Wolverhampton Wanderers - 4 (Miller 40. 83. 90. Sturridge 77.)
Crystal Palace - 0

This game could rightly be considered a six-pointer. Unfortunately though it was Wolves that took the spoils, and in the process sent Palace crashing to their worst defeat of the season. One can only hope that the team does better against Derby and Bradford in the immediate matches to come, or surely our play-off pretensions will be well and truly over.

Wolves got the match underway, and the first of the action saw Tony Popovic safely shepherd the ball out for a goal kick, as George Ndah (yes, another ex-Palace player) bore down towards our goalmouth. Kit Symons was the next to save the day, cutting out Paul Butler's cross, and then Cedric Berthelin cut out a shot from Ndah. The Wolves player, Ndah, then suffered an early injury, and had to be replaced, Adam Proudlock taking to the field. I guess that is one way of ensuring that yet another ex-player doesn't get to score against us!

A cross into the centre by Danny Butterfield was well claimed by Matthew Murray, keeping for the home side, and the home defence blocked a shot from Andy Johnson as he went down injured. This appeared somewhat serious, as he had to be stretchered off, Ade Akinbiyi taking his place on the field. So, with only a quarter-of-an-hour elapsed, both sides had had the make replacements to their strike force.

Danny headed the ball back to Cedric under pressure from the Wolves forwards, but Cedric took care of the danger before Kenny Miller got clear, his shot going just wide of the mark. Butler cleared the ball as Ade looked about to pounce, and shortly afterwards he was caught offside from what looked a promising move. Kit cleared the ball for a corner to Wolves, and Tony cleared the inswinging shot, before Trevor Francis decided on a second change, bringing on Wayne Routledge for Aki Riihilahti.

The keeper then bravely came out for a ball, claiming it just as Ade looked about the head the opening goal home, but shortly after he did manage to win the first corner for Palace. Shaun Derry fired the ball into the centre, but the keeper easily claimed Ade's header. Wayne then got past the defence, but his cross to Ade was diverted just past the post by the big striker.

Denis Irwin sent a free kick to Wolves just past the post, but the goal was not to be long coming. Proudlock got a cross in to Mark Kennedy, and Kenny touched his shot behind the line; suddenly Wolves were one up with half time rapidly approaching.

Danny fired a shot at goal that caused little trouble to the keeper before a free kick to Palace failed to find Ade lurking in the area. With very little further action the half came to an end, and though Palace had played some attractive football, holding possession for long periods of time, they were behind where it mattered, on the scoresheet.

Palace got the second half underway, and Wayne put in a good run, beating the defence before his shot was cleared off the line. Darren Powell did well to clear the next forward move by Proudlock, then the same player vainly tried to lob Cedric, the keeper doing well to react to the shot and keep the ball out. Despite another corner to Palace the ball was quickly back at the other end, Cedric pulling off another fine save to keep the scoreline on par.

A spectacular overhead kick from Shaun Newton was only inadvertently kept out by Tony, who somehow seemed to be in the way of the goalmouth, and then Proudlock sent a shot wide of the post. Dean Sturridge replaced Newton and within a couple of minutes Tommy Black came on for Dele Adebola. Naylor nearly got on the scoresheet, his shot hitting the side netting before Wayne got the ball into the goalmouth area, Julian Gray hit a shot that appeared to be missing the goal, and Ade turned it the other way, somehow missing the target on the opposite side.

A corner to Wolves was headed wide of the mark, but shortly after Kennedy ran towards the defence, sent the pass into Sturridge, and before anyone could blink the ball was in the back of the net. Two down, and surely no way back now for Palace.

By this stage Wolves were in full flow, with first Kennedy firing wide and then getting robbed by the defence, but Miller got his second, and Wolves third, as he somehow got past the defence and sent an unstoppable shot into the top of the goalmouth. Wolves made their final substitution, bringing on Alex Rae for Colin Cameron before Kennedy once again hit the side netting when he really should have done better.

Two minutes of injury time was added to the clock, and that was time enough for the referee to decide that Darren had fouled Miller, and he had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Needless to say Miller stepped up, and duly completed his hat trick for the afternoon, and Palace players and supporters alike were left with the long trip home with very little to console themselves with, at least performance wise. As I said at the start, one can only hope that we get over the exit from the FA Cup, and now this performance, and produce a worthy showing on our travels in the next week.

Here's looking forward to a much better scoreline against Derby County!

Colin Pryce

Wolverhampton Wanderers: Matthew Murray, Denis Irwin, Joleon Lescott, Paul Butler, Lee Naylor, Shaun Newton (Dean Sturridge 62), Paul Ince, Colin Cameron (Alex Rae 86), Mark Kennedy, Kenny Miller, George Ndah (Adam Proudlock 8).

Substitutes not used: Michael Oakes, Mark Clyde.

Crystal Palace: Cedric Berthelin, Kit Symons, Darren Powell, Tony Popovic, Danny Butterfield, Hayden Mullins, Shaun Derry, Aki Riihilahti (Wayne Routledge 25), Julian Gray, Andrew Johnson (Ade Akinbiyi 15), Dele Adebola (Tommy Black 64).

Substitutes not used: Alex Kolinko, Danny Granville.

Attendance: 26,010

Referee: Mr J Robinson (East Yorkshire)