Torquay United - 1 (Graham 60.)
Palace win 3-1 on penalties.
Crystal Palace - 1 (Freedman 28.)
This match got underway, the first shot in anger being fired by Jason Fowler, Cedric Berthelin making a good stop to save any embarrassment for the visiting Eagles. Alex Russell tried his luck, but Kit Symons blocked his shot, before Palace managed to win the first corner of the match. Wayne Routledge fired the ball in from the corner and Kit was on hand to head the ball firmly goalwards. Arjan Van Heusden, the Torquay keeper, reacted well though, and he caught the ball before it found the back of the net.
Danny Butterfield sent in a cross that the keeper got to first before Kit tried another header, this time the keeper just managing to palm the ball away. The next corner that came the way of Palace was well cut out by ex-Palace player Sean Hankin, and then Jo Kuffour sent the ball goalwards, Cedric covering the effort well. Aki Riihilahti tried a header from a few yards out that Van Heusden caught, whilst at the other end Fowler saw his shot blocked, once again by Kit.
Alex Russell fired in the first corner for Torquay, but surprisingly it was Neil Shipperley who was in place to avert the danger. Danny sent in a cross that was stopped by Hankin, and when he tried again it was Kevin Hill who got in the way. An injury to Jason Fowler saw an early substitution for the home side, David Graham taking his place, before Dougie Freedman tried a shot that sailed well wide of the post.
Neil turned provider for Dougie moments later, as he headed the ball down, and Dougie made no mistake firing the ball into the top corner of the net, and Palace was finally ahead. Craig Taylor tried a shot that Tony Popovic managed to get in the way of, before Tony got booked for a foul on Graham. As half time approached Palace won another corner, which Wayne sent into the centre, but another ex-Palace player, David Woozley, got the clearance away, and shortly after Russell fired in a corner for Torquay that Cedric did well to punch away from the danger area.
Another corner to the home side was cleared once more by the defence, and despite 2 minutes of time added on there was little further action, and the half came to an end with Palace holding a one goal advantage.
The second half got underway, and though the first few minutes saw action from end to end it was not until Woozley headed the ball goalwards, and Cedric pulled off a good save, that the match really came back to life. A free kick to Palace saw Hankin clear a good looking ball played in by Wayne, then Andy Johnson sent in a cross that was cleared by Steve Woods.
Palace decided to make their first substitution of the match, and they made it a double, Wayne being replaced by Jamie Smith as Ben Watson took the place of Aki. Russell fired in a shot from distance, which Cedric saved comfortably. Ben then sent in a cross that Kit headed goalwards, the shot being blocked by Graham, but suddenly things went wrong for Palace. At the other end Graham got on the end of a cross, and from short range he fired the ball into the bottom of the net; suddenly the scores were level.
Russell tried another shot that Cedric did well to hang on to, before Palace won a corner, Woozley clearing the danger for the home side. Shaun Derry tried a shot that missed the target, and then Dougie hit the woodwork when he really should have done better. Palace made their final substitution, Tommy Black replacing Kit, before a corner to Palace saw Ben fire in a cross that was cleared by Hill. Disaster then struck as Tony was found guilty of a reckless tackle on Woozley, and there was little alternate other than for him to be dismissed. Once again Palace were down to 10 men, in only the second match of the season.
Tommy fired in a good shot that the keeper did well to force away, and the next few minutes ticked away before Matthew Hockley fired a shot at goal that went wide of the mark. Russell then missed the target, and it was starting to appear that Palace was merely hanging on for the end of the match. Shaun cleared a corner to Torquay before Kuffour saw his shot well held by Cedric. Lee Canoville hit a shot over the top of the bar, before Hockley hit a shot that Cedric could only parry around the corner, the resulting ball finding Craig Taylor, who blasted his shot over the top of the bar.
Hill managed to obtain a late booking in the match, for a foul on Dougie, and despite a further 2 minutes of added on time the game came to an end without any action of any note. Of course, a Cup match cannot end on this note, so we went to an additional 30 minutes, being 15 minutes in each direction.
Almost immediately Andy fired in a cross to Neil, who somehow contrived to head the ball over the bar, from barely 5 yards out, then Tommy forced in a cross that Steve Woods did well to clear. Dougie tried a shot that went wide of the mark as Torquay decided on their second change, bringing on Jimmy Benefield for Kuffour. Andy sent in a cross that the keeper cleared before Jamie was booked for a foul on Canoville. Dougie tried a shot that went wide, and at the other end Graham volleyed the ball over the top of the bar.
Ben had a shot on goal from a long way out that missed the target, whilst at the other end Shaun cleared the danger from a cross, sent in by Hill. Tommy fired a shot that also went wide, and the first stanza of extra time came to an end.
Russell tried a shot that Cedric held on to, and Torquay made their final change, Hill being replaced by Kevin Wills. Despite pressure from the Palace attack the keeper was playing well, and he managed to repel anything his defence allowed through before Ben sent a shot over the top of the bar. Shortly after the end of the match arrived yet again, and suddenly we were facing a penalty shoot-out.
Shaun won the toss, and decided the penalties should be taken at the Palace fans end of the ground, though this gave the advantage of first strike to the home team. Russell stepped up to take the kick, and the Palace faithful cheered as Cedric dived the right way and effected the save. Andy took the first spot kick for Palace, and duly buried the ball in the back of the net. Woods took the next kick for Torquay, his powerful shot easily finding the back of the net, before Shaun sent in a weak shot that just managed to roll under the keeper, though the count was now 2-1. Cedric once again saved the next kick, taken by Taylor, and Dougie ensured that the scoreline read 3-1 with a shot into the bottom corner of the net. Graham then stepped up, fired his shot over the top of the bar, and the game was all over, Palace had finally won the match.
All credit to our Third Division opposition - they played magnificently on the night. Unfortunately there can only be one winner, and I must say that I am only relieved that it was Palace on the night. Perhaps this is the start of yet another good Cup run? Saturday will tell us who our opposition will be in the next round.
Colin Pryce
Torquay United: Arjan Van Heusden, Lee Canoville, Steve Woods, Craig Taylor, Sean Hankin, Kevin Hill (Kevin Wills 109), Matthew Hockley, Alex Russell, Jason Fowler (David Graham 19), Jo Kuffour (Jimmy Benefield 94), David Woozley.
Substitutes not used: Kevin Dearden, Lucas Burgess.
Crystal Palace: Cedric Berthelin, Darren Powell, Kit Symons (Tommy Black 66), Tony Popovic, Danny Butterfield, Aki Riihilahti (Ben Watson 54), Shaun Derry, Wayne Routledge (Jamie Smith 54), Andrew Johnson, Dougie Freedman, Neil Shipperley.
Substitutes not used: Matt Clarke, Gareth Williams.
Attendance: 3,366
Referee: Mr S Tomlinson