Memories are made of this

[James Varcoe]

As a small side service on the BBS I would like to offer old match reports of games to be posted on request. I put a couple up on The Away Fans Forum earlier and it has proved pretty easy.
Any requests considered but bear in mind the available archive only goes back to 1985 and I will need a reasonably accurate date to help.

------------------
Damn I had a cigarette.

[Chocky]

and there are some here
http://cpfc.org/ubb/Forum5/HTML/000113.html

[hong_kong_hg]

Cool JV. Can you do:
1) Palace 4 Millwall 3, circa. Nov 89
2) Norwich 0 Palace 3, I think 90-91 or possibly 91-92 (sorry I can't be more exact).

Thanks!

------------------
THERE'S ONLY ONE FAN IN CHINA!

[James Varcoe]

No sooner said than done. Will hunt for the Norwich one now.

Crystal Palace 4 Millwall 3

In an era when the height of tactical thinking seems to be the maxim that if a team does not concede a goal then defeat can be avoided, this entertaining match provided a throw-back to happier days when sides regularly scored 100 goals a season.

``It was a kamikaze game,'' John Docherty, the Millwall manager said, having watched his side pull back from a 3-1 deficit at the interval only to concede the winning goal three minutes from time.

Docherty and Steve Coppell, his Palace counterpart, showed a united front in reluctantly conceding that seven goals and a glut of chances and near misses had satisfied the 18,920 at Selhurst Park. ``A good game for the supporters but not for the managers,'' they chorused.

Thomas made three goal-line interventions for Palace; Sheringham's header hit the bar. Palace, too, might have had another three or four as attackers dominated defenders.

In the final analysis a game bristling with goalmouth incidents, excitement and passion was settled after 87 minutes when Wright shrugged off the attentions of Thompson and Stevens to get away and set up the chance for Bright to calmly hit a measured shot past Horne.

So Palace, eighteenth in the table after losing 9-0 at Liverpool last month, are now level on points with Millwall in the top half. They have shown a propensity for giving the opposition a start; even so it was a surprise when Hopkins provided a classic lob over his own goalkeeper's head after six minutes.

A surging run by Pemberton, from just outside his own penalty area, after 13 minutes culminated in his pass falling neatly into place for Wright to equalize.

Six minutes later Thomas headed forward a corner kick and Wright claimed the final touch for his seventh goal of the season. Bright got his first after 44 minutes when McGoldrick took advantage of hesitancy in the Millwall defence to square the ball to him.

Cascarino's adroit header, when Dawes centred after 55 minutes, made it 3-2; Anthrobus firmly headed an equalizer after 74 minutes. At that stage the Lions looked odds-on for victory. As Coppell summarized an exhilarating afternoon: ``Not a game for the faint heart''.

CRYSTAL PALACE: P Suckling; J Pemberton, R Shaw, A Gray, J Hopkins, A Dyer (sub: P Barber), E McGoldrick, G Thomas, M Bright, I Wright, A Pardew.

MILLWALL: B Horne; S Sparham, I Dawes, T Hurlock, D Thompson, K Stevens, J Carter, G Waddock, E Sheringham, A Cascarino, S Anthrobus.

Referee: V G Callow.


------------------
Damn I had a cigarette.

[hong_kong_hg]

Brilliant...thankyou JV!

"the chance for Bright to calmly hit a measured shot past Horne"

Not like he smashed hit-and-hope style from just outside the box for one of the best goals ever seen at SP then?

Looking forward to that Norwich report!

------------------
THERE'S ONLY ONE FAN IN CHINA!

[James Varcoe]

Can't find a report at the moment, will take a bit longer than I thought, more to follow.

------------------
Damn I had a cigarette.

[hong_kong_hg]

My apologies JV, I know you asked for exact dates, but I'm afraid my memory is somewhat fuzzy and I don't have any reference books here...

