Palace 1-1 Huddersfield Town: Zaha strike not enough for ten-man Eagles
CRYSTAL Palace were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Huddersfield Town this evening.
Damien Delaney and Anthony Gerrard both received their marching orders in either half for dangerous challenges, but Palace went into the break one goal to the good thanks to Wilfried Zaha's fantastic strike.
But they were pegged back when Keith Southern's soft effort back at goal went through Julian Speroni's legs from close range in the second period.
It was harsh on the stopper, who had a tremendous first half with three fantastic saves, including a penalty to deny Adam Clayton.
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It was a very bright start to the game with both sides having good chances in the opening two minutes.
Having won a free-kick 20 yards from goal, Palace had the first opportunity when Mile Jedinak, back in the side following a one-match ban, curled the ball around the Huddersfield wall and skimmed the side netting.
Parts of Selhurst Park thought the ball had crept in, but just 40 seconds later, Jermaine Beckford headed powerfully towards the top corner, but Speroni pulled off a stunning save to tip over.
Wilfried Zaha then went close when he cut in from the left and dragged a low shot wide of the near post, while Owen Garvan pulled the trigger moments later with a low first time effort from outside the box which whistled past the post.
But after such a good start from Ian Holloway's men, they were reduced to ten men after 13 minutes when Damien Delaney was adjudged to have been the last man by the referee after cutting Beckford down to size. However, after discussions with skipper Jedinak, it could have also been for the severity of the challenge.
Danny Gabbidon came on to fill the void, with the unfortunate Garvan replaced in the middle of the park.
However, Huddersfield had a great chance to open the scoring minutes later when they were awarded a penalty after former Eagle Sean Scannell was brought down on the left side of the box by Joel Ward.
Clayton stepped up, but Speroni got down to this right to save easily. It was a very poor penalty, however.
And shortly after, Speroni was the Palace's saviour again when Scannell beat Ward down the left and delivered low for Beckford, who hit the ball first time from close range, but the Argentine stopper pulled off an unbelievable reaction save.
Glenn Murray had a good chance to give Palace the lead when he capitalised on a poor back-pass from Jake Hunt and went around goalkeeper Alex Smithies, but the angle was fairly tight and he dragged his shot across goal.
Oliver Norwood then tried his luck from range for the Terriers, while Murray sent a tame header wide from a free-kick at the other end.
However, the deadlock was broken on 39 minutes thanks to a breath-taking finish from Zaha, ending his 12-game run without a goal.
Yannick Bolasie picked the ball up on the right side of the box and played in the overlapping Zaha with a ridiculous piece of trickery, and the winger had the option of playing the ball back to Bolasie, but sent a rasping shot high up into the net past Smithies.
Selhurst erupted into a rendition of 'he's just to good for you', and ten-man Palace were ahead before the break.
Beckford blazed over inside the box as the visitors looked for an immediate response, but Simon Grayson's side were denied by further fantastic goalkeeping from Speroni on the stroke of half-time when he tipped over Clayton's dipping shot from outside the box.
Gerrard had the first chance of the second half when he headed wide from a corner, while former Palace loan striker James Vaughan dragged a shot just wide from the edge of the box after being teed up by Beckford.
An injury to Ward then forced Holloway to bring on Dean Moxey after 53 minutes, with Jonathan Parr moving across to right-back.
Midway through the half, Scannell went off for Danny Ward as the visitors looked to inject some fresh legs down the left, but the game had gone a bit quiet with not many chances created from either side.
But then came the equaliser - and Speroni would not have been happy about it either.
A Huddersfield corner fell to the feet of Southern 12-yards out and the midfielder poked the ball back towards goal and through the goalkeeper's legs.
Both sides played the final ten minutes with ten men, however, as Gerrard was given a straight red card for a two-footed lunge on Bolasie on the edge of the box. Having looked at television replays, it was reckless but perhaps not worthy of a dismissal.
Jedinak stepped up but curled the free-kick over the bar as Andre Moritz made his way on for Bolasie.
With both side fighting for the winner, four minutes were added on by the referee, and despite late pressure from Palace, they had to settle for just a point.
From all of us at the Croydon Advertiser, have a very, Merry Christmas. Catch us on Boxing Day for the huge game at Cardiff City.
Palace: Speroni, Ward (Moxey 53), Parr, Ramage, Delaney, Dikgacoi, Jedinak (c), Garvan (Gabbidon 15), Zaha, Bolasie (Moritz 81), Murray.
Subs Not Used: Price, O'Keefe, Appiah, Easter.
Attendance: 17,993.
By Croydon Advertiser Sports Reporter Mark Ritson
Comments
by geoffrey2010
Monday, December 24 2012, 5:22PM
“The referee was correct in sending Delaney off,however the first caution of the match,for the foul on Bolasie should have been a red card.Too many games are being ruined by red cards a better system would be a 10min. sin bin with a ban and fine to follow.”
by fatclub
Monday, December 24 2012, 4:04PM
“Nicecityboy, All of a sudden we are not crossing from the wings thats what I mean by going backwards they are getting tackled before they can get a shot away or giving the simple pass they are not team players, I watch the game but do not always follow the ball as schoolboys do that is why we are getting broken open at the back, as I stated there was a gap as big as the Blackwall Tunnel Before Delaney had to rush accross to try and cut out the gap caused by the defence not co-ordinating at the back which made it a rash tackle, Also with regards "Ollie" his record unless no one has noticed BRISTOL ROVERS never out of the new Div one, QPR finished 21st in Championship, PLYMOUTH lasted 5 months in Championship, LEICESTER Relegated from Championship, BLACKPOOL finished 6th promoted by way of playoffs,relegated straight away. Surely there was a manager with a better record than that, also des that prove that he has attack on his mind if so why have none of his teams stayed constant, We needed a manager who could carry on where it had been left that has not happened.Sorry but ifthat upsets you then that is only my opion because I have seen Palace play better over the last 50 years than we did over the last 4 years and all of a sudden this year it changed as I have previously stated I think because of the intorduction of a new member on the board & Craig Fleming which seemed a positive move I am not condoning Dougie but would you (Nicecityboy) have done the same if you had inproved the team to the degree that he had done & not thought about what you had done?”
by nicecityboy
Monday, December 24 2012, 11:07AM
“Nothing controversial about Delaney's red card was there rambo? Surely you'd have known that as sky tv replayed it about 10 times!
