Controversy reigns at Selhurst Park

A header from our ex-play-off hero Neil Shipperley settled an engaging contest against the current league leaders, for whom he now plies his trade.

The goal was surrounded in controversy, however, and on television evidence it has become fairly clear the whole of the ball could not have crossed the line. His downward header squirted between Gabor Kiraly’s legs and trickled towards the goal-line. Kiraly reached quickly turning and trapping the ball against the post with his hand with a sideways movement. Had the ball been fully over the line, the net would have bulged out, but TV evidence shows it doesn’t. What on earth the linesman on the far side was doing giving this goal, when his view would have been obscured by Gabor’s arm is anyone’s guess, but then Sheffield United got the lion’s share of the contentious decisions throughout the game, so perhaps we shouldn’t have been surprised.

The opening exchanges were fairly even, but Palace should have gone ahead when Dougie Freedman found the woodwork at the back post on 14 minutes.

A minute later they were behind, a tame goal by Phil Jagielka set up Steve Kabba, which bounced off both posts before slowly crossing the line. Palace hit back quickly, but the cause wasn’t help when Tom Soares missed an easy header from a six yards, screwing it wide instead from the centre of the goal.

From then on Palace were always chasing the game, Nick Montogomery and Jagielka dominated the middle of the park and Palace’s build up play was lack-lustre until a mistake by Chris Morgan allowed Marco reich to steam down the right and deliver an inch-perfect cross onto the head of Michael Hughes who drilled a header home right on half time.
However the joy was shortlived, as Sheffield United pressed forward in the remaining two minutes of injury time and a deep cross found Gary Borrowdale out of position and the man he was marking, Paul Ifill snapped up an easy chance from the edge of the box without challenge.

Palace came out for the second half all guns blazing, Ben Watson, Tom Soares, Emmerson Boyce and Borrowdale all brought out the very best in Paddy Kenny And Darren Ward couldn’t turn a goal-line clearance in. All this before the travesty at the other end saw Sheffield increase their lead on 56 minutes.

That goal knocked the stuffing out of Palace, until the final ten minutes when they picked it up again. Steve Kabba went one on one with Kiraly, but disgracefully dived over when his touch past the keeper sent the ball too far to be rescued – thankfully the Refeeree got this one right. That fortune didn’t last, however, as Chris Morgan was lucky to survive a stonewall penalty shout, after wrestling Freedman to the ground and feigning his own injury in the incident.

Palace were thrown a late lifeline when the Referee finally gave a peanlty for what looked to be an innocuous challenge on Boyce (TV later proved that the decision was correct). Freedman coolly despatched for his 99th goal in a Palace shirt. Right at the death, Marco Reich saw his header cleared off the line by Jagielka right at the death proving that the gods weren’t with the home side on the day.

Palace: Kiraly, Ward, Fitz Hall, Boyce, Soares, Watson (McAnuff 69), Hughes, Reich, Borrowdale (Andrews 78), Freedman, Morrison. Subs Not Used: Hudson, Leigertwood, Speroni.

Booked: Boyce.

Goals: Hughes 45, Freedman 85 pen.

Sheff Utd Kenny, Bromby, Morgan, Unsworth, Geary, Jagielka, Ifill (Gillespie 45), Alan Quinn (Wright 81), Montgomery, Shipperley, Kabba (Webber 72). Subs Not Used: Pericard, Tonge.

Booked: Kabba, Unsworth, Montgomery.

Goals: Jagielka 15, Ifill 45, Shipperley 56.

Att: 20,344
Ref: I Williamson (Berkshire).


Posted by neil