poom and skipper George McCartney returned to bolster the defence, club captain Jason McAteer replaced Sean Thornton in midfield, and joint top scorers Kyle and Stewart were re-united in attack.

Kyle twice outjumped centre-half Mikele Leigertwood in the opening stages, before dragging a sixth-minute strike across the face of goal following feverish midfield work from loanee Carl Robinson.

Palace had overwhelmed Sunderland at Selhurst Park three weeks earlier, although McCarthy maintained that his side's 3-0 defeat had been more to do with Poom's first-half dismissal than any gulf in class between the sides.

And, while the Eagles began brightly with Julian Gray's pace causing problems down the left flank, it was Sunderland's early passing that caught the eye.

Robinson and Whitley settled well at the heart of midfield, although the latter's first touch let him down after an intelligent lay off from Stewart had given him a clear sight of goal, while McCartney signalled the visitors' attacking intent with two enterprising first-half raids down the left flank.

Unsurprisingly, much of Palace's play was aimed at feeding Johnson as quickly as possible. McCarthy labelled the frontman the "number one striker in the division" earlier this week but, despite sending a speculative 25th-minute half-volley wide, Johnson struggled to elude the close attentions of both Gary Breen and Phil Babb.

Gray remained a significant threat though, with his pace and trickery troubling Darren Williams and drawing a succession of fouls that gradually forced the Black Cats on to the back foot.

Ironically, the one time he didn't opt to cut loose cost Palace the chance of a 42nd-minute opener as, with just Williams to beat, he chose to stab a hurried side-foot effort over the crossbar after strong running on the opposite flank from Wayne Routledge.

The duo combined again shortly after the break, with Gray this time turning the provider by teeing up Routledge for a deflected shot that was easily smothered by Poom.

But, just as Palace looked like taking the tie by the scruff of the neck, Sunderland took the lead their 3,000 travelling fans so desperately craved.

Tony Popovic was rightly penalised for a crude lunge as Robinson twisted and turned in the box, and Stewart took advantage by sending Nico Vaesen the wrong way with the resultant spot-kick.

The goal came from nothing but, just as Sunderland had given little warning of finding the net, so there was more than an element of surprise about Palace's leveller less than three minutes later.

Shipperley found himself moving away from goal to meet Danny Granville's left-wing cross, but the former Chelsea striker fashioned a fine looping header that drifted over Poom and into the Black Cats' net.

There was little the Estonian could have done with the finish, but he was left even more helpless as the home side took the lead in the 64th minute.

There looked to be little danger as Butterfield lined up an ambitious 40-yard drive following a needless Breen foul in the middle of the Sunderland half.

But, while Poom had the initial strike covered, he could only watch in despair as a hefty deflection off Babb's heel took the ball out of his reach.

Sunderland's response was to redouble their efforts at the other end, and a strangely subdued Oster could count himself unlucky with a precise curler that bounced away to safety off the base of the right-hand post.

Robinson shot narrowly wide following good approach play from Stewart, and the Portsmouth loanee went even closer 12 minutes from time when his last-minute surge into the box ended in him chesting the ball straight into Vaesen's hands.

The away goal rule does not apply in the play-offs, but Sunderland continued to pile on the pressure and Kyle drilled home what looked like being a priceless leveller five minutes from time.

Three Palace defenders stood and watched as the ball bounced around a packed penalty area before the Scotsman swooped to sweep the ball into the bottom corner.

The Black Cats were firmly in the ascendancy at 2-2 but, after conceding straight after taking the lead, they shot themselves in the foot again two minutes after levelling things up.

Johnson, who had been quiet for much of the night, was allowed space to dribble in the box and he drove a crisp strike across Poom and into the bottom corner.

Quite a finish, but Monday night promises to be even more fraught.

Result: Crystal Palace 3 Sunderland 2.

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