Bristol City 2
Crystal Palace 1
Championship play-off semi-final, second leg (aet: 2-2 90mins; Bristol City win 4-2 aggregate)

Neil Warnock today insisted he can keep most of his bright young gems at Selhurst Park, despite Crystal Palace failing to make the Championship promotion final.

The Palace boss is, though, resigned to losing England Under-17 midfielder John Bostock, with Tottenham looking set to beat Manchester United, Barcelona, Chelsea and Arsenal to the prodigy's signature.

Bostock, who made his debut for Palace against Watford last October aged just 15 years and 289 days, was not in the squad that lost last night's promotion play-off semi-final second leg at Bristol City.

Warnock said: "I want him to stay, he knows that. But I've been told he's going to sign for Tottenham. It's disappointing if that's the case, but these big clubs can do what they want."

Up to a point. Warnock, who claimed he has just enjoyed one of the best seasons of his 21-year managerial career after taking Palace from the Championship relegation zone to within touching distance of promotion, says his other youngsters will remain Palace players.

Warnock believes that in the likes of Victor Moses and Sean Scannell, both 17, and 19-year-old Chelsea loanee Scott Sinclair, he has the foundation of a team that can go one better next season by taking Palace back to the Premier League.

"They want to stay," he said. "They want to play football. Where else are they going to play? There's no other club in the Championship would play as many as we've done, seven or eight youngsters, because managers are frightened to play kids. But at my age it doesn't matter.

"I don't see why we can't be better next season because we have bloodied these youngsters, they weren't overawed, they've had great experience and I think they can help us improve.

"At the weekend I'll be talking to Simon Jordan, the chairman, about bringing in some new players. But right now I need a rest."

Warnock, 59, went on: "I didn't think I'd be doing this sort of thing at my age. But I couldn't end with the disappointment of going down with Sheffield United last year. I couldn't end on that, I wanted to prove to people what a good manager I was.

"And not having had a lot of money, and turning the club around like we have, it's been a great experience for us all.

"I just couldn't see points when I first came here. I thought I needed 10 new players but I've been round the dressing room and talked to every one of the team individually, telling them how proud I was of them. There have been some fantastic performances. Players like Shaun Derry and Clint Hill, two lads who are older than me - ready for the knackers yard, have been exemplary and brought the others on."

Warnock, who joined Palace seven months ago fol lowing the departure of Peter Taylor, also had a special word for Ben Watson who pulled Palace back into the tie with a clever first-half header over a stranded Adriano Basso in City's goal, but who then smashed a penalty against the lefthand post with just 17 minutes to go.

Warnock said: "I can't blame Ben for us not making it. He has been super for me this season and at least he had the guts to take the kick.

"The penalty goes in and we win the game. But that's football."

It was a first play-off semi-final defeat in six attempts for Warnock but he could have few complaints over the two legs.

The Eagles had an early shout for a penalty when Sinclair went down in the area as he tried to find a way past Jamie McCombe and Louis Carey, before they took the lead.

It was a moment to forget for defender McCombe, who should have left Danny Butterfield's floated cross for Basso but instead gave the ball straight to Watson.

The midfielder, who also scored for Palace in the first leg, took full advantage, guiding his looping header into the empty net from the edge of the area.

To compound the defender's misery he lost a contact lens during the incident and was forced to retreat to the dressing room for a new one.

The pendulum appeared to swing firmly in Palace's favour in the second half when Nick Carle mistimed a challenge on Tom Soares - only for Watson to fire his spot kick against the foot of the keeper's right-hand post.

Inevitably, both sides began to run out of steam as the prospect of extra time loomed large, but each came within inches of snatching victory at the death.

First, Scannell's deflected effort looped agonisingly on to the roof of the net and, down at the other end, Lee Trundle came even closer with a delightful lob which clipped the top of the crossbar.

The extra period proved too much for Palace though as magnificent strikes from Trundle and then Michael McIndoe sealed the victory.

Warnock said: "We wouldn't get that little bit of fortune with the penalty and lost it in extra time. But I'm pleased we played well. On Saturday I thought we were poor, and I didn't think they were as good tonight as they were Saturday.

"We came and gave them a game and I think they will be very relieved to have got through. I don't think they'll get a tougher game in the play-offs.

"It looks like Hull City will be the other team that goes through to the final, and I think they'll fancy playing Bristol City more than us."

City boss Gary Johnson, who embraced Warnock with three minutes still left to play in extra-time, warned his players that they were not in the promised land of the Premier League just yet.

He said: "We'll enjoy Wembley, but everybody knows you only enjoy it if you're the winners. We've got to be careful because there's one massive game still to go.

"But I'm as proud as I can possibly be. This result means a great deal to this football club. We had to come back from adversity, and the lads put in a fantastic performance."