Crystal Palace - 2 (Routledge 44. Shipperley 47.)
Cardiff City - 1 (Kavanagh 60.)

Palace had taken so few points from their last seven games, that a win here was vital. Of course, Cardiff would have had other ideas, but for once it was not us that had the poor disciplinary record, but our opposition. Cardiff got the game underway, and the first thing of note was that Tommy Black was playing wing back whilst Wayne Routledge was moved up "in the hole" behind the two strikers, Dougie Freedman and Neil Shipperley.

Cardiff kept possession for a while, but once we got the ball we certainly piled the pressure on. Danny Butterfield sent a cross into the centre, though the appeals for handball against the defence fell on deaf ears. Graham Kavanagh made a good run, finally being stopped by Hayden Mullins, who may have been somewhat lucky to concede the free kick without earning a booking in the process. Richard Langley fired a long range shot at goal that went narrowly wide of the post, and then Tommy got a cross in that Neil Alexander had little trouble in taking at the first attempt.

A free kick to our visitors saw Chris Barker head the ball straight into the waiting arms of Cedric Berthelin, in the Palace goal, and Wayne won a corner that Palace wasted. Rhys Weston hauled Wayne to the ground, but no action was taken by the referee, and as Shaun Derry got the ball through to Wayne he was again clearly fouled, in the penalty area, but young and impetuous as he is he refused to go down, and a penalty opportunity went begging.

Wayne was fouled once more, resulting in a free kick that amounted to nothing, but then Neil held the ball up well, feeding the pass to Danny who fired his shot wide of the post. Hayden dispossessed Robert Earnshaw before a corner to Palace saw Neil unable to get a shot on target. Barker almost played Langley in, and as the ball raced up the other end, Dougie found Neil, who fell over when all he had to do was place the ball in the back of the net; he couldn't have been very far out from the line.

Shaun was booked for a foul, and the referee once again denied a penalty appeal by Cardiff, whilst at the other end Neil had the ball stolen from him by Peter Thorne. A free kick to Cardiff saw Thorne head the ball over the top of the crossbar and Darren Powell fired a shot goalwards that was blocked by the defence.

Hayden tackled Tony Vidmar, to deny him making a clear run on goal, and another free kick to our visitors was well cleared by Danny. Wayne was caught offside, and Vidmar returned the compliment at the other end. A good cross in from Tommy found Dougie, but Daniel Gabbidon was on hand to avert the danger, and then Cedric had to race out of his area to head the ball clear as an attack came at the wrong end of the pitch as far as Palace supporters were concerned.

Despite most of the pressure being at the Cardiff end of the park we had been unable to turn the screw far enough to get goals on the board, but this suddenly changed as Danny failed to make good connection with the ball, but Wayne was on hand to simply tap the ball home, and we were finally in the lead. The last action of the half saw a dangerous free kick moved forward by the referee, booking Neil in the process, but Kavanagh fired the chance wide, much to the relief of the Palace faithful.

The sides left the field, and one can be sure that Steve Kember would have been asking for more of the same in the next period.

Unchanged sides took the field, and within moments Shaun set Wayne free, and this time he became provider, as he played a good ball to Neil who simply had to place the ball in the back of the net to double our lead. Dougie tried a shot that the keeper did well to parry away before Langley was booked for a foul on Danny. Tommy fired the free kick in and Dougie sent the ball goalwards, the keeper just managing to tip it over the top of the bar for a corner.

The corner was wasted, but within moments Willie Boland found himself in trouble. Frustrated by Wayne he took a couple of swings at the diminutive player, and finally connected with him just above the knee. For his trouble he was shown an immediate red card by the referee, and he left the field, leaving 10 men to play out most of the second half.

Tommy got a cross into the middle that Darren headed over the top, and then Wayne found Neil in the middle, his glancing header easily held by the keeper. Hayden cleared up danger from Earnshaw at the other end before Wayne took that inevitable one step too many and was caught offside when in a dangerous position.

Cardiff made the first change of the day, Rhys Weston giving way to Gary Croft, and almost immediately Kavanagh fired a wicked shot, from distance, that flew into the back of the net, and suddenly Cardiff were back in the game. A free kick to Cardiff saw Kavanagh fire the ball in once more, Cedric saving any further embarrassment for Palace, as he held on to the ball, before Gabbidon stopped Dougie as he made a run goalwards.

Kavanagh was booked for a foul on Wayne, and though Neil managed to get on the end of the free kick the keeper gathered the ball to snuff out any danger. Wayne sent a cross in that found Shaun, his header going in to the top of the net, unfortunately on the outside, not where we wanted it, and then Tommy won a corner. Wayne failed to connect with the ball as it floated into the centre, and shortly after Dougie almost got to the ball, the defence just managing to beat him to stop a certain third goal for the Eagles.

Palace easily cleared a corner at the other end, and substitutions took place for both sides, Andy Campbell replacing Mark Bonner as Gary Borrowdale came on for Tommy. Gabbidon was booked for kicking the ball away, and though once again the ball was advanced 10 yards the danger was well dealt with by the Cardiff defence. Earnshaw was then caught offside before Danny got a cross through to Wayne, his shot going just wide of the mark.

Another free kick to Palace saw Neil hit the woodwork, and then Dougie had the ball taken from his feet by the defence when it looked certain once again that he would score. Despite only moments remaining on the clock there was still time for Cardiff to compound their problems, and an incident involving the use of an elbow by Campbell, who had only been on the park for 10 minutes, against Shaun, saw the referee brandish the second straight red card of the afternoon, and Campbell was off.

As Palace kept possession for the added on injury time there was little else to report, but the final whistle saw the team take maximum points for the first time in an age, and very welcome they were too. We now wait 10 days, due to International commitments, before we meet Derby County at Selhurst. Perhaps we will have sufficient time to get a few more players match fit?

Colin Pryce

Crystal Palace: Cedric Berthelin, Curtis Fleming, Darren Powell, Danny Butterfield, Wayne Routledge, Michael Hughes, Hayden Mullins, Shaun Derry, Tommy Black (Gary Borrowdale 80), Neil Shipperley, Dougie Freedman.

Substitutes not used: Lance Cronin, Kit Symons, Ben Watson, Aki Riihilahti.

Cardiff City: Neil Alexander, Rhys Weston (Gary Croft 58), Daniel Gabbidon, Tony Vidmar, Chris Barker, Richard Langley, Graham Kavanagh, Willie Boland, Mark Bonner (Andy Campbell 80), Robert Earnshaw, Peter Thorne.

Substitutes not used: Spencer Prior, Martyn Margetson, James Collins.

Attendance: 16,160

Referee: Mr C Penton