Crystal Palace - 2 (Adebola 14. Whelan 27.)
Sheffield United - 2 (Popovic og 20. Kabba 86.)

Despite having seven matches left, including this one, Palace's season was all but over before this match even got underway. Both relegation fears, and promotion aspirations are long gone for this season, and with only a mid-table position left to play for it was just a matter of pride that would see out the rest of the year. In this match against 3rd placed United the side would definitely need to be at their best if they wished to take something from the match. Bear in mind, we had already faced them twice this season, once in the League, and once in the Cup, and we had come away from both games with nothing to show for our efforts. Could this match be any different?

Palace got the game underway, the first move on goal being thwarted by Gary Borrowdale followed by ex-Palace favourite Steve Kabba being caught offside. Julian Gray then won a corner that was fired in by Shaun Derry, but cleared by Stuart McCall, before Kabba fired a shot wide of the mark.

Noel Whelan got a good shot in from a cross sent in by Julian, but Patrick Kenny did well to palm the ball around the post for a corner, the ball being cleared from the set piece. Peter Ndlovu caused Kit Symons a moment of anxiety, as he had to hack clear the ball, conceding a corner, which was wasted by the visitors. A free kick, taken well out by Michael Tonge, was easily held by Alex Kolinko before Hayden Mullins received the first yellow card of the match for bringing down Ndlovu.

It was not to be long though before the first goal came, as Dele Adebola received the ball, held off the defence, and turning on to his supposed weak foot (the right), sent in an easy strike that nestled sweetly in the back of the goal. Within 5 minutes though Wayne Allison sent the ball back into our area, and Tony Popovic inadvertently turned the ball into the back of his own net to level the scores at 1-1.

Noel then got booked for the silly "offence" of kicking the ball away, before David Hunt did well to get the ball through to Julian who sent his shot just wide of the mark. Noel failed to get on the end of a good through ball, before both Dele and then Noel once again just failed to get to the ball in time.

Shaun then fired a cross in that Noel did well to control before he turned, fired in purely as a reflex, and suddenly we were 2-1 up, and we were still less than half-an-hour into the game. Alex then made a mistake, coming out for the ball as yet another ex-Palace player, Shaun Murphy, chipped the ball over his head, his goalward bound shot being cleared by an ever-alert Hayden. Shaun Derry then got a great cross in to Dele but the keeper did well to beat the shot down, and immediately at the other end Alex did well to cut out a chance from Ndlovu.

Robert Page brought Dele down just outside the area, and was duly booked for his trouble, and though the free kick lead to a corner the chances were finally cleared by Murphy, following the keeper dropping the ball. Julian tried a shot on the run that the keeper did well to keep out before Shaun got booked for bringing down Phil Jagielka. Kabba tried a shot that Alex kept at bay, and with little further action the half time whistle sounded, and the players trooped off, holding a well deserved, but hard-fought, lead.

One can only assume that Trevor Francis would have been pleased with the level of effort, and would have been asking for more of the same in the second half.

Sheffield United made one change at the resumption, replacing Jagielka with Marcel Cas, but Palace fielded an unchanged eleven. A free kick to Palace resulted from a foul by Kabba against Kit, but the chance was wasted. A corner to our visitors saw Tony clear the ball this time, then Hayden cleared a chance as Kabba was waiting to fire the ball home. Julian was caught offside, and as Hayden went down injured the Palace players kicked the ball out of play in order to get attention from the physio for him. In what is generally considered an unsporting move United took the throw, and instead of throwing it back to the Palace players they headed off upfield, and came close to scoring before Alex saved from an Allison shot.

Palace decided it was time to make some changes, and David and Noel came off to be replaced by Steve Thomson and Dougie Freedman respectively. Ndlovu saw his cross go wide of the goalmouth, and at the other end Dougie got clear, only to put a soft shot well in the reach of the keeper. Nick Montgomery sent a long-range shot well over the bar, and United took the opportunity to make their final substitutions, Alison and Montgomery giving way to Carl Asaba and Mark Rankine.

Julian was flagged for offside as Dougie was free on goal, bringing the move to an abrupt end, then Gary was pushed over on the edge of the box, the free kick being well cut out by the keeper. Another free kick to Palace saw Shaun put the attempt over the top of the bar before Asaba got a close shot in that was turned away, the defence setting Dougie off in the clear once more. He beat the defence and crossed a lovely ball in to Steve, but the shot was blasted over the top of the bar, and yet another chance went begging.

In another unsporting move, with Gary and Hayden both down, Sheffield continued to press on goal, and only a last minute tackle from Danny Butterfield saved the day for Palace. Kabba had a good chance to level the game, but Alex held on to the attempt, and Palace made their final change for the afternoon, Tommy Black replacing Dele, who left to a chorus of cheers from the partisan Palace crowd.

The afternoon was then spoilt by that man, Kabba, as he finally got a clear cut chance as Palace failed to clear the danger, and he fired a good shot straight into the back of the net before Alex had a chance to react. 2-2, and the game just about over, there was only a few minutes left. Kenny cleared a corner taken by Tommy, then Alex saved a shot fired in by Asaba, and three minutes was added to the clock, for either side to try to come up with a winner. Little point there was to it though, as neither side was able to come up with any sort of chance that would bear reporting about; the final whistle went, and the players left the ground. One point gained, or two lost? Seems more like the latter to me.

So now, with just six games left to play, will the youngsters get their chance to show their wares for Palace before the season ends, or will Trevor stick with the tried and proven players? Only time will tell.

Colin Pryce

Crystal Palace: Alex Kolinko, Danny Butterfield, Kit Symons, Tony Popovic, Gary Borrowdale, Hayden Mullins, Shaun Derry, Julian Gray, David Hunt (Steve Thomson 61), Dele Adebola (Tommy Black 83), Noel Whelan (Dougie Freedman 61).

Substitutes not used: Cedric Berthelin, Ben Watson.

Sheffield United: Patrick Kenny, Phil Jagielka (Marcel Cas 45), Shaun Murphy, Robert Page, Robert Kozluk, Nick Montgomery (Mark Rankine 67), Stuart McCall, Michael Tonge, Peter Ndlovu, Wayne Allison (Carl Asaba 67), Steve Kabba.

Substitutes not used: Dean Windass, Paul Peschisolido.

Attendance: 15,377

Referee: Mr S Dunn (Avon)