Crystal Palace - 3 (McKenzie 1. Svensson 75. Mullins pen 90.)
Queens Park Rangers - 0

Early drizzle in the morning was not about to dampen Palace's spirits for this match. Considering that the last time these two teams met, in the final game of the last season, we were beaten 6-0, and had two players sent off, it was time for the team to show that they had overcome the disappointments of the early season matches. QPR came into the match boasting an unbeaten nine match run, so it was certainly time for us to show that we meant business this season. The return of key players Leon McKenzie to the starting line up and Craig Foster and our own Nick Rizzo on the substitutes bench gave the team a much more solid look, and the game started off in a manner that we could only wish that all matches start.

Hayden Mullins and Andrew Martin made a good play down the left side of the field, and the pass found Leon in front of the goal. He made no mistake with his first touch for the season, and with less than a minute on the clock we were 1-0 up.

The first chance for Rangers came about 10 minutes later when Chris Kiwomya nearly "stole" the ball from Fraser Digby, the keeper clearing the ball at the last possible moment. Apart from that incident Fraser did not put a foot wrong all day, and put in one of his most polished performances.

Leon came close again a few minutes later when a cross from Terry Phelan was just cleared by the defence. Rob Steiner then came close for the visitors on two occasions, though both were well cleared by Digby. Heading into half time a goal mouth melee saw Matthias Svensson with the perfect opportunity to double the lead, only the woodwork denying him at the last moment.

Both sides went to the break in what would, most likely, be described as a buoyant mood, Palace happy they were ahead and Rangers pleased with their overall performance.

Substitutions were coming thick and fast for both teams as players limped off injured or otherwise, though nothing serious was recorded on either side. Neither side seemed to be making a lot of headway in the match until, with just 15 minutes to go Martin put through a great pass which found Leon free at the front. The visiting side stopped, appealing to the linesman that he was way offside, but the official ignored their pleas, and his flag stayed down. Unable to make the angle for a shot he pulled the ball back to set up Matthias Svensson with a perfect opportunity to score. He made no mistake, putting the ball past the stranded keeper.

Despite vociferous appeals to the referee by the QPR players and management Mr Lynch remained unimpressed, his only reaction being to show the yellow card to both Jermaine Darlington and Chris Kiwomya.

To say the visitors were not happy would probably be an understatement, but the home supporters were starting to actually believe the side might at last win another match.

A move by Matthias down by the corner flag saw Kiwomya see red, literally, and the referee showed him the appropriate coloured card, and with ten or eleven minutes left Rangers were down to 10 men.

Things were only going to get worse from there on. It was again Matthias that was making all the running, and when he got clear inside the area it was only desperation from Karl Ready that could possibly have made him pull the striker back from the ball.

Another red card, and a penalty as well, simply put the icing on the cake, for the match was already in injury time.

Hayden Mullins stepped up to take the penalty, and made no mistake putting the ball into the back of the net, to make the final score 3-0, and raise the hopes of the Palace faithful that just maybe the team had turned the corner.

The circumstances of the match were somewhat similar to those of the match at the end of last season, but this time it was Rangers that finished with only nine men. Gerry Francis stated that the "offside" incident was the "worst decision" he had ever seen, and Steve Coppell was more philosophical, stating that "One week it goes for you, the next it goes against you".

This good win really deserved a much bigger crowd, but considering the results of late one can hardly blame the fans for staying away. One can only hope that this result will be the first of many the same, which should be the biggest incentive for the supporters to once again turn up en masse. The Club, and the players, can do with all the support that we can give them.

Next Saturday we travel to Brian Horton's Vale Park to meet one of the few sides that is still below us on the table. They beat us twice last season, and the side will, hopefully, have something to prove there too.

Colin Pryce

Crystal Palace: Fraser Digby, Dean Austin, Andy Linighan, Fan Zhiyi, Terry Phelan, Leon McKenzie (Fernando De Ornelas 81), Hayden Mullins, Simon Rodger, Jamie Fullarton (Craig Foster 39, Nick Rizzo 83), Andrew Martin, Matthias Svensson.

Substitutes not used: David Woozley, Matthew Gregg.

Queens Park Rangers: Lee Harper, Karl Ready, Matthew Rose (Gavin Peacock 46), Danny Maddix, Jermaine Darlington, Paul Murray (Kevin Gallen 46, Tim Breacker 65), Stuart Wardley, Keith Rowland, Ian Baraclough, Rob Steiner, Chris Kiwomya.

Substitutes not used: Ludek Miklosko, Stephen Morrow.

Attendance: 15,861

Referee: Mr K Lynch (Kirk Hammerton).