Excellent performance? not sure about that. We can't afford to keep drawing these matches, granted we were down to 10 men but who's fault is that? Are we going to be like Brighton now blaming the red card for everything, blaming the refs for bad decisions when we don't win? The worst decision BY FAR was their red card, they should appeal and the ref should be punished for such a shocking decision.
Sad to see our dip in form, but expected when we look at the lack of cover we have for many positions, the first XI seem to be tiring and some perhaps need a rest. Fatclub why keep defending Dougie? His record was not that special and had he not been forced into a more attacking style us faithful loyal supporters would still be subjected to his BORING NEGATIVE tactics as we were last season and in the first 3 matches this season. The Bolton fans are already fed up with his tactics, and they are welcome to him. Great business by Parish and co letting Greedman go and tapping up Holloway who has a proven track record (unlike Greedman) and should hopefully treat us to exciting attacking football in the second half of the season. It will be an interesting transfer window for us as Holloway has stated he has at least 2 targets, let's see what happens.
fatclub were you serious when you said "Zaha & Bolasie have gone backwards"? Do you attend the matches, as I'm not sure how you could have missed Bolasie's superb performances lately!”
by geoffrey2010
Sunday, December 23 2012, 8:19PM
“I state th obvious ,a shocking tackle,i hope the Palace do not get promoted with that defence,they will be worse than Reading & Q.P.R.However a gutsy performance,Murray what a different player to the one who played against Exeter,tremendous leadership,and skll.”
by fatclub
Sunday, December 23 2012, 3:48PM
“I do agree with everyone about Delaney's sending off, but we were so disjointed at the back and have been ever since Ian Holloway took over, There seems to be no marshalling, the middle was wide open, If it had not been for Spironi we could have been dead & buried before halftime, I do not blame Dougie for not staying it is Parish & co for not putting their hands in their pockets to try & keep him. As he stated he was only looking after his family (Which Parish & Co would also have done in his position) & think a deal could have been done to keep him at Palace as eveything was going in the right direction & do not think it would have cost a lot to keep him, We now seem to be the team that was last season & for the first 3 games of this season, Seems we do not want to go up & are slipping down the table, we are lucky we already have the points in the bag as I believe we could have been in another relegation fight, hopefully it will be mid table as I cannt see us regaining the form we had while Dougie & Co were here. Zaha & Bolasie have gone backwards & are a bit like Ian Wright in their attitude if I can't score then no one else will, Dougie had seemed to have change that attitude but they have now gone back to that, It would be ok if they had shots on goal for Murray to poach any left overs or create chances for him.”
by DorsetPaul
Sunday, December 23 2012, 2:35PM
“Delaney's Tackle was Dreadful and deserved to be sent off as for the Huddersfield lad that was a great tackle!!”
by Jackanory
Sunday, December 23 2012, 10:08AM
“Rambo-3,
Well you got that correct about the Gerrard sending off but Delaney might have got a straight red even if he wasn`t the last man, which he was because it was more like a rugby tackle, it was a shocking challenge.
I would certainly go as far as saying it was a good battling performance & a fair result after Huddersfield created a lot more scoring chances than us, i would never & most sane Palace would certainly agree with me & say it was never an Excellent Performance!
We certainly need some quality added to our squad in January & there is no excuse from Parish & Co not to spend because we have a few quid in the bank with the sales of Ambrose, Scannell, Clyne & sell on money from the Moses move.
Very worrying our blip at the moment, drawing to late goals against Blackpool & Birmingham & yesterday there were some tired legs out there, we will certainly miss Digkacoi next month & with Zaha he needs to be told he`s staying so he can get his head right & concentrate on helping Palace get promoted, he scored a fantastic goal yesterday, but that`s his 1st goal in 12 games, Bolasie was excellent again.
really tough 1 on boxing day, but i cant wait we`ve sold out our ticket location, Rambo_3 are you going to Cardiff or will it be the usual BACKWARD PalaceIplayer for you?”
by rambo_3
Sunday, December 23 2012, 9:42AM
“No.”
by frankbromley
Sunday, December 23 2012, 8:56AM
“We`ve had the Pantomime comment, let`s have the truth.
Delaney`s was a shocking tackle & he was the last man & he deserved to be sent off, Ramage was behind Beckford & Delaney when the tackle was made, it was a sending off, Biased Idiotic Fans that do not understand Football & the Rules should not go to games.
1 win in 6 is certainly not automatic promotion form, the sending off affected the result of Yesterday`s game, we started brightly & ended the half on top but without the saves of Speroni we would have lost the game & what a bizarre goal to concede.
Holloway has to freshen the squad up next month because performances of late, with the squad of players we will be not in the top 2, i certainly hope i`m wrong.
Rambo_3 did the Huddersfield player deserve to be sent off?”
by rambo_3
Saturday, December 22 2012, 9:46PM
“Oh!& Happy Christmas.”