Veteran striker Kevin Phillips scored a hat-trick in just eight minutes either side of half-time to guide Crystal Palace to a 4-2 win over Hull City at Selhurst Park.
The 39-year-old, signed on loan in January from manager Ian Holloway's former club Blackpool, was making his first Palace start on Tuesday.
He had wanted to take Palace's first penalty in the 30th minute, but top scorer Glenn Murray stepped up and he was shut out brilliantly by Hull goalkeeper David Stockdale.
Palace were awarded a second spot-kick when a linesman judged that Jack Hobbs had handled Murray's shot inside the box.
Phillips thundered the penalty down the middle, and Stockdale could not stop the ball rolling over the line despite getting a hand to it.
The former England international scored again early in the second half when he scuffed a shot into the corner of the net after good work by Wilfried Zaha.
Less than two minutes, Phillips completed his hat-trick as his 25-yard scorcher got the kindest of deflections to take the ball over a stranded Stockdale.
Jay Simpson pulled one back but Zaha wrapped up the points before David Meyler netted a last-gasp consolation.
"I read I was the oldest scorer in Palace's history. I'm 40 in July, scoring a hat-trick and still breaking records!" Phillips told a press conference.
Palace manager Holloway said: "The bloke is so professional and he is so fit. He is 39, but if we were able to test it, I bet he has got the lungs of a 26- year-old.
"I'm just delighted he understands how I want to use him here. I knew that with the wide players we have here he would be the ideal man to get on the end of things."
Hull manager Steve Bruce added: "Kevin Phillips has always haunted me over the years and even at this age he is still doing it."
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| Crystal Palace striker Kevin Phillips shoots to score a penalty against Hull City Photo: Getty Images |
The 39-year-old, signed on loan in January from manager Ian Holloway's former club Blackpool, was making his first Palace start on Tuesday.
He had wanted to take Palace's first penalty in the 30th minute, but top scorer Glenn Murray stepped up and he was shut out brilliantly by Hull goalkeeper David Stockdale.
Palace were awarded a second spot-kick when a linesman judged that Jack Hobbs had handled Murray's shot inside the box.
Phillips thundered the penalty down the middle, and Stockdale could not stop the ball rolling over the line despite getting a hand to it.
The former England international scored again early in the second half when he scuffed a shot into the corner of the net after good work by Wilfried Zaha.
Less than two minutes, Phillips completed his hat-trick as his 25-yard scorcher got the kindest of deflections to take the ball over a stranded Stockdale.
Jay Simpson pulled one back but Zaha wrapped up the points before David Meyler netted a last-gasp consolation.
"I read I was the oldest scorer in Palace's history. I'm 40 in July, scoring a hat-trick and still breaking records!" Phillips told a press conference.
Palace manager Holloway said: "The bloke is so professional and he is so fit. He is 39, but if we were able to test it, I bet he has got the lungs of a 26- year-old.
"I'm just delighted he understands how I want to use him here. I knew that with the wide players we have here he would be the ideal man to get on the end of things."
Hull manager Steve Bruce added: "Kevin Phillips has always haunted me over the years and even at this age he is still doing it."
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