Joe Allen winner seals victory for Stoke as fears of relegation mount for Sam Allardyce's Crystal Palace

Joe Allen’s sixth goal of the season increased Crystal Palace’s relegation fears as Sam Allardyce’s trouble start to his time in charge continued.

Palace avoided another heavy defeat following last weekend’s hammering at Sunderland as Stoke created the better of the first-half chances but failed to take advantage.

Visiting goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey made two decent saves while Andros Townsend made a crucial clearance off the line as Stoke’s dominance increased during the opening half.

But the Palace resistance was finally broken on 66 minutes when Allen found the bottom corner of Hennessey’s net to end Stoke’s three-game winless run as they deservedly edged a forgettable game in the Potteries.

It meant a sixth defeat in eight Premier League games in charge of Palace for former England manager Allardyce.

After an uneventful opening, Stoke should have claimed the lead in the ninth minute.

A long, diagonal ball was flicked on by Peter Crouch to Marko Arnautovic, who stepped past the challenge of James Tomkins and saw his powerful effort beaten away by Wayne Hennessey in the Palace goal.

But on 18 minutes Palace could have opened the scoring as James McArthur almost finished off a move in which he had the crucial touch.

His deft pass diverted Wilfried Zaha’s pass into the feet of Andros Townsend, whose cross found McArthur’s head, only for the Scot to direct his effort wide of the near post.

Another glimmer of a chance fell to Crouch when he rose to get his head to a Charlie Adam corner, but his effort looped harmlessly wide.

Patrick van Aanholt tried his luck for Palace with a snap-shot with his left foot that he hoped would catch out Lee Grant, but the Stoke goalkeeper responded quickly and made a comfortable, low save.

Joe Allen ought to have given the home side the lead in the 32nd minute after a classy moment from the previously anonymous Ramadan Sobhi.

The Egypt winger chased down what looked like a lost cause of a pass and skipped past Joel Ward before crossing for Allen, who misjudged his header at the far post and sent it looping over.

Then another long ball from Phil Bardsley was helped by Allen to the feet of Arnautovic, whose shot on the turn was saved by Hennessey.

Hennessey had to handle well to prevent Crouch reaching an Allen cross as half-time approached, and Townsend then made a crucial goalline clearance to keep out a header from Bruno Martins Indi as Stoke began to dominate.

After a nondescript opening to the second half, Stoke suffered an injury scare when Martins Indi was caught in the face by the flailling left arm of Christian Benteke.

The Dutchman looked dazed but played on after treatment.

On 66 minutes he was back to full speed as he saw Allen give his side the lead.

Arnautovic’s clever pass found Sobhi, who held the ball up well and squared for Allen, who slotted a right-footed shot into the bottom corner.

Palace might have levelled a few minutes later when a left-wing cross was flicked on to Tomkins, but the defender skied a difficult shot behind for a goal kick.

Late on Townsend curled a free-kick well wide but there was little real response from Palace, who slid to another worrying defeat.

“It’s very apparent that if we don’t start turning in points from the games we play it’s going to get harder and harder as every game ticks by,” Allardyce said when assessing his side's defeat.

“Restricting the opposition was very good today and when you look at the second half we took control of it, so it was disappointing the time that we lost the goal when we were in control.

“You’ve just got to keep working on the training ground. The more work you do the more belief you gain.”

Stoke (4-2-3-1): Grant; Bardsley (Johnson 58), Shawcross, Martins Indi, Pieters; Whelan, Adam (Afellay 79); Arnautovic, Allen, Sobhi (Diouf 81); Crouch.

Subs not used: Given, Muniesa, Berahino, Imbula.

Crystal Palace (4-1-4-1): Hennessey; Ward, Tomkins, Delaney, Van Aanholt; Milivojevic; Zaha (Schlupp 67), Puncheon (Cabaye 76), McArthur (Remy 87), Townsend; Benteke.

Subs not used: Speroni, Flamini, Campbell, Sakho.

Referee: M Atkinson (West Yorkshire)

Attendance: 27,007