Palace reserves off the mark in East Anglia

In front of a crowd of 500 or so, Palace recorded their first win of the new FA Premier reserve league South on Tuesday evening (17/8) with a 2-1 win away to Ipswich Town at Portman road.

Once again the Eagles lined up under Bob Dowie with an experienced backbone to them, but Ipswich too fielded a strong team including strikers Shefki Kuqi and Pablo Counago
and also defender Fabian Wilnis.

With Lance Cronin currently carrying a slight injury, young David Wilkinson started in goal with his second game at this level. Shaun Derry also played a half, and Tommy Black
and Dougie Freedman also started again, as did Ben Watson.

Also on display was Palace's rumoured new signing, striker/attacking midfielder Ivan Kaviedes, who lined up alongside Freedman. Ecuadorian Kaviedes has either already signed or is just about to depending upon which report you care to believe !

It was the Black/Freedman combination that impressed early on and created the problems. Palace took the lead on the 7th minute. Receiving the ball from Black, Dougie rounded his marker and then from inside the area fired a shot in that beat the 'keeper and crashed in off the post.

It didn't take long for an equaliser though, as Kuqi laid the ball off to Scott Barron four minutes later, who shot past the diving Wilkinson to make it 1-1.

Kaviedes then had a chance in the 20th. Running at the defence, his tame shot failed to trouble young Shane Supple in the home side's goal.

The rest of the half played out relatively quietly with few chances at either end, apart from a shot wide of goal by Counago.

Tyrone Berry replaced Shaun Derry just after half time and Palace then started to look the stronger side, with Black and Freedman again linking up, resulting in two shots on goal from the Scottish striker that were saved.

Wilkinson was also called into action shortly after the restart when he had to make a save from a long range effort outside the area.

Kaviedes, Freedman and Black all then had chances for Palace, before in the 84th minute Freedman again struck a lethal blow.

Picking up the ball on the left after a run and pass from Tyrone Berry, he again beat the defender and from the left hand side shot on goal inside the near post to make it 2-1 and give Palace the three points.

Some neat touches and promise also shown by Kaviedes, but it's far to early to judge him yet as he needs to get some games with his potential new team mates under his belt.

With Chelsea at home for the first team next week, there's now a week's break before Charlton arrive at Selhurst for the first reserve home game of the season.


Palace Team: (4-4-2) Wilkinson, Wilson, Simpson, El-Sahali, Togwell, Derry, Black, Watson, Freedman, Kaviedes, Soares

Subs: Banks, Berry (For Soares '46), Williams (For Simpson '65), Conroy (For El-Sahali '20), Pritchard


Posted by alan