Ten man Palace record another victory in the reserve premier league ...

Palace overcame the second half dismissal of striker Sandor Torghelle on Monday night at Selhurst Park (1/11), to record a 3-1 victory over Derby County reserves.

On paper it was once again a very strong Eagles line-up, that looked as though it could be too powerful for Derby's side largely made up of youngsters, but the game was even for much of it with the Rams having the early impotus.

Palace's side had that much familiar recent look to it, minus Shaun Derry and Dougie Freedman who had both been included of late. Neil Shipperley was back though after having a recent injection to hopefully cure his injury problems, and Tommy Black began on the left of midfield.

As noted, it was Derby who began at a better pace, taking the game to Palace with a fierce shot from outside the box on eight minutes. Diving to his right, Lance Cronin got down low to tip the shot from Lee Holmes around the post for
a corner. David Cassidy (no not that one) then got forward for them six minutes afterwards, but his shot from the right lacked power and was easily caught by Cronin.

The 21st minute saw Palace's first worthwhile response. Wayne Andrews (playing on the right of midfield) was the provider of a right sided cross that was met by a near post Neil Shipperley header just wide of the goal. Shipps than had the ball in the box five minutes later, and a goalmouth scramble resulted in his shot hitting the post and rebounding away.

Andrews was next, minutes after. Torghelle was the provider as he ran across the outside of the penalty box. The left footed strike was wide of the right post.

Then came a classic counter attack. Reacting after a Derby forward run, Danny Butterfield got away down the right and delivered a pinpoint cross onto Neil Shipperley's head
from several yards out. The Palace striker didn't make any mistake, and put the ball into the back of the net to make it 1-0.

Wayne Andrews then put a deflected shot over the bar, and Derby's Giles Barnes had a shot easily caught by Cronin, before the half ended.

The second half began without substitutions and the first action saw another Butterfield cross (48th minute) that was nodded over the bar by the rising Mark Hudson. Two minutes
later Torghelle bore down the right wing, but opted to shoot too early from an angle, over the bar.

Two minutes later, quick thinking by Derby saw them claim an equaliser. Following a foul on the left wing, a quickly taken free kick saw a threaded ball into the area that
caught the Palace defenders napping. Striker Gianfranco Tome nipped in and beat Darren Powell who reacted quickest, to prod the ball past Lance Cronin who had come out to meet him.

With the scores at one each, Sandor Torghelle then reacted to a foul just afterwards as he was clipped from behind. Needless to say as he attempted to flatten an already on the floor opponent, he was immediately yellow carded.

It wasn't until 76 minutes that the next goal opportunity played out. Shipperley centred a cross from the right. Torghelle attempted to score close range, and on the goal line as Tommy Black tried to poke the ball in the net 'keeper Ben Kirby managed to just claim the ball.

Almost straight after came the incident that saw Palace's Hungarian striker leave the field. Over on the right wing, as defender Dan Martin won the ball, Torghelle caught him with a clip from behind. A mass brawl almost resulted, and several Palace players (particularly Danny Butterfield who raced over from 20 yards away) took offence to the Derby youngster staying on the floor. A minute later things were
calmer, and Torghelle departed the field after making his feelings known to the ref. Butterfield and Martin were also both carded for their part on proceedings.

Strangely, losing a man seemed only to spur Palace on, and they surged forward with more drive and purpose for the remaining fifteen minutes.

On 81 minutes Tommy Black sped down the left wing, and pulled back a low ball that Ivan Kaviedes probably should have scored from. The shot from close range was slightly
too casual and was blocked by a defender. Less than a minute later, it was Black again causing problems on the left flank. As he worked his way into the penalty area he
was obstructed and upended by Danny Young and a penalty was given.

Kaviedes stepped up with a low strike to the right that beat the goalkeeper, who dived the other way.

Palace continued to push up, and made another quick breakaway in the 87th minute. Breaking up a Derby attack, the ball was played out quickly to Neil Shipperley on the right. Pushing forward quickly, he was supported through the middle by Kaviedes who made a run between the two covering defenders. Shipperley's pinpoint ball was played straight to the feet of the Ecuadoran, who stepped forward another yard or two and hit a low shot past the 'keeper, who had started to come out to the edge of his area. 3-1 to Palace.

There was time for one final effort each before full time. First a Derby effort in the form of a shot from Lee Holmes as the ball was cut back from the left. Cronin caught that one easily enough, before in the last minute, Danze (who had been playing in an Aki/Shaun Derry role throughout) got clear after a flick from Ivan Kaviedes, and hit a low shot at the 'keeper.

Palace were made to work hard early on by Derby's young side, but in the end (in fact as has happened a couple of time this season) the experienced line-up won through.

Pleasing to see Neil Shipperley once again look to be on better form, and hopefully he may have put any long term injury problems before him. His strike partner for the
evening, Sandor Torghelle, needs to curb himself a little though and at the moment looks to be trying too hard at times to impress.

Unusually there were no substitutions for Palace, but to be fair everyone looked in reasonable form, and each of the players have probably benefited from 90 minutes of football under their belts.

Palace Team: (4-4-2) Cronin, Butterfield, Borrowdale, Danze, Powell, Hudson, Black, Andrews, Shipperley (c), Kaviedes, Torghelle

Subs: Soares, Wilkinson, El-Sahali, Fray, Dolan

Match Stats:
Palace Shots/Headers: 14 (10 on target)
Derby Shots/Headers: 9 (6 on target)

Palace Corners: 4
Derby Corners: 4

Palace Free Kicks: 4
Derby Free Kicks: 12

Derby Crosses: 11
Palace Crosses: 7 (6 from right / 1 from left)
(Andrews 4, Butterfield 2, Borrowdale 1)


Posted by alan