Crystal Palace - 3 (Svensson pen 42. Carlisle 64. Mullins 86.)
Walsall - 2 (Ricketts 32. 82.)

Following defeat at the hands of Charlton this match was a real make or break match for Palace. It was doubly important to the home side as Walsall were currently languishing close to the bottom of the table, and a win would give the side a little more daylight between themselves and the relegation zone. Though this match could not be considered the purest of matches the three points were certainly very welcome both for the fans and the management of the side, and it is with some measure of confidence that the Club can look forward to the remainder of the season.

The start of the match proved very slow, with both sides appearing somewhat cautious. Shortly after the half hour mark a most peculiar set of circumstances seemed to bring the side undone. The defence merely watched as they apparently waited to see the ball roll out of play for a goal kick following a Walsall corner, and it was the ever alert Michael Ricketts who nipped smartly in and fired the ball home. 1-0 to the visitors, and things were not going according to the script as far as the home faithful were concerned.

Ten minutes later though we were back on level terms when Matthias Svensson was brought down in the box. Picking himself up he duly scored from the spot, and without much more action the first half finished with neither side showing any sign of supremacy.

One can only imagine what both managers were saying at the break, though one somehow doubts that Steve's comments would have been exactly complimentary.

Two good chances, again to Ricketts, threatened to take the initiative away from the Selhurst side, but his missed chances were proved to be somewhat costly when Svensson set up a perfect ball for Wayne Carlisle to score his first goal since his comeback. Walsall were not finished with though, and with only a few minutes remaining in the game Ricketts must have thought he had done enough to secure a share of the spoils when he managed to get a glancing header to a Mark Robins cross to bring the scores level once again.

The match is never over though until the referee decides that the time is up, and with very little time left it was Hayden Mullins who managed to meet a Carlisle pass and put the game just beyond the visitors grasp.

Colin Pryce

Crystal Palace: Steve Mautone, Jamie Smith, Andy Linighan, Dean Austin, Terry Phelan, Wayne Carlisle, Hayden Mullins, Simon Rodger, Jamie Fullarton, Leon McKenzie, Matthias Svensson.

Substitutes not used: Andrew Frampton, David Woozley, Nick Rizzo, Matthew Gregg, Andrew Martin.

Walsall: Jimmy Walker, Chris Marsh, Ian Roper, Adrian Viveash, Matthew Gadsby (Pedro Matias 66), Darren Wrack, Dean Keates (Bjarni Larusson 71), Gabor Bukran, Gino Padula, Andy Rammell (Mark Robins 79), Michael Ricketts.

Substitutes not used: Neil Pointon, Tony Barras.

Attendance: 13,943

Referee: Mr P.R. Richards (Preston).