Crystal Palace endured their first defeat of pre-season as Championship side Fulham rounded off their preparations for the new season with an impressive 3-1 win at Craven Cottage.

Alan Pardew had named strong side for the trip to west London, with Wilfried Zaha starting in a lineup missing only Yohan Cabaye and Steve Mandanda from what might be considered Palace’s strongest side.

However it was not enough to overcome Slavisa Jokanovic’s side, for whom summer signing Sone Aluko registered the opener, rounding goalkeeper Julian Speroni before slotting home to give the hosts a 1-0 lead at the break.

Veteran shot-stopper Speroni gifted the Cottagers a second goal ten minutes after the interval, spilling a cross from Denis Odoi and allowing Matt Smith to tap home.

Though Palace pulled back a goal through Keshi Anderson with 11 minutes to go there was to be no comeback with the visitors piling on pressure. Indeed the Premier League side were caught on the counter in the last minute, Floyd Ayite slotting home after Tom Cairney’s shot had been blocked on the line.

With Fulham set to get their Championship season underway at home to newly-relegated Newcastle on Friday August 5 Jokanovic was keen to downplay the significance of the win, which saw his side end their pre-season with three victories from five games.

“The really important games are going to start next Friday night and will finish nine months after,” he said.

“We will forget our victory today in a pre-season game very fast. Probably in six days nobody will remember this preparation game.

“I believe we are ready for the first game but we are not ready for the competition. I expect we’re still going to show more ambition in these days that are in front of us.”