The memory of that Millwall match has certainly made my day though! http://cpfc.org/ubb/smile.gif http://cpfc.org/ubb/smile.gif http://cpfc.org/ubb/smile.gif

------------------
THERE'S ONLY ONE FAN IN CHINA!

[James Varcoe]

I remember the Norwich game quite well. I have a distinct recollection of Salako chasing a hopeful Thorn punt up field for the third goal.

The Millwall game is one of my personal faves. I was standing in The Arthur Waite right behind Brights winner. Even after that both sides could have scored again. Top game.

------------------
Damn I had a cigarette.

[James]

... and here is an mpg clip of Mark Bright's amazing winner:


http://www.rosemead.co.uk/mpgold/mwll_89h.mpg



------------------

[James Varcoe]

Top man James great goal, great game.

Here I am with my humble newspaper reports and you have to upstage me with your video clips flash ba****d.

------------------
Damn I had a cigarette.

[hong_kong_hg]

James, I've already got that goal clip from you from another thread about a month ago...so don't go spoiling our old reports fun here!

It was a GREAT clip though!

Still waitin' for Norwich (but take your time...I've got all the time in the world...! http://cpfc.org/ubb/smile.gif)

------------------
THERE'S ONLY ONE FAN IN CHINA!

[hong_kong_hg]

JV, can you do these ones too? From the 93-94 season, home games:
1) Bristol City, 4-1
2) Grimsby 5-0
And from uncertain year, but I believe should be easy to spot, 1991???
3) Southend 8-0

Thanks!

------------------
THERE'S ONLY ONE FAN IN CHINA!

[Gavin Axten]

Excuse me for being a complete dick when it comes to computers but how can you save the video clips to floppy???

------------------
"You'll never know just how much I love you until you've taken my Palace away"

[James Varcoe]

Hong Kong - The 1st Div games may be tricky, it's unlikely that the broadsheets carried reports, I'll check the tabloids when I'm back at work tomorrow.
Whilst browsing I found the 8-0 so can post that as soon as I get in tomorrow.
That whole Southend was a bit sad. I remember using the last day of my holiday entitlement from work to go to the second leg.
Why?

------------------
Damn I had a cigarette.

[James]

Gavin Axten asked:
Excuse me for being a complete dick when it comes to computers but how can you save the video clips to floppy???

Depends upon your Operating System. If you are using Windows '98, simply right click on the file link, and select 'Save Target as' - the file will start to download, and you will be asked where to save it. If you have a floppy in your drive (usually your A: drive), select a:\ and the file should save directly to floppy.

Alternatively, save to your hard disc, and copy it across.

If you have already viewed the file, you probably have it stored somewhere on your hard drive. Click on Start, then Find Files and look for *.mpeg (note - not mpg). When you have found the file, copy it and paste it into your a:\ drive using Explorer.

Hope that helps.

James

[James Varcoe]

Here's the Southend game. My God I'd forgotten who their full backes were. I wonder what happened to D Austin?

Crystal Palace 8 Southend United 0

MARK Bright and Ian Wright, reunited in attack, scored three goals apiece last night and proved too potent a force in a one-sided Rumbelows Cup second round, first leg tie at Selhurst Park.

Steve Coppell's unbeaten high-flyers handled their first cup tie since meeting Manchester United at Wembley in May with arrogant ease. This was their biggest cup win, and equalled Southend's record defeat, 9-1 against Brighton in 1965.

David Webb, the Southend manager, had said before the game that he would rather not be playing first division opposition after his third division side's resounding 4-0 first defeat of the season at Stoke City at the weekend. His worst forebodings were realised after only two minutes when Barber sent Bright clear on the left to cut in and celebrate his first start of the season with a goal.

McGoldrick, playing his first game of the season, excelled on the right touchline and Martin and Butler were both cautioned for tripping in the seventh and eleventh minutes. Gurnam Singh, the referee, added the name of Palace's Pardew two minutes later after an incident involving Martin.

