The midweek fixture for The Eagles saw them host a formidable Southampton side who sit top of the nPower Championship, 3 spots above Palace, having just been promoted from League One this season. However, there were no League points up for grabs in this one, there was a coveted spot in the Quarter Finals of the League Cup.
The Eagles' defence was tested early by the visitors as Darren Ambrose found himself clearing a header from The Saints' Jack Cork and the visitors continued to push Peter Ramage clearing away a dangerous cross to the near post not long before Lewis Price, goalkeeper for the Eagles, was forced into a fumble which was cleared by Ramage again.
Jonathan Parr found himself in some space in the centre of the park and began a run forward, his pass was cut out but fell to Kagisho "KG" Dikcagoi just a yard behind and his long range effort cleared the bar by a few feet.
The second half saw Palace come out fighting, Jermaine Easter's run to the edge of the box was wasted as his effort also cleared the top of the goal. Easter came close yet again when youngster Jonathan Williams made a mazy run before a tricky pass found Ambrose who fed the striker a good opportunity but he fired just wide.
The breakthrough came with another cameo from Williams, his cross finding Darren Ambrose just a yard or two from goal, tapping it home to make it 1-0 to the Eagles. Unfortunately he picked up an injury in the process and was subbed off just minutes later for Australian international Mile Jedinak.
Nine minutes after the first goal, Jonathan Williams was brought down by Dan Harding in the box and awarded a penalty for his troubles. Jermaine Easter who had been unlucky not to score once or twice during open play, stepped to slot home his second goal of the campaign, giving Palace a two goal lead going into the last ten minutes.
Second string 'keeper Lewis Price made some good saves through the game and did well to hold a low aimed free kick from Southampton before tipping over another free kick aimed in the opposite direction to the first. Price gained his second clean sheet of the season, the first coming against Crawley Town in the first round of the competition. He's proving a worthy understudy to number one Julian Speroni.
Palace through to the Quarter Finals now and could draw any of the big Premier League clubs or Championship rivals Cardiff in the next round.
Team News:
Crystal Palace may see Darren Ambrose sidelined as he limped off in the win over So'ton, having just come back from a foot injury. Lee Hills is still ruled out for the long term with his cruciate knee ligament injury. Aleksander Tunchev was ruled out against So'ton with a "slight groin strain" so he could return if fit. Garvan may return from his injury respectively.
Reading have a total of seven players out on loan, one of which is striker Nicholas Bignall who's debut in 2009 saw him put two past Burton Albion in a 5-1 victory. Another of Reading's outward loaned players is dfender Marcus Williams whose loan to Sheffield United was extended to the maximum 93 days which means he doesn't return for The Royals until 13th December. Jay Tabb is also out for the visitors with a head injury which he sustained against Burnley, his injury giving his replacement time to score a 98th minute winner.
Palace fans will be expected to see ex-Eagle Jobi McAnuff return to Selhurst Park (insert abusive chant here).
Preview
Crystal Palace face Berkshire outfit Reading on Saturday, the two sides do have one thing in common going into this fixture and that's that both clubs' last opponents were league leaders Southampton. Palace of course overcame The Saints on Tuesday for a place in the Carling Cup last 8, Reading hosted So'ton last Saturday, being denied three points thanks to a late goal from De Ridder in the 80th minute; final score 1-1.
Reading were the second highest scorers past Palace last season scoring a total of six goals in the two fixtures, Derby beat them with seven. Last time out however the two sides were equally excellent as they provided the crowd at Selhurst Park with a six goal thriller split 3-3. The away trip saw The Eagles sent packing with a 3-0 stomping. The goals are rarely absent in this fixture as there has only been one scoreless draw in the last twenty meetings, this coming in the season of 2008/09 at Selhurst Park. The 19 games surrounding this game contained a total of 74 goals, Palace scoring 36 of these.
Palace's most notable victory over The Royals is the 1-6 thrashing they handed out in 1996, manager Dougie Freedman claiming the second.
With Reading sitting 15th in the table and without a clean sheet since October 1st when they drew 0-0 with third place Middlesbrough, they are unbeaten in 7 and will definitely hope to register all three points in this one. They will be confident having a current run of 3 games unbeaten away from home.
Palace, however, are on an unbeaten run of 5 and a clean sheet run of 4 and will hope to add to their excellent current form.
My CPFC line-up
Speroni
Clyne McCarthy Tunchev Parr
Wright Jedinak
Zaha Garvan Scannell
Murray
Subs: Price, Gardner, Williams, Dikgacoi, Easter
Reading's last six:
D-D-W-D-W-D
Last time out:
Crystal Palace 3-3 Reading
Ambrose (1') Long (30')
Danns (25') Kebe (49')
Easter (68') Hunt (73')
Match Facts:
- The two sides have met a total of 78 times, Crystal Palace winning 25, Reading 30.*
- Reading concede an average of 0.83 goals away from home, scoring 1.17.*
- Crystal Palace score an average of 1.33 goals at home, conceding 0.83.*
- Reading haven't scored less than 3 goals against Palace since 2009 when Palace won 4-2, this was Palace's last victory over Reading.
- Palace have only failed to score in one game at home this season, Middlesbrough edging out the Eagles 1-0.
* This excludes cup fixtures and pre-season friendlies.
My prediction:
Crystal Palace 2-2 Reading
Zaha Le Fondre (2)
Murray
No comments:
Post a Comment