Crystal Palace - 0
Port Vale - 1 (Beadle 83.)

Our first loss to Port Vale, at home, since 1950/51; and reports telling us that the solitary goal was totally against the run of play; does not really help our cause. Palace had numerous opportunities to settle this match long before the strike from our opponents, and that they did not must surely be worrying Terry Venables. Considering that the side is still trying to settle down, and that there are still changes to come with new players coming in, the performance, apart from the finishing touches, was fairly encouraging. But matches such as this really must be finished off long before we get to the situation that we ended up facing!

Enough of my moans, on with the game.

It was as early as four minutes when Neil Shipperley was presented with a perfect chance to grab the lead, his shot ending up sailing over the bar. It was then the turn of Peter Beadle to attempt a long range shot and Gareth Ainsworth sent in a good cross to Stewart Talbot, his header bringing a good save from Fraser Digby. David Amsalem made a good run at goal, but Paul Musselwhite bravely snatched the ball from his feet. A corner, taken by Simon Rodger saw Neil Shipperley head wide, and then an attempt by Attilio Lombardo was blocked on the line. Another header by Beadle went, thankfully, straight to Digby, and then a perfect cross from Lombardo saw Matt Jansen head just wide. The first half hour had passed, and despite all the chances the deadlock was not broken. The remainder of the half saw numerous chances, but no goals resulted, and the home players would have gone to the break feeling somewhat frustrated at their lack of finishing ability.

In an attempt to combat this an immediate substitution was made for the second half, Nick Rizzo coming on for Amsalem, the playing style being adjusted to compensate for the move. Hayden Mullins saw his low shot saved well by the keeper, and then a rare shot from Dean Austin nearly caught out the visiting defence. Five minutes later, with an hour played showing on the clock first Jansen shot wide, Ian Bogey went close and Shipperley also bemoaned a simple miss. Within the next 10 minutes Shipperley had what may be the best chance to open the scoring, his shot hitting the keeper and then dropping on to the top of the bar. If only it had travelled just a few inches lower! Almost immediately Shipperley again saw his long range shot go just wide, then Tony Naylor, presented with a free header at goal, saw his shot somehow miss; when it may well have been easier to score! As so many of our side had tried to score without success Herman Hreidarsson made an attempt from 30 yards out, but the ball was well saved. With only 10 minutes left in the match we made a second substitution, this time bringing Marcus Bent on for Rodger. It was Ainsworth though that was to prove pivotal in the match, his pin point cross finding Beadle, who headed ball goalward, saw it hit the bottom of the bar, and finally roll over the line. In a last ditch attempt to rescue something from the match Jansen sent in a wonderful header, but once again it went wide. The game was over, and a match that should have seen three points coming our way had produced none, and the leaders in the League were given a little more breathing room from the challenge that will surely come from Palace as the season progresses.

Colin Pryce

Crystal Palace: Digby, Austin, Smith, Amsalem (Rizzo 45), Rodger (Bent 80), Linighan, Lombardo, Hreidarsson, Shipperley, Jansen, Mullins.
Not Used: Burton.

Port Vale: Musselwhite, Walsh, Tankard, Bogie, Barnett, Beesley, Ainsworth, Talbot, Beadle, Naylor, Koordes.
Not Used: Clarke. Barker. Carragher.

Attendance: 15,983
Referee: Mr P S Danson (Leicester).