Barber was again the provider after 25 minutes. Cornwell seemed to have intercepted his pass, but Wright, moving at speed, dispossessed him and finished superbly. Wright blotted his copybook when he became the fourth player cautioned for a challenge after 35 minutes on Powell.

Hodges, who came on after the interval for Barber, went past two defenders in the area and shot beyond Sansome, but Cornwell blocked the ball on the goalline.

The Welsh international was on target after 49 minutes, however, when Wright raced clear, cut back on Sansome as he came out, but saw his shot rebound. Hodges applied the finishing touch for his first goal for Palace since joining them from Watford in the summer.

Although Sansome athletically diverted a right-foot shot from Hodges for a corner, he was beaten by Bright again after 72 minutes when Shaw sent Wright away on the left to centre. A minute later Thorn flicked on a corner from Hodges and Wright rose almost under the bar to head in.

Wright added a sixth after 82 minutes with a shot that took a deflection, Thompson, who had come on 10 minutes previously, added a seventh after 83 minutes, and Bright, completed the rout from Wright's pass two minutes from the end.

CRYSTAL PALACE: N Martyn; J Humphrey (sub: G Thompson), R Shaw, A Pardew, E Young, A Thorn, E McGoldrick, G Thomas, M Bright, I Wright, P Barber (sub: G Hodges).

SOUTHEND UNITED: P Sansome; D Austin, C Powell, D Martin, J Cornwell (sub: J Cook), S Tilson, P Clarke, P Butler, A Ansah, I Benjamin, B Angell.

Referee: G Singh.


------------------
Damn I had a cigarette.

[James Varcoe]

Found it!!

Crystal Palace 4 - Bristol City 1.

VICTORY over Liverpool in the FA Cup may have earned Bristol City more headlines in one night than Crystal Palace have managed in a season, but it is the London team that should have something more substantial to celebrate in May. Its victory at Selhurst Park last night, secured with an outstanding second-half performance, makes a return to the Premiership look increasingly likely.

Palace are six points clear of the field in the Endsleigh Insurance League first division, unbeaten in six games and showing all the signs of a team improving as the campaign progresses. With Armstrong, whose two goals took his total for the season to 20, they have always possessed a potent attack. Now, they have a squad of high quality from front to back.

After a run of three successive defeats at the start of the year, the recruitment of Paul Stewart from Liverpool, albeit on loan, and Damian Matthew from Chelsea 12 days ago have given Alan Smith's team a fresh impetus. Last night, though, it was a moment of brilliance from John Salako, at 25 almost a Palace veteran, that turned the game.

Salako, who won five England caps before spending almost two years out of the game with a knee injury, had skated across a snow-dusted pitch to great effect throughout.

But it was his goal on the hour that suggested his recovery may now be complete.

Welch, the City goalkeeper must shoulder the initial blame. Coming a dozen yards outside his area to intercept a pass, he withstood challenges from Stewart and Salako. But when he tried a third piece of fancy footwork, Salako struck like a viper, whipping the ball away and from 30 yards lobbing a shot over Shail on the line. ``It was a great piece of skill from a special player, the sort you cannot buy or teach,'' Smith said.

It put Palace 2-1 ahead, City having taken the lead through Shail from close range, only for the City captain to gift Palace a first-half equaliser when he instinctively handled Matthew's corner, Gordon converting the penalty.

From then there was no holding Palace. A superb cross from the left by Stewart enabled Armstrong to head a spectacular third, and the same player scored again six minutes from time after a decisive first touch by Whyte, the substitute. Welch's goal survived three other close shaves as City, after an impressive hour in which they defended well and counter-attacked with menace, wilted.

``I have said all season that we are the best team in the League and that performance proves it,'' Smith said. Nottingham Forest, Tranmere Rovers and a few others might argue the point, but Palace will take a lot of stopping.

CRYSTAL PALACE (4-4-2): N Martyn J Humphrey, E Young, C Coleman, D Gordon D Matthew, R Shaw, G Southgate, J Salako P Stewart (sub: D Whyte, 83min) C Armstrong.

