Post Match report for the Crystal Palace game - Saturday, 9th March 2019
PREMIER LEAGUE; Palace v Brighton
ALBION WITH DOUBLE STUNNERS AT THE PALACE
VENUE; Selhurst Park, London SE25 - fifteenth away match of 29 fixtures.
RESULT; 1-2 ~ Murray, Knockaert . (h-t 0-1) . SHAPE; 4-5-1 . REF; knew he was in a scrap and kept a cool head.
PREAMBLE; fans travelled into outer suburbs of a sprawling metropolis to end up in Whitehorse Lane prior to lunchtime kickoff. The so-called derby, instigated from a much earlier time period when the clubs actually met on those old rough pitches, resumed at higher level today.
At end of the day there were three points at stake, which perhaps was true value of this meeting.
GATE; 24,972 . WEATHER; windy but dry with long sunny intervals.
CHRIS HUGHTON nearly had a full squad available but lost Andone from his starting line-up due to injury during the warm up. Otherwise the match-day 18 were almost self-selecting.
TEAM; . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Ryan
. . 22 Montoya, 4 Duffy, 5 Dunk, 30 Bernardo
. . . . 8 Bissouma, 6 Stephens, 24 Propper
. 11 Knockaert, 17 Murray, 16 Jahanbakhsh
BENCH; 27 Button, 3 Bong, 33 Burn, 7 Kayal, 19 Izquierdo, 20 March (75), 9 Locadia (90+).
GOALS; 19 - 0-1. A huge lump out of the backline by Dunk is chased down by MURRAY after hosts defender misses it. The striker clips a half volley across the diving keeper to just inside the far post.
50 - 1-1. Travellers are penned in their box after turnabout. Propper sticks out a leg and the guy makes sure he falls over it. Ryan goes the wrong way off the spot.
74 - 1-2. A long ball up field by Stephens finds KNOCKAERT free on right flank. He cuts inside and unleashes a worldy to the far top corner, going in off the upright.
INCIDENTS; 1 - a pivotal moment as Knockaert slides in with a high foot but Ref is lenient. After that challenges continued to be robust and at a f-k deep into the area Duffy is manhandled to the deck but Ref is ball watching.
Dunk makes several blocks & deflections to spare Ryan any grief.
YELLOWS; 1 - Knockaert is overly enthusiastic at a 50-50 ball. 24 - Montoya holds back his man. 70 - Murray uses cunning illegally.
92 - Ryan is carded for time wasting. 93 - Bernardo makes his challenge too forcefully.
SUBS; 75 - March comes on immediately following the winner from Knockaert. 95 - Locadia pulls on a shirt for a minute in lieu of Jahanbakhsh.
ANALYSIS; not the prettiest away display but in terms of reward, the end justifies the means. Visitors were tasked to press formulation of locals build up and bank behind the ball. Outfield last ditch defending occurred on occasion, although Ryan was well protected and not unduly called upon as last line of defence.
Two fantastic goals secured all three points, such is the individual striking quality available at this level.
The team game accounted for keeping hosts at bay between boxes and being resolute to thwart forays into green-shirts first third. Wing pairings worked hard on both sides up & down, while central midfield proved equal to threats when opponents pushed up.
All in all a competent defensive game plan merely spoilt by a theatrical spot kick. But to find a way to win it took this dour action into another world of opportunist wonderment.
MoM - Dunk, inspirational as leader & rearguard.
NUMBERS; shape 433-4141, poss 63%-37%, on target 3-3, off target 5-1, corners 8-0, fouls 8-18, yellows 1-5, subs 2-2.
FS
SATURDAY TABLE: bottom half
Po . Pl . -GD . Pt
11 . 30 . -01 . 37 Everton
12 . 30 . -13 . 37 Bournemouth
13 . 30 . -09 . 34 Newcastle
14 . 30 . -05 . 33 Palace
15 . 29 . -10 . 33 Brighton
16 . 30 . -16 . 30 Southampton
17 . 29 . -21 . 30 Burnley
18 . 30 . -30 . 28 Cardiff
19 . 30 . -40 . 17 Fulham
20 . 30 . -38 . 14 Huddersfield
