Crystal Palace - 4 (Routledge 1. Freedman 36. pen 62. Thomson 71.)
Wolverhampton Wanderers - 2 (Ingimarsson 31. Blake 71.)

This match saw Trevor Francis retain faith with young Wayne Routledge, who had performed so well midweek in the Cup match, and his faith was very quickly rewarded. Other changes saw the welcome return of Tony Popovic, and the use of Andrejs Rubins and Lance Cronin on the substitutes bench. Dougie Freedman and Andy Johnson kicked off for Palace, and before the first minute had gone Dougie had passed the ball through to Danny Butterfield, and his cross into the centre found Wayne who made no mistake burying the ball into the back of the net. What a great start, not only for Wayne, but also the team. Moments later they almost repeated the feat, once again Dougie getting the ball to Wayne, who was brought down in the area, but the referee waved play-on.

Dean Sturridge made the first forward move for the visitors, but he was deemed offside, and at the other end Dougie caused more problems for the Wolves defence, this time getting the ball to Steve Thomson, who forced a corner. The ball was floated in from the corner post, but try as he might Tony could not quite get to the ball cleanly, and the chance went begging. Danny B was then guilty of missing the perfect opportunity to make it 2-0 when his header flew over the top of an empty goalmouth.

Nathan Blake then fired a long range shot at our goal, which Alex Kolinko had little trouble dealing with, and then Tony managed to slip the ball through to Dougie, who was caught marginally offside. A bit of end-to-end play ensued before Shaun Newton put a header well over the top of the bar. Andy managed to slip in behind the defence, but Michael Oakes was alert enough to cut out the danger. A free kick to Palace was put just too strongly into the area for either Dougie or Tony to reach it, whilst at the other end Alex Rae was well dealt with by Darren Powell.

A free kick for the visitors won them a corner, but they wasted the chance as Tony got to the ball before the visiting attackers. Palace immediately won a corner at the other end, but hitting on the break Sturridge fired in a cross to Ivar Ingimarsson, and suddenly the score was once again level.

With their confidence up Wolves, in the guise of Newton, made a good run at our goal, managing to avoid a number of our players on the way. Unfortunately, at least for the visitors, his final touch let him down, and the whole effort came to a miserable end. At the other end Danny B and Hayden Mullins linked well before firing a cross in to Dougie. His first-time header sailed straight into the back of the net, and so within five minutes we were back in the lead.

Within moments Wayne attempted to increase the scoreline, but this time the keeper performed well to keep the ball out. Alex returned the compliment at the other end from a Sturridge cross, and then held on well to a shot from Jolean Lescott. Palace just had time to force a final corner before the break, but despite Darren flying in to the box the ball went out over the top, and the half time whistle was sounded.

At the break Trevor would have simply asked for more of the same; one can assume he would be pleased.

Wolves got the second half underway, and shortly after Alex appeared to be limping. Now, that could turn out interesting if 16-year-old Lance Cronin had to take to the field. Dougie saw a chance blocked before a free kick to the visitors gave us cause for concern. Tony was on hand to avert any danger though, and Danny Granville took the ball all the way to the other end before being dispossessed by the defence.

Wayne won another free kick for Palace, the ball ending up with Darren who sent the ball wide of the mark. A long-range shot at the other end, this time from Paul Ince, the ex-Manchester United star, was well dealt with by Alex, before Dave Jones made two substitutions, bringing on Kevin Cooper and Kenny Miller for Rae and Sturridge. Wayne managed to get the ball through to AJ, and the keeper, for some unknown reason, felled Andy where he stood, and the referee immediately pointed at the spot. Dougie stepped up to take the kick, and duly placed it into the back of the net to make the margin a little better at 3-1. Not bad for an ex-Wolves man! Normally that is what happens to us courtesy ex-Palace players.

Paul Ince then fired a shot at the Palace goal that Alex could only parry away. The ball fell obligingly for Blake who made no mistake, making the score 3-2, and it was still game on, at least so we thought. No one could blame Alex for either goal conceded, but the fact that this goal had been clawed back was going to leave us with a somewhat dodgy final 20 minutes or so, it would seem, and we really need to find some way to restore the previous parity.

Within moments that is exactly what happened. AJ got the ball through to Hayden, who had been having a pretty good day one way or another, and he fed the ball across to Steve, whose first time shot flew into the back of the net, and suddenly it was 4-2. Who said Palace were goal shy?

The cheers were raucous for Wayne as he gave way to Andrejs Rubins, and we all hope that the boss sticks with the youngster for the next few matches, where possible. Shortly after Dele Adebola came on for AJ, but as all this was happening Ince was heading goalwards, the ball fortunately going just wide of the post.

Dele got the ball in to Dougie, but his shot went over the top, and then Andrejs made a run straight up the centre, but once he was dispossessed the ball came back to the visitors. Blake was well kept out by Curtis Fleming, and Palace made their final substitution, Tommy Black coming on for Dougie. Adam Proudlock was involved in altercations with both Curtis and Darren. I must have missed him coming on to the field somehow. A free kick to Wolves saw Denis Irwin shoot straight at Alex, who was relieved to hang on the ball.

Five minutes of time was added on to the second half, but apart from a couple of free kicks there was little action as Palace simply wound the clock down, and held on to their lead, rounding out a good day's work.

Colin Pryce

Crystal Palace: Alex Kolinko, Danny Granville, Hayden Mullins, Tony Popovic, Darren Powell, Danny Butterfield, Steve Thomson, Dougie Freedman (Tommy Black 86), Andy Johnson (Dele Adebola 79), Wayne Routledge (Andrejs Rubins 75).

Substitutes not used: Lance Cronin, Andrew Frampton.

Wolverhampton Wanderers: Michael Oakes, Paul Butler, Denis Irwin, Jolean Lescott, Lee Naylor, Paul Ince, Ivar Ingimarsson, Shaun Newton (Adam Proudlock 69), Alex Rae (Kevin Cooper 58), Nathan Blake, Dean Sturridge (Kenny Miller 58).

Substitutes not used: Matthew Murray, Ludovic Pollet.

Attendance: 16,961

Referee: Mr L E Cable (Surrey)