Football FanCast columnist Alex Dimond reflects on his beloved Crystal Palace's playoff defeat.

Football - why do we love it when it can be so cruel? The torture and pain of reality rarely lives up to the hope and excitement of expectations. I really believed that Crystal Palace had a great chance of winning promotion through the playoffs this season, regardless of media talk of us being favourites and having the best form, so the demise of my dream was painful. It is hard even to write about it, but like therapy, it will only help with the recovery.

Again, like on Saturday, you have to hand it to the Bristol City players. They came out in extra time with the wind in their sails, and scored two fabulous goals. The introduction of Sproule was inspired - he stretched the game with his pace and allowed the likes of Trundle more room to exploit. In the end perhaps this was the difference between the two sides- Warnock really did not have the options on the bench to change the match in the way that Gary Johnson could, and did.

Having said that, for long periods of the game it did not look like the game needed changing. Palace looked threatening (particularly in the second half) and as the game panned out, the Eagles looked the most likely to score. The clearest opportunity came from the spot, after Tom Soares had been brought down by a cumbersome challenge from Nick Carle. The responsibility for the penalty fell to Ben Watson, so often our savour this season (often from the spot), but unfortunately this time his luck was out, and the ball bounced away off the post. It would prove to be our best chance of victory, and Trundle and McIndoe conspired to ensure it was our last real chance of the 07/08 season.

That being the case, there is no way you will see me criticising Ben Watson. He put in a heroic performance last night, leading the team from midfield and doing everything in his power to drive the team forward. Studying both matches, it seems that Warnock had instructed Watson to mark Bristol's creative spark Nick Carle - with this in mind it was impressive not only how quiet Carle was over both legs, but also how much Watson managed to influence the game himself. Since making his debut for us in 2003, the Palace fans have been waiting for the young lad to reach the full extent of his evident potential, you feel that last night was that moment- and as a product of our youth team it was fantastic to see. Of course, with such a great performance in such a high profile game, it is possible we won't see him run out in a red and blue shirt again.  Yet another price to be paid from yesterday's defeat...

But Ben was not the only Palace player to step up to the plate last night. The midfield (Soares and Derry) was dominant, and the defence coped admirably with two very tricky opposing strikers. Yes, we looked shaky at times, but we rode the early storm and looked more and more composed at the back as the game wore on. It was a shame that our own strikers could not assert themselves on the match - while he worked unselfishly for the team Clinton Morrison really could not get involved- you expect better from your most experienced striker in such a high profile game. I can certainly see Warnock adding a striker to the squad next season - and with the potential departure of Hudson (out of contract), Fonte and Sinclair (expiring loans) you feel the club will need to be active in the transfer market if we are to capitalise on our late season form with another promotion challenge next season. Warnock has a pretty successful record in the transfer market; I wait with baited breath to see the new additions he brings in.

Defeat is always hard to take - especially in such a massive game - but for me the post-match actions of the Bristol fans only rubbed salt into the wounds. At the end of the game, it appeared a minority of Bristol supporters went over to the away end to taunt the Palace fans, fans that had admirably stayed to applaud the efforts of their dejected team. These actions seemed a bit classless to me - I appreciate there is always healthy banter between fans but that should stop with the final whistle.

Warnock and Johnson managed to put aside their differences and offer genuine congratulations/commiserations, so why couldn't the fans? I know these were the actions of a minority (what club doesn't have its idiots?) but it still reflects badly. And what was with the pitch invasion?! I know Ashton Gate has gone 28 years without top-flight football, but it still hasn't got it yet. Fans were crowding the pitch with 10 minutes left of extra time - a tad premature surely? You still have to beat Hull or Watford at Wembley before you have achieved anything tangible - and that is no foregone conclusion. All in all, the actions of the Bristol fans reminded me of the Tottenham celebrations earlier this season, after they had beaten Arsenal in the League Cup semi-final - they had not won anything yet but celebrated like their lottery ticket had come in. Then again, Tottenham went on to win the cup, so maybe Bristol's pitch invasion won't look so foolish in two weeks time.

Anyway, all that was just a sideshow to the important events on the pitch. At the beginning of this article I asked why fans love football, when it so often breaks our hearts. The answer, as Bristol City fans will tell you, is simple. Because, for every devastating low, there is an indescribable high waiting just around the corner. There might be a few more disappointments before it comes - but when it does all those last minute defeats only make the success tasteeven sweeter. Palace fans know this truth as well as anyone. Yesterday's defeat will continue to hurt for a while yet but, next season, when we beat Charlton at Selhurst Park, Bristol City at Ashton Gate or even win automatic promotion - the memories will only spur on our celebrations. Like our fans last night, we remain defiant and proud of what was a very encouraging campaign. That don't kill you only makes you stronger, as a certain Mr West eulogised. C'mon the Eagles!