PALACE IN WONDERLAND! Eagles soar back up to the Premier League as veteran Phillips slams in extra-time penalty at Wembley

                          

                            

Crystal Palace returned to the Premier League as they beat Watford 1-0 after extra-time in the Championship play-off final at Wembley.

Two days after Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund fought it out for Europe's most prestigious club prize at Wembley, Watford and Palace took to the same pitch chasing an even more financially lucrative reward; although the quality on display could not have been more of a contradiction than Saturday’s Champions League final.

   

But never the less, The 39-year-old Kevin Phillips scored the solitary goal from the penalty spot after 105 minutes and net the Eagles an estimated £120 million windfall.

It is a huge financial boost for Palace, who finished fifth in the table, and comes just three years after a group of local businessmen rescued the club from administration

The Londoners return to the top-flight for the first time since 2005 and join Cardiff City and Hull City, who were automatically promoted as champions and runners-up.

                  

Some dazzling wing play from Wilfried Zaha, in his final match as a Crystal Palace player before a £15million switch to Manchester United, drew a foul from Marco Cassetti at the end of the first period of extra time.

                   

And Phillips, who will be turning 40 in the summer and could have played in his last game, dispatched the spot kick with aplomb to send Palace boss Ian Holloway, who was in charge of his third play-off final in four years and who had brought him to the club on loan from Blackpool, into raptures.

The former England frontman has only been at the club since January and finally tasted play-off final victory after three previous defeats with the goal coming against the club for whom he scored his first Football League goal 18 years ago.

Holloway, who won the final with the Tangerines in 2010 and lost with them last season, had his heart in his mouth though in the final moments. Firstly Ward charged down Joel Ekstrand’s shot before the full-back headed Fernando Forestieri’s effort off the line.

               
But Palace held out to win a record fourth Championship play-off final and return to the promised land of the Premier League.