Palace fans dare to dream of glory at Wembley

EAGLES TAKE ON MAN CITY IN FA CUP FINAL THIS SATURDAY

- By HARIS ARMSTRONG [e-mail] @MyLdn

AS Ismaila Sarr raced through on goal in the 94th minute of Crystal Palace's FA Cup semi-final against Aston Villa, 35,000 expectant Palace fans collectively held their breaths in the west end of Wembley Stadium.

The finish past Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez was as convincing and assured as Palace's performance.

Oliver Glasner's side were confident, mature and ruthless and managed to make Champions League chasing Aston Villa look wholly ordinary. Perhaps this shouldn't have come as a surprise considering Palace are now unbeaten in four matches against Unai Emery's men this season.

Aside from the unbridled joy the comes as a result of reaching English football's showpiece event, that semi-final felt different and Palace fans are still experiencing the rush.

There was a sense among Eagles' fans that this could be their year. After 120 years of trying (164 if you choose to believe the club's narrative) Palace are on the brink of winning their first ever major trophy.

Palace are not a massive club, and they do not have the rich history of the other three sides that joined them in the semi-finals. Manchester City have, to an almost boring extent, won it all over the past 15 years, Aston Villa are in the middle of a remarkable return to the top of English football under Emery and Nottingham Forest have two European Cups in their trophy cabinet.