On a rare trip down South I was lucky enough to take the opportunity to get to Selhurst last night. Well, lucky if you don’t mention that it was absolutely freezing cold in SE25 last night, and probably more so if (like me) you were in the upper tier of the Holmesdale. I came away with a desperate need to thaw out, but also optimistic about our future.
For everyone who was doomsaying about my trip down to watch us play Preston (including myself) needn’t have worried. Palace produced what many considered to be their best performance of the season, leading to a 3-0 win.
Palace’s goals came from a first-half double from Shefki Kuqi and a second half header from Leon Cort. Preston provided a few bursts of comedy, first from Brett Ormerod’s fantastic miskick and then from the substituted David Nugent, who proceeded to throw a succession of boots, socks and shinpads from the Preston bench when he was taken off.
Well I’m glad I made that trip. Pretty much a stinker of a game, which ended as a 1-1 draw. Probably a fair result at the end of the day.
After a slow start we took the lead after fifteen minutes, with Clinton Morrison chasing down Gabor Kiraly’s clearance and heading over the out-of-position Coyne. With Coyne continuing to struggle (palming the ball to Scowcroft, punching the ball arguably outside his area and slicing a clearance) we really could have been out of sight before Ade Akinbiyi’s inevitable goal against us, and while Steve Cotterill can justifiably say that Burnley “did enough to win the game” he should remember how shaky his defence looked early on (typically we gave Coyne little to do in the second half).
To be honest I was expecting the worst against a team without a win in their last fifteen games. At the start of the second half we almost invited them to pile lots of pressure on us, and we only really started to come into the game again with the introduction of Ben Watson as a substitute.
In a perplexing manner, Peter Taylor said following the game that “Burnley away is a difficult game and I’m pleased with an away point.” I agree. I hate playing away at a team which hasn’t won once in their last fifteen games, and played the first thirty minutes like they were already on their summer holidays. If Burnley away is a difficult game what does that make West Brom away – Mission Impossible?
Clinton Morrison’s goal was his 94th for the club, and his third in the last two games. I’d say this begins the 100 goal countdown in earnest!
Lots of plaudits for Burnley’s catering as well. Mmm, Meat and Potato pies, mmm…
Burnley 1-1 Crystal Palace [BBC Sport]