Full match report, as Palace destroy Pompey's youngsters

Those who attended last night's (5/4) Palace reserve game to see the return of striker Nicola Ventola after a six month injury lay off, may have been forgiven for thinking if the games are always as exciting !

In a match that was decidedly one way traffic, an experienced Palace eleven demolished a young Portsmouth side 8-0 in the FA Premier reserve league South.

Palace's line-up in fact included only one player who hasn't appeared for the first team (Glen Wilson), while Pompey were devoid of anyone who'd started at that level and had goalkeeper Andrea Guatelli to thank for keeping the
score down to single figures.

Danny Butterfield returned to right back after his recent hernia op and provided a timely boost for the first team missing Emmerson Boyce, by coming through the full 90 minutes.

Ventola (who seemed to greatly appreciate the support from the stands) played 45 minutes un-scathed and looked to have a point to prove, looking sharp throughout the half. He scored once but was unlucky (thanks to the aforementioned 'keeper) not to get a hat trick. Apart from his return, Palace were further strengthened by a good display from Sandor Torghelle who bagged three goals himself.

Darren Powell was back from injury (completing just over an hour), and Lakis and Kolkka also played the full 90, completing a good evening all round for Palace and hopefully bolstering the ranks of the first team squad.

Palace were sharp from the 8th minute. Kolkka laid the ball off from the left to Ben Watson who let fly from a central position outside the area with a shot on target. Guatelli dived to his left to parry away, and the close range follow
up from Torghelle was blocked by his legs. One minute later Ventola inside the area on the left, dummied and sent the defender the wrong way, before firing a shot toward the bottom right that again the 'keeper dived and pushed out.

Palace continued in this vein with three futher attempts between the 10th and 20th minutes of the half.

Lakis first shot over the bar, from barely inside the penalty area on the right as he got past the defence. The same player then cut in from the right and fed Watson who shot centrally on target, as the ball was scooped up by Guatelli. Lakis again then went close, this time with a feeding ball from Ventola towards the left. As the Greek
international ran into the penalty area, the 'keeper just beat him to the ball.

Then on 22 minutes, a great shot from Ventola, who smashed the ball goalward from the right wing (as he chased Powell's long ball) saw Guatelli push the ball around the
near post. It was only a few more minutes before the first goal came.

Chasing a through ball down the middle, Ventola was in the clear and raced onto the low pass, past the defence. As it rolled inside the area, the Palace forward deftly
flicked the ball over the speeding 'keeper, and it bounced inside the right hand goal post for a 1-0 lead.

Two minutes later Butterfield shot into the 'keeper's arms, and one minute after that Kolkka's low pass saw Watson hit a swerving right foot effort from inside the box that the goalie saved, as the one way traffic continued.

Torghelle was next in the 35th minute, lining up a shot from the edge of the area straight at Guatelli. Portsmouth finally mustered an attempt just thereafter, as Wilson
blasted over the bar.

Ventola was then unlucky not to score again with four minutes remaining. A powerful drive from the right of the box was once again parried away by the Pompey stopper.
Palace then broke from a Portsmouth corner immediately following. Lakis sped away into the away side's half, and in a move identical to the earlier goal, laid the ball
off for Ventola to run onto. This time Guatelli DID manage to smother the ball first though.

Just as it appeared that for all their first half effort there would only be one goal, Palace bagged the second right on half time. With his back to goal inside the box,
Torghelle turned with the ball and blasted a shot past the 'keeper for Palace's second.

Half time saw Ventola depart un-injured, and enthusiastically after a strong showing and youngster Lewis Grabban replaced him. The substitution didn't make too much
difference in the scheme of things though as the game continued in exactly the same way.

However, it was Portsmouth (who'd yet to muster a shot on goal) who began with a goal attempt as Donaghue put a free kick over the Palace crossbar.

Normal service then resumed as Palace added a third.

Lakis cross from the right was met by a neat lay off forward from Ben Watson, and Torghelle beat the offside trap to blast home from around 8 yards out. Immediately
from the kick off there was almost another. Lakis was away down the right and hit a low shot across the area that just bypassed the left side post.

