Horror show at Selhurst

This was simply abject. Peter Taylor rang the changes by dropping Danny Granville (fair enough) and Danny Butterfield (harsh) after Saturday’s Kenilworth woe, but elected to retain Shefti Kuqi upfront.

However, the song remained the same, indeed if anything it was even more discordant. Matt Lawrence at right back was simply absymal, but he was by no means the only one.

Palace again fell to an early sucker punch as Kenwyne Jones easily rose above three attendant defenders and the outrushing Gabor Kiraly to head home a corner in the second minute and it was all downhill from there.

The only semi bright spark in the game was the continual effort of James Scowcroft who managed to spank the woodwork with one particular chance.

Palace’s midfield injury problems increased when Tom Soares, having one of his better games, cracked his ankle in a tackle which afforded new signing Stuart Green a debut in the second half.

Like Saturday the half time barracking seemed to have little effect as Palace conceded early in the half again, this time a mere three minutes after the restart. A eofully misplaced pass from Michael Hughes left Lawrence in no mans land and allowed Rudi Skacel to cross for Gregorz Rasiak to finish.

There was no way back and, to be honest, the players didn’t seem to want to involve themselves which was especially disappointing. Even further attacking substitutions did little to riase the tempo as the Saints calmly settled for the spoils.

Palace: Kiraly, Lawrence, Hudson, Cort, Borrowdale,McAnuff (Freedman 55), Kennedy, Hughes, Soares (Green 46),Scowcroft, Kuqi (Morrison 55).Subs Not Used: Speroni, Butterfield.

Booked: Hudson.

Southampton Davis, Pele, Wright, Baird, Makin,Idiakez (Ostlund 51), Dyer (Wright-Phillips 82), Skacel,Viafara, Jones, Rasiak (Surman 66). Subs Not Used: Miller, Bale.

Booked: Idiakez, Pele.

Goals: Jones 2, Rasiak 48.
Att: 17,084
Ref: C Penton (Sussex).


Posted by neil