Crystal Palace 1 Middlesbrough 0
DARREN Ambrose scored his tenth goal of the season to hand Palace a much needed victory over a lacklustre Middlesbrough side.
Ambrose struck just after the hour mark to hand Neil Warnock’s side all three points.
It wasn’t the best of games as a spectacle but that won’t bother the home support as they head in to the two week international break celebrating a timely victory.
A slow game almost got off to the quickest of starts as Ambrose went close to adding to his impressive season’s tally early on swerving a free-kick just past the post from 25 yards.
Neil Danns then screwed a left footed shot wide of goal from the edge of the box.
Boro’s first opportunity came when Sean St Ledge played a nicely timed pass into Leroy Lita, but Jose Fonte slid into a challenge to prevent Lita a shooting opportunity.
The visitors came closer minutes later when Adam Johnson set up Marcus Bent inside the box but the much travelled striker sliced horribly wide.
The fans inside Selhurst then witnessed the rarest of things – an error by Julian Speroni. The Argentinian shot stopper fluffed a kick straight into the path of Johnson, and Danny Butterfield was forced to bring down the flying winger, picking up a yellow card for his troubles.
Throughout there wasn’t much between the sides and the first goal was always going to be crucial.
After half an hour Bent found Lita in the box but the ball ricocheted off the former Reading man and away for a goal kick.
Back came Palace. Butterfied whipped a nice cross into the area and Alan Lee headed inched wide of the post.
Freddie Sears was looking to impress after his recall to the side and made a number of encouraging runs. One of which saw him nip inside Justin Hoyte - the former Arsenal full back handled the ball on the ground and was cautioned.
The first meaningful action of the second half saw Lita waste a wonderful opportunity for the visitors.
An Ambrose corner was cleared and all of a sudden Boro had a breakaway with four players flying forward and only Butterfield defending. However, Lita chose to go it alone rather than square it to one of his team mates in a much better position. The Boro forward eventually ran it too wide and hit a weak shot across the goal. It was a let off for Palace.
Sears continued to look lively and twice he beat his defender and delivered good crosses into the box, but the Boro defence cleared comfortably on both occasions.
The crucial breakthrough eventually came in the 64th minute and it was no surprise who it came from. The Eagles defended a Boro corner and countered quickly. Lee hit a good cross field pass from the right and Danns out leaped Hoyte to win the flick on. Ambrose had made great ground to stay up with play and was all alone in the box when the ball fell to his feet, he made no mistake finishing coolly to give Palace the lead.
The visitors responded to the set back and Speroni was forced to claw away a David Wheater header from Johnson’s corner.
Gary O’Neil then wasted a glorious chance to level the scores. The midfielder raced clear through the middle, but Speroni stood tall and palmed away O’Neil’s attempted chip.
For all their effort Boro weren’t creating an awful lot of chances.
With time running out substitute Jonathon Franks hit his shot straight at Speroni after Bent had won the flick on. It was the last clear opportunity Gordon Strachan’s side had of getting a point.
The Eagles were forced to withstand some late Boro pressure but they saw the game out with some typical dogged defending to seal an important victory.
Palace: Speroni, Butterfield, Hill, Fonte, Davis, Derry, Ertl, Ambrose, Danns (Carle 80), Lee, Sears (N’Diaye 88). Subs: Moses, Scannell, Clyne, John, Djilali.
Middlesbrough: Jones, Hoyte (Arca 68), Lita (Franks 76), St Ledger, O'Neil, Johnson, Bent, Grounds, Williams, Wheater, Osbourne. Subs: Yeates, Emnes, Coyne, Bennett, McMahon.
51 Comments
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by Pete W, Hemel Hempstead
Monday, November 09 2009, 9:19PM
“Hi all! Peter, you have to admit, it's so hard to resist and I have this sneaking suspicion L460uis actually enjoys it. Julie, how did you know I'm rather partial to the odd pukka. As for the Selhurst Arms, I'm sometimes in there with all me mates so you may be right as my table's pretty empty but in my defence, I do come a long way and all my old mates stopped going around the time of Trevor Francis. My Son's managed to get the time off work for the last few and he hasn't seen us lose yet so I'm negotiating with his employer to give him more Saturdays off!!!! Here's one for you! the invisible man is the only squad member who can play more than 40 games in a season without making an appearance!!!!! (Sorry but that's actually quite good for me). Julie, if you ever fancy a change from the old man, you can find me in the Lower Holmesdale. You can't miss me, I'm the one weraing a Palace shirt!!!!”
