Football: Blues haunted by spectre of Johnson again; PALACE 2 BLUES 0.

Byline: IAN CLARKSON at Selhurst Park 

IT was THAT man again as Andy Johnson continued to haunt Steve Bruce.

Blues suffered their very own nightmare at Selhurst Park on a day to forget for not just Bruce, but also Matthew Upson, who conceded TWO penalties that Johnson slammed home.

The speedy Palace striker was the pounds 750,000 makeweight in the pounds 4.25 million deal that bought Clinton Morrison to St Andrew's. But Morrison missed a sitter, wasbookedand then substituted by Bruce as Blues collapsed after the break. Johnson struck once again against his old club though as Palace completed a double over Blues following their victory in Birmingham last October.

Bruce admitted before the game that he had buried the hatchet with Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan after his acrimonious departure four years ago. He reckoned that Jordan had even offered to buy him a gin and tonic at a recent game but he will probably be sending Bruce a crate of bubbly after they handed Palace three priceless points in their relegation battle.

Blues were dominant before Upson's first foul on Tom Soares gave Johnson his first penaltyAnd when Upson wrestled Johnson to the deck with more than 20 minutes remaining it was all over for Blues who produced an insipid second half showing. Bruce, whowas escorted to the dugouts by three burly minders, and both Julian Gray and Morrison came in for fearful stick from the home crowd.

Chants of 'Judas' could be heard all afternoon but Blues had weathered the storm and looked a class above until the penalty award.

Referee Phil Dowd waved away two penalty appeals when first Johnson went down under the challenge of Kenny Cunningham and Oliver Tebily, and then as Wayne Routledge's shot was blocked by Upson, which Palace claimed struckhis arm.Bluesshouldhavetakenthe lead within a minute. Clever build up play between Walter Pandiani and Gray set Morrison free on the edge of the penalty area.

He took the ball to the right hand side before drilling it past Gabor Kiraly but inches wide of the far post.

The former Palace man missed another opportunity after Pandiani had met Pennant's corner with a bullet-like header.

Morrison reacted and got a touch on the ball but deflected it just wide once again. Blues were in complete control and after Pandiani's free kick warmed Kiraly's hands, Pennant wasted aglorious opportunity to put Blues ahead. The tricky winger, who had been booked seconds earlier for giving Dowd a mouthful after the referee reckoned he dived, muscled his way past Danny Granville into the area.

But with Pandiani unmarked in the area, his cross was straight at Kiraly.

Bruce was growing increasingly frustrated on the touchline and Blues' wastefulness proved costly four minutes before the break.

Soares latched onto Dougie Freedman's flick and burst into the box before Upson caught him from the side and a penalty was awarded. Bruce wasn't happy with the decision and Johnson smashed home from the penalty spot.

However, the drama wasn't finished and Dowd ordered a retake after Soares had encroached into the area.

ThistimeJohnsonkept his coolandputit to Maik Taylor's left with the keeper anticipating a dead straight shot once again. Bruce left the field to chants of 'Judas, what's the score?' but his second half was much worse.

Morrison gave Dowd an earbashing and entered the referee's notebook.

It summed up the afternoon for the Republic of Ireland international who was desperate to prove a point to Bruce, but ended up being replaced by Robbie Blake with nearly half an hour remaining.

And four minutes later, Blues were dead and buried after Michael Hughes, who spent a whole season locked in dispute with Blues after being injured while on loan from Wimbledon - got his revenge with a superb through ball to Johnson.

Upson appeared to wrestle him to the ground and Dowd pointed to the spot fo the second time, much to Bruce's annoyanceHowever, Iain Dowie claimed afterwards: 'Johnson is one of the most honest players I've ever met.

'He doesn't dive so he there musthave been contact.'

Whatever the rights andwrongs of the decision, Johnson stepped up and fired home into the roof of the net to leave Blues looking well-beaten.

Bruce claimed that their last performance against Liverpool was their bestever in the Premiership.

However, this second-half showing against a poor Palace team must rank as one of their worst and Bruce will be looking to next week's local derby at West Brom as another turning point.

The back-to-back wins against Albion and Villa in December turned Blues' season around and if they can repeat the trick in March then they could still improve on last season's tenth place.

But any more showings like this and the season will be in danger of fizzling out to a timid endSTAR MAN: Jermaine Pennant

CAPTION(S):

ARMED: Damien Johnson challenges Mikele Leigertwood of Palace; A REAL HANDFUL: Matthew Upson tries to deal with Andrew Johnson Picture: TIM EASTHOPE