BRISTOL CITY (3-5-2): K Welch M Bryant, S Munro, M Shail M Harriott (sub: I Brown, 83), D Martin, B Tinnion, R Edwards, M Scott L Robinson, W Allison.

Referee: G Willard.


------------------
Damn I had a cigarette.

[Dobbo]

Interesting to see Southend's two full backs for the 8-1 game. Sounds like most of our goals came from our left side. Nice one Dean.

------------------

[Neil the Eagle]

The date of the Norwich game was 8/9/90 if it helps JV - the Grimbo game was March 1996 (I think) - I missed four goals consoling a friend on the Holmesdale concourse who'd had some bad news that day - little did I realise that their was a TV with a live feed on just around the corner - D'oh!

Mind you Pete King was kind enough to lend me the match vid when I explained to him what had happened!

------------------
Praying for a miracle


[This message has been edited by Neil the Eagle (edited 09 February 2000).]

[James Varcoe]

Finally found a Norwich CPFC report from the glorious Today newspaper enjoy:


Norwich 0, C Palace 3

CRYSTAL PALACE manager Steve Coppell last night revealed he was peppered with hate mail from his own fans when he gambled pounds 1 million on England's goalkeeping heir apparent, Nigel Martyn.

Coppell can feed the poison pen letters to the incinerator after seeing Martyn become a cornerstone of his improving side and his investment vindicated by England.

Martyn joins Graham Taylor's first international squad today with only Liverpool preventing the beaten FA Cup finalists from savouring unlikely leadership of the First Division.

On Saturday at Carrow Road, Palace gave a performance which suggests their true vocation lies nearer the also-rans of mid-table.

They embarrassed Norwich with their pace and punitive tackling, yet even in comprehensive victory were indebted to Martyn for vital saves from Dave Phillips, Robert Fleck and Ruel Fox.

Coppell said: 'At crucial stages, Nigel made sure we weren't subjected to the Alamo.

'They say the essential quality of a Liverpool keeper is to make a save after 20 minutes of doing nothing. Nigel has that quality.

'I think Graham Taylor is wise to give him a taste of the England set-up. I don't get so many letters from supporters about him now but I hope I'd never pay pounds 1m for a pony.'

Winger Phil Barber claimed: 'Now we are second, we'll frighten a few people.' But Palace for the Championship? Don't make me laugh.

Norwich keeper Bryan Gunn presented Barber with the opener, Ian Wright capitalised on an outrageously-friendly ricochet and John Salako applied an expert finish to a hopeful clearance over City's statuesque defence.

As for Norwich, they were clueless and occasionally cantankerous.

Midfielder Tim Sherwood's assertion that 'Palace caused us more problems than Liverpool have ever done' was a smokescreen for Norwich's inadequacy.


Martyn can expect to be busier in his next two League games, against Nottingham Forest and Tottenham. Coppell can expect more praise than poison in his mailbag.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


------------------
Damn I had a cigarette.

[Neil the Eagle]

What a pile of toss - no wonder Today went down the tube

[Jimmy The Lips]

Agreed. That was probably the finest Palace away performance I've seen.

One I missed was Brum 0 Palace 6 in (I think)87/88. Any chance of finding a report on that, please?

------------------

[Gavin Axten]

I have that Norwich match on video and we played them off the park!!!!

------------------
"You'll never know just how much I love you until you've taken my Palace away"

[SmithEagle]

Palace v Sheff United
Wembley
You know the one http://cpfc.org/ubb/smile.gif

------------------
Trust the Trust
Especially Mondays :)

[hong_kong_hg]

JV

Many many thanks for taking the trouble to dig out those reports. Some real memories to treasure in there!

Cheers

------------------
THERE'S ONLY ONE FAN IN CHINA!

[jonesy]

THAT Semi please James oh and the Final!!

