Andy Welsh's first goal for the club on his first start together with a late Stephen Hughes effort was enough to secure Leicester City a well-deserved 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace at the Walkers Stadium on Friday evening.
In front of the Sky cameras, the on-loan Sunderland winger converted Iain Hume's cross just before the break then Hughes pounced late on after good work by Matty Fryatt to seal the three points.
The victory almost guaranteed the Foxes Championship football next term while in the process all but ending the Eagles' automatic promotion hopes.
Rob Kelly's men were well worth the win and made it seven victories in 12 since he took over the reins at the end of January.
Fryatt, Hume, Joey Gudjonsson and Gareth Williams also came close for the home side but two goals proved more than enough.
Williams tried his luck from 20-yards out but could not repeat his feat against Norwich last Saturday and Gabor Kiraly saved comfortably.
At the other end, Clinton Morrison tested Paul Henderson on three minutes but the Australian was equal to the task before Kiraly tipped Joey Gudjonsson's effort around the post for a corner.
Iain Hume, runner-up in March's Coca-Cola Championship player-of-the-month, had his shot blocked by Darren Ward in the eighth minute after turning Emmerson Boyce inside and out.
Skipper Paddy McCarthy received his 11th booking of the campaign when he brought down Morrison on 16 minutes.
Matty Fryatt was penalised for a foul on Ward when clean through then captain Michael Hughes fired well over the bar.
Ben Watson drilled his effort straight at Henderson in the 20th minute before he did well to palm away Watson's inswinging free-kick from the left five minutes later.
Nils-Eric Johansson almost latched on to Andy Welsh's through ball then a neat one-two between Hughes and Andrew Johnson allowed the skipper to shoot goalwards, but it proved comfortable for Henderson on 31 minutes.
Fryatt nearly latched on to Stephen Hughes' teasing cross from the right soon after.
On 38 minutes Fitz Hall was cautioned for a late lunge on Hume, who had his back to goal.
However, it was the Foxes who took the lead in the 42nd minute thanks to Welsh.
After some determined play from Williams freed Hume, the diminutive hitman saw his initial shot blocked by Hall, before he crossed for the on-loan Sunderland winger, who side-footed the ball home off the under-side of the bar for the opener.
That was to be the last meaningful action of the first half as City's stars received a rapturous round of applause as they left the field at the break.
At the start of the second half, Dougie Freedman replaced Morrison as the Eagles looked for an early leveller.
Johnson headed wide from Royce's cross on 47 minutes before Henderson got down well to smother Watson's long range shot three minutes later.
Gudjonsson tried his luck from 30-yards out on the hour but his shot went narrowly wide then Fryatt followed suit.
Tom Soares met Jobi McAnuff's cross at the far post in the 63rd minute but could not direct his header goalwards then McAnuff's goalbound effort was brilliantly blocked by Alan Maybury for a corner.
Palace upped the tempo in search of the leveller with Freedman and Johnsoin combining well but City's defence remained strong.
So much so that the visitors made a double change in the 76th minute with Marco Reich and Jon Macken replacing Soares and Ward respectively.
City then made their first change a minute later when Momo Sylla, back after injury, came on for goalscorer Welsh.
Henderson gathered well under pressure from Johnson on 80 minutes before Fryatt fired just over late on.
But the Foxes did make it 2-0 three minutes from time when Hughes side-footed Fryatt's cross past Kiraly and into the net for the clincher.
Freedman was booked for a foul on Maybury in stoppage time then Patrick Kisnorbo was also cautioned for unsporting behaviour.
However, it was City and their fans who went home happy after a polished and professional performance against one of the division's top sides.
City: Henderson, Maybury, McCarthy ©, Kisnorbo, Johansson, Hughes S, Gudjonsson, Williams, Welsh (Sylla 77), Hume, Fryatt. Subs not used: O'Grady, Gerrbrand, Douglas, Brevett.
Palace: Kiraly, Ward (Macken 76), Borrowdale, McAnuff, Johnson, Morrison (Freedman 45), Watson, Hughes M ©, Soares (Reich 76), Boyce, Hall. Subs not used: Riihilahti, Speroni.
Yellow Cards:
City: McCarthy (16), Kisnorbo (90)
Palace: Hall (38), Freedman (90)
Referee: Graham Laws (Tyne & Wear)
Attendance: 23,211
