Getting closer but still not getting over the line, Crystal Palace led for most of the second half here at Selhurst Park but rivals Brighton struck late to keep the Eagles winless in a month and a half.

Jordan Ayew’s first-half tap-in looked to have lowered the stress levels of those of a Palace persuasion inside Selhurst Park — not least manager Roy Hodgson — until Danny Welbeck’s stunning header earned Brighton a 1-1 draw. Palace stay 15th, nine points above the drop zone but not free of it.

For a rivalry that matters so greatly to both teams, the leisurely tempo of the opening exchanges were somewhat of a surprise. This was a contest fought largely in midfield until Simon Adingra found space and forced a fine parried save by Dean Henderson.

Jean-Philippe Mateta tested Bart Verbruggen at the other end, and that half-chance seemed to spark a period of dominance from the home side. Michael Olise’s influence grew, and his insistence to run at Brighton never wavered from this moment on.

Olise struck against a sea of bodies as Palace ramped up the pressure and sensed they could turn dominance into a more tangible measure of success. And, as the game ticked into first-half stoppage time, Palace found that moment.

Verbruggen’s clearance only as travelled as far as Olise, who played a one-two with Will Hughes and then crossed right onto the head of Ayew. The Ghana forward had the simplest task, and duly nodded home to send the Palace supporters into pre-half-time pandemonium. This was the first time the Eagles had scored a first-half goal since November 11.

Hodgson and Joachim Andersen applauded Palace’s home supporters as they headed down the tunnel, but they were fully aware that they were still 45 minutes from registering their first home win since September 3 against Wolves.

The second half became a battle as much with themselves as with rivals Brighton. They fought the temptation to retreat and hold on to their one-goal lead, but naturally Hodgson’s side were less expansive than in the first period, and the visitors gladly exploited the extra space and came close when Lewis Dunk nodded Pascal Gross’s free-kick just wide and then Billy Gilmour’s sweet strike was pushed aside by a watchful Henderson.

Palace’s retained a threat on the breakaway and Eberechi Eze, off the bench, and Mateta both missed the target as they sought to make sure of all three points.

It was going to take something quite special to beat Henderson here, and Brighton mustered one as Gross crossed onto the head of substitute Welbeck. The ex-England striker got above Chris Richards to produce a looping header which could scarcely have landed more precisely into the top-right corner.

Henderson floundered, Brighton celebrated, and Palace missed out on the elusive win that would have ended their nightmare before Christmas.