CHERRIES were denied their first Premier League victory of the season at Crystal Palace as Scott Dann’s late header broke the visitors’ hearts at Selhurst Park.

Norwegian international Joshua King put Eddie Howe’s troops in front in the 11th minute with a well taken finish from Harry Arter’s delicate pass.

And keeper Artur Boruc kept Cherries in the box seat when he saved a Yohan Cabaye penalty before the visitors appeared to have survived an avalanche of pressure in the second period.

However, Dann rose well to head home in the third minute of stoppage time and rescue Palace a 1-1 draw.

Howe elected to stick with the same XI that had started the defeat to West Ham United, with Arter returning after serving a one-match ban for the EFL Cup win at Morecambe.

For Palace, record signing Christian Benteke was handed his first league start up front while Tottenham target Wilfried Zaha was named among the substitutes.

Cherries had the better of the early exchanges and Ryan Fraser and Charlie Daniels were lively down the left flank.

Eleven minutes in, the visitors seized the initiative. Damien Delaney barged into the back of Jordon Ibe on the right and Andrew Surman’s in-swinging free-kick was half-cleared. Arter coolly dinked an angled ball over the top for King, who chested down and coolly stroked home off the far post.

The lead almost evaporated within minutes. Referee Mike Dean pointed to the spot after he deemed Daniels had pulled the shirt of Benteke but keeper Boruc dived to his right to produce an excellent save from Cabaye.

King saw his shot deflect wide after more good work from Fraser while Surman swept a 25-yard free-kick over the top.

Palace were gradually coming back into it and were given a chance to level when King shoved over Benteke 20 yards out. However, Andros Townsend’s free-kick hit the wall and Arter blocked Joel Ward’s follow up.

Boruc adjusted superbly to palm over a mis-hit cross from Townsend when it seemed certain the ball would curl into the top corner.

Cherries had a gilt-edged opportunity to double their lead nine minutes before half-time after Callum Wilson played a neat one-two with King, only to be denied by stopper Steve Mandanda with the goal gaping.

Captain Simon Francis received treatment following a robust challenge by Pape Souare on the edge of the box, Ibe’s resultant free-kick floating just clear of the bar.

Jason Puncheon lashed wildly off-target for the hosts and Ibe closed the opening period with a free-kick which failed to beat the wall.

After the restart, Steve Cook bravely threw himself in the path of James McArthur’s drive from the edge of the box before Palace nearly broke through.

From a floated corner, Dann’s downward header was goal-bound but Arter – stationed on the post – cleared off the line.

Fraser led a superb Cherries counter but was flagged offside from King’s pass before his effort at goal was kept out by Mandanda.

Palace were cranking up the pressure and Cherries had a let-off when Boruc pawed at a corner and Connor Wickham slammed over from a decent position.

McArthur should have done better with a near-post header after he had been picked out by Souare’s left-wing cross.

Benteke headed well off-target before Palace boss Alan Pardew threw on Zaha and Chung-yong Lee in an effort to get back in the game.

Boruc was alert to gather a swiped effort from Townsend, Cook hacked over the bar from Souare’s header and Cherries survived a goalmouth scramble.

With 15 minutes left, Chung-yong blasted over from Zaha’s pull-back and minutes later Souare’s speculative strike fizzed wide.

Referee Dean waved away Benteke’s appeals for a penalty after he went easily to ground with Adam Smith in attendance, Townsend drilling wide a glorious chance seconds later.

Fraser might have made it 2-0 when he poked off target from Smith’s cross after good work from substitute Dan Gosling.

Cook came to the rescue with a brilliant block from Ward and then Boruc beat away a Lee shot.

But with full-time looming, Dann’s thumping header earned Palace a share of the spoils.

MATCH FACTS

Crystal Palace: Mandanda, Ward (Kelly, 88), Dann, Delaney, Souare, Townsend, McArthur (Chung-yong, 66), Cabaye, Puncheon, Benteke, Wickham (Zaha, 66).

Unused subs: Tomkins, Ledley, Boateng, Speroni (g/k).

Booked: Cabaye, Delaney, Benteke.

Cherries: Boruc, A Smith, Francis, S Cook, Daniels, Ibe (Gosling, 59) Arter, Surman, Fraser (Ake, 88), King, C Wilson (Grabban, 71).

Unused subs: B Smith, Gradel, Afobe, Federici (g/k).

Booked: Boruc.

Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral).

Attendance: 23,503 (1,966 away fans)