Crystal Palace - 0
Derby County - 1 (Kinkladze 82.)
The next real attacking move caught AJ offside and then Giorgi Kinkladze and Lee Morris put together a good move that was stopped well by Darren Powell. Danny Higginbotham conceded a corner, but the keeper was alert enough to contain the danger. At the other end the ball was just out of reach of Malcolm Christie, and, following a good build-up by Palace another corner was forced, this time by Wayne Routledge. The ball was swung into the centre of the goalmouth area but Tony Popovic missed a first time connection that was surely destined for the back of the net, and Derby managed to clear the ball once again from the danger area.
Darren once again cleared a dangerous move forward, this time by Paul Boertien and Christie before Morris managed to win the first corner of the match for our visitors. The incoming ball was well dealt with by Alex Kolinko, and a quick clearance nearly found Wayne in the clear. Wayne then made a great run down the right, but he just played that fraction too far, and lost possession of the ball. Danny Granville put in a great cross that just eluded both AJ and Wayne and the next move saw Chris Riggott clear the ball from a move orchestrated by Dougie. Christie sent a shot wide of the post, then Morris won another corner for Derby that resulted in Adam Bolder putting in a shot that deflected behind for a goal kick.
A shot from Hayden was blocked on the line before Warren Barton lost control of the ball at the other end, putting the ball out of play. Dougie got in a good pass to Wayne, but the keeper came well out and headed the ball away to safety. A free kick to Palace was again well dealt with by the keeper followed by a very long range shot from Hayden that the keeper had no problem with. Wayne put in a looping shot that just went over the top before Dougie managed to get caught offside, just as things were starting to look good for the home side. Curtis got a good long-range ball into the area that AJ failed to control, then Wayne put it back in, but there was no one on hand to take advantage of the situation.
Boertien put in a shot from a long way out that fell straight into the waiting arms of Alex, and then Bolder tried another shot that Alex also dealt with well. Without further ado the half time whistle sounded, and though the Palace side would have been pleased not to have conceded a goal, there would have been a little worry that they had also not managed to put one away at the other end.
Derby kicked off in the second half, and a free kick to Palace brought consternation to the goalmouth, the defence finally managing to clear the ball behind for a corner. Danny Butterfield took the corner, Poom spilt the ball, but Wayne saw his shot blocked on the line.
Curtis cut out the next forward move by Derby, and Christie ran himself offside to break down the next move. AJ fired a shot well wide of the post, then a Palace corner was cleared by the Derby defence. Steve Thomson got a shot in that sailed over the top of the bar - will we never score?
Curtis managed to tackle the advancing Derby forwards when Alex was well out of position, and Bolder returned the favour at the other end, dispossessing Wayne at the last moment. A free kick to Palace was taken by Danny B; the ball fell nicely for Tony, but his header was deflected behind for another corner. The set piece was dealt with by Higginbotham, but Steve got a cross in that was just too far ahead of Dougie for our striker to get his name on the scoresheet once again.
Kinkladze sent in a long range shot that sailed well over the bar, and shortly after Danny B was on hand to rescue Palace from a corner for the Rams. The first substitution came from Palace, Hayden giving way to Tommy Black, and a cross in from Dougie found AJ, whose shot was blocked on the line. Wayne and Tommy combined well, but the Derby defence was well up to the job, clearing the ball before any real danger approached their line. Alex saved a ball from Boertien (albeit at the second attempt) and he set Dougie away, winning a corner at the other end.
Dele Adebola came on to replace Wayne, and his first touch of the ball went fractionally behind AJ, when a well-placed ball might well have lead to a goal. Kinkladze was robbed of the ball by a deft piece of play by Alex. As the fans were still applauding that move Morris got clear on the left, put in a great cross, and it was Kinkladze that was on hand to bury the ball in the back of the net. 1-0 to Derby, and there was but scant minutes left for Palace to rescue the situation. This all happened as Andrew Frampton was replacing AJ, so our line-up was more defensive than attacking, so the chances of pulling out an equaliser was fairly slim.
A shot from Tommy was well dealt with by the keeper, and despite a number of good moves forward by the Palace side Derby was defending in numbers, managing to repel all attacking moves. In order to slow things down a little Kinkladze came off for Ian Evatt. Nearly everyone was forward for Palace, but the defence was holding well, and despite two minutes of added time they held on, the final shot coming from Tommy that was well held by Poom.
We now travel to Watford at the weekend, desperate for at least a point, and preferably three.
Colin Pryce
Crystal Palace: Alex Kolinko, Curtis Fleming, Danny Granville, Hayden Mullins (Tommy Black 68), Tony Popovic, Darren Powell, Danny Butterfield, Steve Thomson, Dougie Freedman, Andy Johnson (Andrew Frampton 80), Wayne Routledge (Dele Adebola 74).
Substitutes not used: Lance Cronin, Andrejs Rubins.
Derby County: Mart Poom, Warren Barton, Paul Boertien, Danny Higginbotham, Brian O'Neill (Lewis Hunt 51), Chris Riggott, Adam Bolder, Giorgi Kinkladze (Ian Evatt 88), Adam Murray, Malcolm Christie, Lee Morris.
Substitutes not used: Lee Grant, Gary Twigg, Branko Strupar.
Attendance: 14,948
Referee: Mr P Dowd (Staffordshire)