Coventry 1-1 Crystal Palace match report: The Daily Mirror verdict

Republic of Ireland international Leon Best could only just muster a smile after earning Coventry City a crucial point - admitting that his World Cup heartache is still very raw.

Best should have been beaming after a superb equaliser took his season's tally to eight and put an end to the Sky Blues three-match losing streak.

The 23-year-old was an unused substitute on Wednesday night in Paris, when the hand of Henry ended his World Cup dream.

The pain didn't show in Best's performance as his goal and all-round play put Coventry on the verge of victory - but his demeanour off the pitch proved it is weighing heavy on the striker's mind.

"I'm trying to block it out but it's hard," said Best. "I'm not watching the television and what people are saying about it but it's difficult because everyone wants to talk about it.

"It hurt being there and seeing it and being around all the feelings the players and manager had. It was horrible.

"It's a dream of mine to get to a World Cup and I've always watched the tournaments and watched my heroes, so the chance to do it would have been a dream come true - and to lose because of something like that is a horrible feeling. I'd rather they'd beaten us 3-0."

Ironically, one such hero was the man who shattered Ireland's hopes - Thierry Henry.

"I got Henryís shirt after the first leg and I've always looked up to him as a player but I was very, very disappointed,î he said.

Best's team-mates struggled in the opening period, although they could have had a first-minute lead when Palace keeper Julian Speroni spilled a simple header into the path of Michael McIndoe, only for the ball to get stuck in his feet.

But that was Coventry's only real chance of the half as Palace pushed on, with the impressive Darren Ambrose leading the charge.

Ambrose nearly set-up an opening goal when his precise cross into the box was met by Neil Danns - but his header was saved well by a diving Keiren Westwood.

The former-Charlton man was in the thick of it again in the 28th minute and scored his fifth goal in five outings.

Coventry's on-loan defender Leon Barnett sent a poor header into the path of Freddy Sears, who knocked the ball across goal to provide the unmarked Ambrose the easiest of goals.

Palace continued to push, but were caught out by Best's goal two minutes after the restart. McIndoe turned Danny Butterfield on the edge of the box and sent an inch-perfect ball in Bestís path, which he powered home with a header.

The goal inspired Coventry and they pushed for a second. It nearly came in the 52nd minute when Speroni fumbled again, but when the ball fell to the floored debutant Richard Wood, he couldn't steer the ball home.

City winger David Bell shot wide with a thunderous volley, before Clinton Morrison just missed the chance to score against his former club, failing to capitalise on a loose ball in a panicky Palace box.

The Eagles hung on - and Ambrose believes Palace's solid form could soon move them up the table.

"We've lost one game in eleven but we're still in the bottom half, but it's so tight and a few wins gets you right up there," he said.

"Personally, I am working hard and I've got 11 goals but I'm trying to work on my overall performance and prove I'm a good player. I'm trying to prove a point to myself that I am a good player who can play at the top level."

Coventry City: Westwood 7; Wright 6, Wood 7, Barnett 7, Van Aanholt 6; Bell 7, Cork 7, Gunnarsson 6, McIndoe 8; Best 8, Morrison 6 (Madine 90). Subs not used: Konstantopoulos, McPake, Eastwood, Cranie, Cain, Grandison.

Crystal Palace : Speroni 5; Butterfield 6, Davis 7, Fonte 7, Hill 6; Derry 7, Ertl 6; Sears 6 (John 70, 6), Danns 7 (NíDiaye 90), Ambrose 8; Lee 6 (Andrew 70, 6). Subs not used: Clyne, McCarthy, Carle, Moses.