Crystal Palace slipped deeper into relegation trouble as they lost 2-0 away at Nottingham Forest and had Matt Lawrence sent off.
Wes Morgan opened the scoring with a 30-yard thunderbolt in first half stoppage time before Nathan Tyson added a second late on, finishing off a great counter-attack.
Lawrence was shown a straight red card five minutes into the second half for deliberate handball, stopping Rob Earnshaw getting through on goal.
Lawrence's suspension leaves manager Paul Hart with just two fit and recognised defenders for Saturday's visit of Cardiff City after Danny Butterfield had already limped off with a hamstring injury.
Claude Davis is suspended while Paddy McCarthy and Nathaniel Clyne are also struggling with injury.
Other results went against Palace as Scunthorpe United thrashed bottom side Peterborough 4-0 and second-bottom Plymouth Argyle moved to within two points of the Eagles with a 2-0 win at Ipswich Town.
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