A further three minutes after that, Guatelli was called into again for Pompey to make a good double stop. Watson hit a strong shot from outside the area that he had to parry away for a corner. Grabban took the corner from the right, and Torghelle leant forward with a diving header from close range that again the goalie pushed around the post.

Two minutes later though, Palace did add the fourth goal.

Lakis cross from the right wing found Watson unmarked on the far left of the area, and he hit a low shot into the back of the net.

By now it was 63 minutes into the game and we finally had a Portsmouth shot on target.

Keene had the ball just outside the box, and cut inside from the left to prod a low shot on target that Speroni gathered. Just after that they then mustered another.
Defender Bye hit a pot shot from the edge of the box that was straight at Speroni and didn't trouble him.

Palace then added another two in the space of about 90 seconds !

74 minutes on the clock and Torghelle was away down the right wing, chasing a loose ball. He cut the ball back low from outside the area to Grabban, who was waiting for the ball, before hitting a low shot into the net for the fifth.

Almost immediately from the kick off, Palace then won possession back and Torghelle was away down the right again. He jinked into the area and cut past Portsmouth's
Pearce (sending him the wrong way) before lifting the ball over the defence and 'keeper towards the far post, where Danze had the simple task of putting the ball into the net for the sixth.

Minutes after the restart Kolkka setup Lakis, whose shot was then blocked by the 'keeper, but Palace three minutes later in the 80th, claimed a seventh.

Pompey were dithering on the edge of their own penalty area, and lost possession.

Torghelle picked up the ball as it ran free into the box, and blasted a shot into the net from around 12 yards out for his third.

That wasn't the end of the match either and Palace continued against a side beaten into submission, with further chances.

A minute or so later Torghelle had another shot blocked by Guatelli, and then Grabban followed up with a close range attempt that he pushed over the bar.

With five minutes left on the clock, the Eagles nearly added a spectacular goal.

Grabban cut back from the right byeline with a cross, and Danze met it from around 10 yards out with an overhead kick attempt that was on target, and thudded back off the bar to safety.

Finally in the 90th minute - another goal !

The eighth (and last) saw Danze's shot pushed away by the busy Pompey custodian. Kolkka was waiting unchallenged on the left and had the easy effort of steering the ball home for the game's last goal.

A whirlwind match of attacking fury as Palace literally battered their young opponents into submission.

It was a very strong performance for the Eagles, with happily a number of players returning to fitness, giving manager Iain Dowie some welcome first team selection
problems.

Danze, Butterfield and Torghelle all had a strong showing, and it was good to see an enthusiastic Ventola causing problems during the first half and looking to prove a point.

Hopefully both Palace strikers can now push on and be involved in this weekend's first team match at Everton.

Palace currently sit in 2nd spot in the reserve league South, but can finish no higher than this now, as Charlton were crowned champions on Monday after a 1-1 draw and are currently 11 points ahead of the chasing pack.


Palace Team: (4-4-2) Speroni, Butterfield, Borrowdale, Watson, Powell (c), Wilson, Lakis, Danze, Ventola, Torghelle, Kolkka

Subs: Grabban (For Ventola '46), Banks, R.Hall (For Powell '66), Fray (For Butterfield '72), Berry

Match Stats:
Palace Shots/Headers: 25 (22 on target)
Portsmouth Shots/Headers: 5 (2 on target)

Palace Corners: 10
Portsmouth Corners: 2

Palace Free Kicks: 3
Portsmouth Free Kicks: 6

Portsmouth Crosses: 4
Palace Crosses: 21 (11 from left / 10 from right)
(Butterfield 5, Lakis 5, Kolkka 3, Torghelle 3, Hall 3, Borrowdale 1,
Grabban 1)

Palace Scorers: Ventola ('25), Torghelle ('45, '50, '80), Watson ('58), Grabban ('74), Danze ('75), Kolkka ('90)


Posted by alan