Full match report, as Palace reserves thump Charlton at the Valley.

If you include the league cup game from earlier in the season, then Palace reserves last night (10/1) completed a triple over Charlton when they strode past the Addicks to record a 4-0 victory in the FA premier reserve league.

Both sides included players with experience, and the strong Palace side lined up with three of the four defenders who'd started the season in the first team. So Tony Popovic and Mark Hudson were alongside Emmerson Boyce. Gary Borrowdale
patrolled the left flank and Sam Togwell was pushed into centre midfield and partnered with Tom Soares. Wayne Andrews was once again deployed on the right wing and youngster Ryan Hall got another game on the left.

Charlton included Paul Konchesky, Mark Fish and 'keeper Simon Royce (who Palace have stuck many goals past over the years !), with a smattering of their own academy players in-between.

Palace set out from the start to mean business, with Charlton countering when they could. The result was an entertaining game from end to end.

As early as the 6th minute, Palace recorded a chance. Gary Borrowdale was the provider with a left sided cross that Shipperley met with a header. Surprisingly, although there
was a lot of box to box activity, and goals to follow, there wasn't another clear opening until just after the half hour mark.

Charlton conceded possession in the centre of the pitch, and Shipperley broke forward. With two Palace attackers, and as many defenders, he had the option of Torghelle
on the left or Soares on the right, both in space. Playing a low pass across to Soares, Palace's young midfielder advanced a yard or two into the area and drove a hard low
shot across goal and 'keeper, into the net off the left hand post for the lead.

Charlton's almost immediate response was a swivel on the edge of the box two minutes after from young striker Varney. Speroni dived low to his left and tipped the shot
around the post.

Nine minutes later, the Eagles claimed a second. Palace won a free kick five yards or so outside of the area, which Gary Borrowdale took. The low shot made it through the
wall as far as Emmerson Boyce, who stuck out a boot and deflected it towards goal.

With Charlton deploying their usual tactic of a man on the line for free kicks, it was left to Mark Fish to hack at the ball as it came his way and plant it across both goal, and goalkeeper Royce, into the bottom right of the net. Classic moment of a plan failing and now 2-0.

Just on the stroke of half time there was one more half effort. Ryan Hall took on the home side's defence and saw his shot deflected wide for a corner.

The second half began in a similar fashion, with both sides keen, and Palace looking to extend their lead. Charlton's main threat was coming from their lively looking but small central midfielder Adrian John, and while Paul Konchesky was proving a slight threat down the left flank with a stream of crosses, they all sailed harmlessly across goal, to high or too long with no one to meet them.

The next goal didn't arrive until 20 minutes into the half. Wayne Andrews was fouled from behind on the right touchline in the 64th minute, and Palace were awarded a free kick.
Andrews himself took it, and Shipperley rose unmarked at the far post to head home the third.

Eleven minutes later, Palace won another free kick as Hall was chopped down on the edge of the box. Shipperley took it and shot low and wide of the left post. Hall himself, who
was very much in the game, then took a pot shot himself in the 78th minute - this one drifting wide of the other post.

The fourth goal arrived in the 82nd minute. A clean crisp strike from substitute Ricci Dolan from the edge of the box, flew past Royce and into the back of the net.

Palace then had a couple more chances as the game neared it's end. Substitute striker Anton Smith looked eager to be in the thick of things, and taking on the defence got a cross in from the left wing. The ball just missed Shipperley, who jumped at the near post, and the ball was bundled around the other post quickly by Charlton's
defence, before the nearest Palace player could get to the ball. The resulting corner ended with a Shipperley header straight at Royce.

Only moments later, the lively Smith almost forced himself a goal. Getting into the area, he held off two defenders and prodded the ball past Royce who had come out. Sadly a red shirted player managed to just poke the slow moving ball away from the goal-line.

The game finished with another Shipperley header (from Hall's cross) at Royce.

A satisfying win, and a solid performance. Palace were quick in attacking and fairly solid at the back, and the few on target Charlton attempts that kept Julian Speroni alert were all from outside the area.

Mark Hudson and Tony Popovic were both solid in the centre, if rarely troubled, with the ex-Fulham man clearing anything that came his way. Shipperley was a physical
presence and a nuisance for Charlton to deal with, and young Ryan Hall was lively and bright down the left wing. A good display too from Wayne Andrews, who was a threat
and a force all evening on the opposite flank, and made enough of difference to annoy the Charlton fans, who ended up booing him as a result.

The result was Charlton's second defeat in the reserve league this season, both of which have been to Palace.

Palace are now third in the league, level with Southampton but with two games in hand, and a point behind Charlton (again with a game in hand).


Palace Team: (4-4-2) Speroni, Boyce, Borrowdale, Togwell, Hudson, Popovic, Andrews, Soares, Shipperley (c), Torghelle, R.Hall

Subs: Wilson (For Boyce '46), Wilkinson, Smith (For Andrews '85), Dolan (For Soares '46), Hickie


Booked: Dolan ('65), Torghelle ('75)
Palace Scorers: Soares ('31), Fish OG ('42), Shipperley ('64), Dolan ('82)


Match Stats:

Palace Shots/Headers: 7 (5 on target)
Charlton Shots/Headers: 5 (2 on target)

Palace Corners: 2
Charlton Corners: 5

Palace Free Kicks: 19
Charlton Free Kicks: 10

Palace Off-Side: 3
Charlton Off-Side: 2

Charlton Crosses: 10
Palace Crosses: 11 (7 from right / 4 from left)
(Andrews 5, Borrowdale 3, Smith 1, Hall 1, Torghelle 1)


Posted by alan