Wayne Henderson today revealed how an international colleague saved him from a potentially hazardous situation at Selhurst Park.

But the on-loan Albion goalkeeper's gratitude did not extend to him helping Clinton Morrison fulfil his mid-game prediction of a home win.

Morrison intervened after objects were thrown into the goalmouth defended by Albion in the second half of Tuesday's battle of SE25.

Referee Andrew Hall initially halted the game to clear the pitch of dozens of red and blue cards, which had been playfully thrown in Henderson's direction from the towering Holmesdale Stand.

It all got a bit more serious when a plastic bottle followed from behind the goal. That was when Morrison was quick to the scene, running 20 yards to have an amicable word with Henderson and tell the Palace fans to grow up.

Henderson, an under-21 Republic of Ireland cap, enjoyed the banter with home fans - to a point.

He said: "That sort of thing is brilliant. I think it's funny more than anything. This is the atmosphere you want to play games in.

"To have that and then have our fans giving them stick for doing it makes it an all-round great occasion.

"I was having a laugh with them and throwing the cards back at them at some stages. But when they start throwing bottles it's a bit much. I get on with Clinton from the Ireland set-up and we've travelled together. The under-21s and the senior team travel together so I've spoken to him a few times.

"With him being at Birmingham and me at Villa we know each other from that as well. That's why I was glad we beat them, especially as he was telling the fans stop throwing things, we'll win the game anyway'.

"I didn't get a chance to speak to Clinton before the game because we were a bit late arriving with the traffic. We just rushed in and rushed straight out again for the warm-up."

In fairness to Morrison, he went some distance out of his way to ease a volatile situation.

And what was he supposed to tell home fans? That he thought his team would lose?

Referee Hall's intervention had a few people puzzled for a moment.

From the stands, it appeared he thought there was a problem with the matchball.

Then, when he marched towards Henderson, the Seagulls keeper feared it might be more of a case of a yellow card for him rather than several red ones for the crowd.

The cards had been left for fans before kick-off to form an eyecatching display in the Eagles' colours as part of their centenary celebrations.

Henderson said: "I didn't know what the ref was doing. I thought he was having a go at me for time-wasting.

"Then when he started clearing the pitch it gave us a break and we were grateful for that."

Ironically, the West Midlands clubs with whom Henderson and Morrison are associated fought out an identical derby scenario on Sunday.

Villa, the team to whom Henderson will return after his loan spell at Withdean ends, scored a long overdue but fully deserved 1-0 success at Birmingham, Morrison's old club, taking them away from the relegation zone in the process.

Those events at St Andrews could not have been further from Henderson's mind, though.

His aim is an eventual return to Albion in the New Year transfer window, though the Seagulls' goalkeeping picture remains complex with Alan Blayney also awaiting a chance and Michel Kuipers gradually returning to fitness.

Given the main attraction of life at Withdean for Henderson and Blayney is a chance to play first team football, even a master of tactical improvisation like Mark McGhee would struggle to keep them both happy.

Henderson said: "I wasn't even thinking about Villa's win. If I can keep turning in performances and cleansheets, hopefully my future lies here."

And, as he chatted cheerfully next to a now empty Holmesdale Stand, here' did not mean Selhurst Park.