by julie, West Wickham
Monday, November 09 2009, 6:40PM
“Peter , Hemel, sorry for disapointing you , a pukka pie for Luis is kind of you , selhurst ams ... mmm have'nt they all decamped across the road to the whitehorse , i may be wrong”
by Luis, Henfield
Monday, November 09 2009, 9:31AM
“And Lee,stop calling Peter my Pal
I don't know any of you and your still throwing out pointless insults.”
by Luis, Henfield
Monday, November 09 2009, 9:28AM
“Lee,the one thing I'm NOT is stupid and as I've said before STOP these pointless insults.”
by Lee, Croydon
Sunday, November 08 2009, 11:42PM
“Ha ha Silly Bollocks is Back, The Person with no name or is it The Imposter?”
by Lee, Croydon
Sunday, November 08 2009, 11:35PM
“Peter Stone Me You Talk Piffle, Northants,
how have you got the Audacity to advise Pete W, on what he should say or not say to L0uis, you are a Coward, you Never had the Balls to Appoligise for your sexist Comments to julie or your Disgusting Rascist Comments to Cosmas instead you Blamed it on a `Imposter, you are a Sad Case, as For your `Pal` L0uis, Henfield Village, if he didn`t come out such ridiculios Comments,then he Wouldn`t get Insulted so much, L0uis, is Harmless, he is Just Stupid, but you are a Nasty Little Man, Fonte Motm? That Sums you Up Peter Piffle, Clueless.”
by Boredofthis, Space
Sunday, November 08 2009, 11:35PM
“You are all the same person and it is not funny.”
by Lee, Croydon
Sunday, November 08 2009, 11:18PM
“Peter Piffle, Northants,
sounds like Pete W, didn`t think Fonte was motm yesterday as well, where are the comments from fans saying Fonte was Motm? Peter Piffle & L0uis Drivel, you shouldn`t go to football Matches, you 2 are Clueless, you do not understand the Game, Dumb & Dumber. Peter Piffle Moan, moan about the Bbc, if you don`t like the Coverage & Claridge, don`t watch it you Idiot.”
by peter, northants
Sunday, November 08 2009, 10:45PM
“Good to hear another match report. In fairness though Pete I think you should leave knocking Luis, I think your bigger than that, copying Lee and to be honest it's getting rather boring now,
The BBC are so bias toward the bigger teams. I bet if Boro won then you can bet there would have been more highlights. Claridge is boring ans so predictable, for heavens sake BBC get a different perspective from someone else now and again.
To be honest, apart from the bit of history about us, the other piece they did about giving nicknames to the team made us look a joke and all that crap about Davies and Johnson, what a waste of time. At that time of night we want to see action and not a lot of rubbish that some jobsworth at the BBC has thought of. BBC, give the show a bit more thought please.”
by Pete W, Hemel Hempstead
Sunday, November 08 2009, 9:33PM
“Dashed back late Friday night from a conference in Doncaster so I could be there Saturday. The place was rocking in the second half, just like the old days. Loads of passion and fight and some good football along the way. Julian was awesome once again and the guy who sits next to me said he made some unbelievable saves up at QPR too. He's a gem and I really hope we hang on to him. Good as it was, I still don't understand why Clyne isn't a regular and he should have come on as Butterfield was in danger of getting sent off after he got booked early on for playing the ball first! Lee Hills out on loan seems a bit daft to me too but I'll just bask in the glory of the win. That flaming lot on the Football League show had to go on about Boro's missed chances but we had as many as them by my reckoning. The potted history was good though. Did anyone see that? Brought back some memories. Anyway, I thought Fonte was struggling early on and wondered whether he was carrying an injury. Davis was solid after a shaky start although his distribution is as bad as Hudson's used to be. My only dissapointment of the week is to discover Julie is married. Good of you to think about L460uis' welfare though Julie. You could alwaysorganise a sunshine coach for him. I;ll volunteer to bring him a pie at half-time just to do my bit. Selhurst Arms is a good pre-match bet by the way.”