Wimbledon - 1 (Reo-Coker 34.)
Crystal Palace - 3 (Butterfield 59. Freedman 65. Hughes 89.)

Having won our previous two League matches, and incidentally scraping through the First round of the Carling Cup, Palace were looking for their fourth consecutive win. Though this match was billed as an "away" fixture, it was played on the hallowed Selhurst pitch, and of the paltry 6,000+ fans that were there on the day one can rest assured they were nearly all Palace supporters.

This promised to be the last time we would play at Selhurst "away", as the Dons are due to move to Milton Keynes in the very near future. Let's hope they go soon!

Wimbledon got the game underway, the first attacking move coming as Michael Gordon got a cross in destined for Dean Holdsworth, Darren Powell just managing to get in the way to clear the danger for Palace. Danny Butterfield tried a cross that was just too high for Dougie Freedman, then a free kick to Palace saw Michael Hughes hit the ball too deep, the result being a simple goal kick to the "home" side.

Alex Tapp got a shot on goal that went marginally wide, then Patrick Agyemang got clear, a good reaction from Matt Clarke saving the day. Tapp got free once again, but Danny averted the danger, at the expense of a corner; which was wasted. Matt came a long way out to clear the ball as Agyemang looked like getting to the ball behind the defence, and then he was called into action once again as Adam Nowland fired a long-range shot at goal, Matt diving to his left to effect the save.

Tommy Black put in a good cross, and though Dougie was in position Neil Shipperley got the faintest of touches on the ball, steering it wide of Dougie as he set to pounce. A patient build-up by Palace saw Neil head the ball just wide of the mark before Tommy forced a corner, which was as equally poorly played by Palace as the one Wimbledon had previously. Jamie Smith found himself in receipt of the ball following good play by Dougie, and his cross floated in for Kit Symons to head goalwards, only the woodwork preventing him from scoring.

Matt made hard work of cutting out the next cross, but Danny was on hand to clear the lines then Dougie tried to chip the keeper, Paul Heald, but he was equal to the task, and the chance went begging. A corner to Palace was fired in by Michael, and Neil headed the ball just over the top, and it was starting to seem as if we would never score, the chances that had been wasted were getting too numerous to count. Tapp was booked for a foul on Ben Watson, though most in the crowd, including the Palace contingent, were bemused by the decision, and as Danny fired in another cross Heald rose above the Palace forwards to pluck the ball from the air.

Nigel Reo-Coker ran goalwards, beating the defence on his way, and the fact that his shot was only cleared by hitting the crossbar, should have given Palace a wake-up call. Reo-Coker got a cross in to Gordon, but his shot was played straight at Matt, who held the ball easily, then Nowland became the second name in the book for a blatant foul on Tommy. Dougie set up Michael, but the keeper made a great one-handed save, then Reo-Coker raced up the other end of the park, Matt doing well to keep his effort out of our goalmouth.

Holdsworth then headed the ball at goal as Matt got quickly down to the ball to keep it out once again, but the pressure was starting to tell, and Reo-Coker finally slipped the ball under Matt, and with 10 minutes to half time we were suddenly behind where it mattered, on the scoreboard. Neil was caught offside, before Ben set up Dougie, Heald doing well to stop the ball once again. An injury to Darren saw an early substitution, Gary Borrowdale coming on in his place, and Danny fired in a cross that was tipped behind for a corner.

As half time approached Michael fired the ball into the centre, and as Neil headed the ball goalwards somehow Dougie got a touch on the ball, and it flew straight over the bar. Surely it would have gone in had Dougie not touched it, but on another day it would surely have been the touch that wrong-footed the keeper to get us back on equal terms.

Palace got the second half underway, and the first action saw Hayden Mullins clearing the danger as Agyemang looked capable of slipping through the defence once more. Tommy made a good run that resulted in a corner, which again was wasted by Palace. Dougie flicked another shot over the bar, then Tommy hit a shot wide of the mark, but at least Palace were starting to exert a little more pressure on the opposition goal. Reo-Coker fired a shot wide as Ben pressured him into a more difficult shot than he may have had, before Danny fired in a cross that Dougie just could not get to.

Suddenly a goal came from nowhere, as from long-distance Danny turned, saw the goal staring at him, and fired in a shot that flew swiftly into the corner of the net to level things at 1-1. Gary then saw his cross cut out by Ben Chorley, but then Tommy ran at the defence, got past the last line, and was blatantly brought down from behind, and for once the referee agreed with the majority of the fans, and awarded a penalty. Dougie made no mistake with this opportunity, and from 1-0 down we were suddenly 2-1 up.

Gordon was replaced by Joel McAnuff, but it was still Palace going forward as Ben and Tommy both missed the perfect chance to put the game beyond a possible Wimbledon return. As this action happened Palace brought Andy Johnson on for Dougie, who left to rapturous cheers from the crowd. A header from Neil was just tipped round the post for a corner, and the resulting ball in from the flag saw Neil attempt yet another header that was well saved by the keeper.

Tommy then tried a long-range shot that was diverted for another corner, but as seems the case with most set-pieces for Palace these days the chance was wasted once again. Neil had another double chance that somehow missed the back of the net once more. Ben was caught offside, and as he kicked the ball away in disgust he received the obligatory yellow card for his trouble. When will these youngsters learn?

With only about five minutes left on the clock Michael found himself in possession, and from about 15 yards out he unleashed an unstoppable shot, and the ball nestled sweetly in the back of the net. The score was 3-1, and finally there was no way back for Wimbledon. Rob Gier fired a shot high and wide as Palace made a final change, Aki Riihilahti taking the place of Hayden, who had put in a solid performance for the day.

The final whistle sounded, and Palace had secured the three points, and in the process shot to the top of the League. Now all they need to do is stay there for another 43 matches!

Colin Pryce

Wimbledon: Paul Heald, Ben Chorley, Mikele Leigertwood, Nigel Reo-Coker, Jermaine Darlington (Scott McDonald 78), Rob Gier, Michael Gordon (Joel McAnuff 65), Alex Tapp, Patrick Agyemang, Dean Holdsworth, Adam Nowland.

Substitutes not used: Shane Gore, Peter Hawkins, Darren Holloway.

Crystal Palace: Matthew Clarke, Danny Butterfield, Kit Symons, Hayden Mullins (Aki Riihilahti 90), Darren Powell (Gary Borrowdale 42), Jamie Smith, Michael Hughes, Ben Watson, Tommy Black, Dougie Freedman (Andrew Johnson 74), Neil Shipperley.

Substitutes not used: Cedric Berthelin, Gareth Williams.

Attendance: 6,113

Referee: Mr P Walton