SUNDERLAND'S dreams of a Worthington Cup semi-final against Liverpool were shattered eight minutes from the end of a thrilling fifth round tie against First Division Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park last night.

The Wearsiders had pulled back to 1-1 and the game looked set for extra time when striker Clinton Morrison pulled out a superb piece of individual skill to grab a winning goal.

And Sunderland could have no real grumbles about coming off second best against the spirited Londoners, who attacked at every opportunity and always looked more likely to score.

Palace took the lead in the 48th minute when a terrible mistake by Danish goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen gifted a goal to man of the match Mikael Forssell. But Sunderland quickly equalised in the next minute through Alex Rae - his third goal in six games - and looked as though they might battle their way through.

But striker Danny Dichio missed a glorious opportunity to put Sunderland in front and Palace, who hit the bar twice in the space of a minute, looked more likely to score.

Sunderland made three changes, one of them a surprise, with Slovakian international Stanislav Varga replacing Jody Craddock in the heart of defence. As expected Dichio replaced the injured Niall Quinn, while Stefan Schwarz came in for Gavin McCann to make his first senior start for nine months after recovering from an ankle injury.

Sunderland had to withstand early pressure and Palace wasted an early free kick when Simon Rodger, trying to lift the ball into the penalty area, succeeded only in putting his centre over the bar.

Sunderland had an escape in the tenth minute when Clinton Morrison beat the offside trap to go clear and after curling his right foot shot past the advancing Thomas Sorensen, saw Darren Williams race back to clear.

There were optimistic appeals from the crowd for a penalty for handling when Varga, tussling with Morrison, appeared to handle as he tried to chest the ball down, but the unsighted referee waved play on.

Sunderland pressed dangerously and Julio Arca shuffled his way threateningly along the 18-yard line before having a powerful shot charged down and they carved out a good chance in the 16th minute when Alex Rae chipped up a free kick and Dichio flicked a shot wide from close range with his right foot.

There was an angry flare up near the right touch-line when Jamie Smith brought down Arca and several players were involved in scuffles before the referee booked the Palace defender.

The Wearsiders, were settling down and continued to press. Michael Gray, trying his luck from 30 yards, put a bouncing shot wide.

But Palace were going forward at every opportunity and when Forssell headed the ball on Morrison clipped a first time shot low across the face of goal.

Sorensen made a great block to stop a shot from Tommy Black going past him, but the flag was already up for a foul by Forcell on Williams.

Sunderland went close on the half hour when a flicked header by Dichio put Arca clear, but the Argentinian did not get a good finish and his shot was turned over the bar.

The game was moving quickly from end to end and the dangerous Morrison broke into the box, but no-one could get on the end of his left foot centre, which eluded Sorensen.

Sunderland then swept upfield with a lovely passing movement between Kevin Phillips, Arca and Gray, but the skipper's chipped centre from the left was too close to goal and ended up in the keeper's hands.

Sorensen was given an anxious moment in Palace's immediate reply, with Black rifling a 30-yard free-kick into the side netting.

There was certainly very little between the teams and Sunderland central defenders Varga and Emerson Thome were being put under pressure by Morrison and Forcell.

Sunderland had three escapes in the space of a minute just before half time when Sorensen went down at the feet of Robinson before holding a fierce low shot from Black, and then the menacing Morrison broke into the penalty area to have a right-foot shot blocked by Varga.

Rae put the ball into the Palace net in the first minute of stoppage time, but the offside flag was up against Phillips.

Danish goalkeeper Sorensen was responsible for a mistake which led to Palace taking the lead in the 48th minute when he sliced a clearance straight to Morrison, whose low centre was tapped home by Forssell.

But within a minute Sunderland were level when Rae fired in a low right foot shot from six yards.

The second half was fast and furious and Dichio brought a goal-line save from the keeper with a fierce right foot shot on the turn from the edge of the 18-yard line after a good ball in from Phillips on the right.

Sunderland made a tactical substitution when McCann replaced Arca in the 56th minute and the midfielder made a great chance for Dichio two minutes later, but the big striker somehow forced his right foot shot wide from only six yards.

Palace then hit the bar twice in the space of a minute as they increased the pressure on the Sunderland goal. First of all Forssell cleverly worked his way into a shooting position and hit the bar from the edge of the box before driving the rebound wide.

And in the next raid Black centred from the left for Forssell to dummy and his striker partner, Morrison, hammered a shot against the bar.

It was a thrilling game for the 15,945 fans and Kolinko had to make a diving save to force away a stinging right-foot shot from Phillips, on the edge of the area.

Sunderland went close in the 70th minute when a delicate pass from Varga freed Phillips and as he tried to go round the advancing keeper he just lost control of the ball and was forced wide. The England man tried to go on his own in the 74th minute and was shaping dangerously until he got underneath the ball and lifted his shot high over from 20 yards.

But Palace took the honours in the 82nd minute with a great goal by Morrison. The striker cleverly turned Thome on the right hand side of the box before coolly firing in a low shot inside the post.

Palace might have had a third in the 85th minute but Sorensen made a brilliant save to deny Forssell