Crystal Palace No2 Keith Millen is delighted Damien Delaney was able to shake off an ankle injury this month.
If Delaney had not been fit it would have left Palace massively short of options as Danny Gabbidon had already been ruled out with a hamstring problem.
Millen said: "It was a miracle how Damien was available. When it first happened it was really swollen and we thought it would be weeks and weeks.
"But he has done it before, knows his own body and was so positive from day one that once the swelling went down he would be fit.
"He had heavy strapping on it but got through the game."
