Palace snooze as Tykes take a huge stride toward safety



Palace snooze as Barnsley take a huge stride toward safety

Palace seemed to have one eye on their summer hols as they didn’t really ever look up for this one. Something of a shame seeing as how the previous three games had actually been amongst the most entertaining of a dull season.

Barnsley, however, had it all to play for and were a much better proposition to the one that lay down and died without so much as a whimper at Selhurst, last November.

Palace were almost behind straight from the off Daniel Nardiello raced clear of Gary Borrowdale only to misjudge the bounce of Sam Togwell's through ball, allowing Julian Speroni to clear up the mess. After another close call, Nardiello eased Yourkshire fears on 14 minutes. Collecting the ball well inside the Palace half on the left touchline, the striker strode inside before accelerating beyond two defenders and curling a deflected shot past the keeper. A move we’ve seen repeated time and time again by opposition and to be honest, it’s getting more than a little annoying.
With Palace labouring under one of Shefki Kuqi really lazy off-days upfront, Clinton Morrison was left with nothing to show for his industry.
Palace enjoyed more of the play in the second half, but again couldn’t find anything resembling cutting edge. Julian Speroni made some fine last ditch saves at the other end as Nardiello continued to look dangerous on the break.
Jobi McAnuff twice could have scored, only to send both drives wide after good dribbles, while Ben Watson had a glorious chance to equalise but swung wildly at Kuqi's cross with the unguarded goal five yards away.
Barnsley second from the penalty spot was surrounded in controversy. Not the penalty award, that was as clearcut a decision as you will ever see as Matt Lawrence horribly mistimed a challenge of Nardiello, but the fact that Julian Speroni saved the poor first attempt. The Palace players reacted furious as the linesman indicated that Speroni had jumpeed forward before Nardiello struck the ball – Substitute keeper Gabor Kiraly even got himself booked in the protests, which also saw Peter Taylor whinging away about the injustice of it in the post match conference. In truth, it was clear even from the other end of the pitch in the Palace stand, that Speroni had moved illegally. Nardiello struck the retake much more firmly in the same direction and Speroni, this time went the wrong way.
Palace had two decent chances to grab a consolation. The first from substitute Lewis Grabban who rifled a 25-yarder past Nick Colgan in the Barnsley goal, only to see the ball spank the post and fly back, parting Colgan’s hair on the way back. Mark Hudson also had a glorious chance with a point-blank header, but technique let him down.

Palace: Speroni, Lawrence, Hudson, Cort, Soares,McAnuff, Watson (Martin 58), Borrowdale, Fletcher,Kuqi (Scowcroft 72), Morrison (Grabban 77). Subs Not Used: Kiraly, Butterfield.

Booked: Fletcher, Kiraly.

Barnsley: Colgan, Austin, Paul Reid, Kay, Heckingbottom,Devaney (Jones 70), Togwell, Howard, Kyel Reid,Nardiello (Rajczi 81), Ferenczi. Subs Not Used: Lucas, McCann, Atkinson.

Booked: Togwell, Kay.

Goals: Nardiello 15, 68 pen.

Att: 10,277
Ref: A Marriner (W Midlands).


Posted by neil