Full match report from Wednesday night's reserve clash at Motspur Park

After a lively encounter between these two sides at reserve level recently at Selhurst Park, it's no great surprise to see that this game didn't live up to that same level.

However - Palace did what was required, and recorded a 1-0 FA premier reserve league South victory against Fulham on Wednesday night (26/1) at Motspur Park.

On a cold evening at the premises of the former BBC sports ground, Palace once again took to the field with a strong look, while the Cottagers gave four first team squad members (including Claus Jensen and Ian Pearce) a chance for action as some of them return from injury.

Joonas Kolkka returned from injury on the left wing and played the first hour. After their bright and effective displays last week against Tottenham, Ryan Hall and Tyrone Berry were retained as substitutes, with the latter coming on for the last half hour as Kolkkas's replacement.

The first half was low on action and their was very little to report.

Fulham had an early 3rd minute chance as they lifted a shot over the Palace bar, and this set the tone for things that followed. Palace's first worthy effort of note came in the 18th minute when Butterfield's cross from the right flank was nodded past the left goalpost by the rising Ben Watson.

It was almost 20 minutes later before another chance appeared. Another Butterfield right sider (this time to the left flank), was bought down by Kolkka who centred a low zipping cross that missed the Palace players in the penalty area.

That was that for the first half, plenty of possession and commitment from both sides, but nothing to make the match rise about mediocrity.

The second half was a bit better though, with both sides having chances.

In the 56th minute, Vas Lakis received a crossfield ball on the right wing, but after doing the hard work and beating the defender, his run resulted in a scuffed shot wide from the edge of the area. Fulham replied four minutes after with a cross from the right that Butterfield quickly put round for a corner at the far post, before Fulham's Stuart Noble could pounce. Noble then got his head to the home side's free kick two minutes thereafter, when he nodded a header into Speroni's arms from yards out.

Then in the 70th minute, Palace took the lead with the games only goal.

Some neat work from Lakis on the left had the Greek international cross a dipping ball into the area and toward the near post. Neil Shipperley was the target and the
Palace player leant across, with the nearest Fulham man following, to attempt to nod the ball across goal and into the corner of the net.

That's exactly what happened, and although it looked as though Shipps had made contact, Fulham's stand at their training ground is unfortunately not too well positioned and is too far away from the touchline. With dug-out's also partially obscuring bits of the pitch, the goal was duly announced by the tannoy man (stationed nearer that goal) as an own goal by the Fulham man. Still 1-0 to Palace though, and a goal's a goal !

Fulham's next reply was a 77th minute right footed effort from outside the area by Darren Pratley, that flew past the right post. Several minutes later, Fulham right back Alex Lawless tried with a similar attempt.

Palace responded in the 84th minute with a Shipperley header at goalkeeper Mark Crossley, and then a through ball from Sandor Torghelle to Ben Watson three minutes later, that saw the midfielder speed ahead of two defenders before mis-directing a poor attempt at a chip, into the 'keeper's arms.

The game concluded with one attempt per side. First, Fulham substitute Liam Fontaine saw his in the area shot at goal, kicked off the Palace line. Then on the stroke of full time, Neil Shipperley hacked a shot over the bar from 6-8 yards out when he met Danny Butterfield's cross.

Certainly not a classic by any means, the game did serve it's purpose though in giving match action to Watson and Kolkka, and the three points have kept Palace tucked in behind Charlton in second place, still three points behind and with one game in hand.


Palace Team: (4-4-2) Speroni, Butterfield, Borrowdale, Togwell, Hudson, Popovic, Lakis, Watson, Shipperley, Torghelle, Kolkka

Subs: R.Hall, Wilkinson, Wilson, Dolan, Berry (For Kolkka '62)

Match Stats:
Palace Shots/Headers: 6 (4 on target)
Fulham Shots/Headers: 4 (2 on target)

Palace Corners: 1
Fulham Corners: 2

Palace Free Kicks: 5
Fulham Free Kicks: 11

Fulham Crosses: 8
Palace Crosses: 12 (8 from right, 4 from left)
(Butterfield 7, Lakis 2, Kolkka 2, Borrowdale 1


Posted by alan