If Neil Warnock is going to make it back to the top flight at the first attempt, he is going to have to do it the hard way. The Crystal Palace manager was licking his wounds 12 months ago when Sheffield United were relegated to the Coca-Cola Championship on the last day of the season, but a year later he has almost forgotten about Carlos Tévez and West Ham United.

Warnock has found peace of mind in South London, where he has transformed the fortunes of Crystal Palace since he replaced Peter Taylor as manager in October last year. Palace were flirting with relegation when he arrived at the club, but seven months later they have a chance of returning to the top flight for the first time since 2005, despite fluffing their lines against Bristol City on Saturday.

City learnt from their 2-0 defeat at Selhurst Park in January, when they were outmuscled, and gave as good as they got in a first half that was more cagey than Guantanamo Bay. “Our young lads got a few kicks early doors,” Warnock said. “City did whatever they could get away with.”

Warnock may have had a point, but his team were beaten by a better side and he had no complaints about City’s goals – a slick free-kick routine finished off by Louis Carey and a wonder strike by David Noble from 30 yards in the dying seconds. Noble’s goal was a kick in the teeth because Palace had just equalised from the penalty spot after José Fonte had made the most of a clumsy challenge by Carey. “We dictated most of the game,” Gary Johnson, the City manager, said. “It was all about controlled aggression.”

City were in the relegation zone in League One when Johnson arrived at Ashton Gate in September 2005, but his team are on course for successive promotions thanks to his passion for preparation. Johnson goes to bed with a pad by his side so he can jot down set-play routines if he is inspired in the middle of the night. “Sad, isn’t it?” he said. “I just like being organised.”

Johnson’s hands-on approach even extended to running on to the pitch after the final whistle to stop his players celebrating before the return leg tomorrow. “They were arrogant,” Warnock said. “There was no need for those scenes. Apart from getting a deckchair out, I don’t think they could have done much more.”

Crystal Palace (4-3-3): J Speroni – D Butterfield, J Fonte, M Hudson, C Hill – T Soares, B Watson, S Derry (sub: M Lawrence, 76min) – S Sinclair, C Morrison, V Moses (sub: J Scowcroft, 55; sub: P Ifill, 61). Substitutes not used: C Fletcher, S Scannell.

Bristol City (4-4-2): A Basso – B Orr, L Carey, J McCombe, J McAllister – D Noble (sub: L Johnson, 90), M Elliott, N Carle, M McIndoe – D Adebola, L Trundle (sub: L Fontaine, 90). Substitutes not used: C Weale, I Sproule, D Byfield. Booked: Elliott.

Referee: M Jones
Attendance: 22,869