------------------
TRUST THE TRUST

[Dai the Swansea Eagle]

Arsenal away, (the Salako game), August or September 1994?

[James Varcoe]

Have got meetings all mornung today, will get onto these requests this pm

------------------
Damn I had a cigarette.

[James Varcoe]

Crystal Palace 1 (D Hopkin 90min) Sheffield United 0

Last-minute goal leaves South London club celebrating return to Premiership A YEAR ago, Crystal Palace endured the most excruciating defeat in their first division play-off final against Leicester City. In the final minute of extra time, Steve Claridge scored the goal that sentenced them to another term of drudgery outside the FA Carling Premiership.

Yesterday, on their return to Wembley, it was glorious pay-back time. With a minute remaining against Sheffield United, David Hopkin, the Palace captain, glided in the goal that takes his club back into the big league for the third time in eight seasons.

It is a goal worth millions, Pounds 10 million by conservative estimates. Membership of the Premiership can be measured in such figures and beyond. Whether Palace are ready for it and can cope, or whether they will continue their yo-yo existence between the leagues, is a moot point.

However, as the players and officials jigged to the tunes of Glad All Over and The Only Way Is Up , it was perhaps not an appropriate moment to cloud their elation with stark realism. After the abject misery of 12 months earlier, and an admittedly uninspiring 90 minutes, they deserved their moment of pleasure.

For Steve Coppell, the Palace manager, it concluded a remarkable turnaround in fortunes. He arrived at the club only in late February, not long after his abortive 33-day tenure at Manchester City, which he left for "health" reasons.

Not surprisingly, his reacquaintance with a pressure-cooker enviroment, the Premiership, was furthest from his mind. "I don't really want to think about that at the moment," he said. "I don't want to spoil a nice day."

Howard Kendall, the United manager, had also overcome personal trauma, after his unhappy 79-day stay at Notts County. He, too, had re-emerged with distinction but, unlike Coppell, there was to be no happy ending. "We're all very down," he said. "We've just got to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and start again next season."

It had been an occasion, on the last day of the domestic season, that had promised so much, played under a sunny, almost cloudless sky and in an old stadium heaving with the 32,000 supporters of United, bedecked in black, red and white, and a similar number in the blue-and-red of Palace. As the teams walked out, to the raucous accompaniment of Oasis and an equally loud display of glittering pyrotechnics, the stage was set.

Sadly, there were few other fireworks in a drab first half, the tone having been lowered shortly before kick off when too many Palace fans declined to observe the minute's silence for Alan Laver, the United president, who had died the previous week. Sensibly, Neale Barry, the referee, swiftly curtailed what was supposed to be a 60-second tribute before it became embarrassing.

What followed was barely appetising, either, with United's early up-and-at-'em tactics reducing the spectacle to no more than a disjointed mess. Palace were not much better, with Hopkin, a usually influential figure in midfield, restricted to feeding off the merest scraps of possession.

"We appeared to cancel each other out," Kendall later observed. "It was always going to be a lucky break or a set-piece that decided it."

Long breaks further fractured the play, as Hutchison, twice, Holdsworth and Linighan received treatment. Hutchison's first injury resulted from the only decent shot of the half, which Roberts volleyed powerfully towards goal. It would have gone in had Hutchison not got his head in the way, for which he paid dearly. Although he eventually recovered his senses, he retired before the interval after falling heavily in a challenge with Taylor, his team-mate, and Linighan.

United replaced Katchouro after only 25 minutes, Kendall believing that the Belarus international did not have the physical presence to trouble Linighan. He brought on Tay lor, a former Palace player, and the effect, though not instant, gradually proved successful. "It was not working," Kendall said. "We needed something more positive."

Matters improved significantly in the second half, with United at last producing a semblance of imagination and innovation. Fjortoft roved intelligently, setting up a good chance for Taylor that was only denied by the crunching tackle of Tuttle. Yet for all their efforts, United rarely troubled Nash, the Palace goalkeeper. Tuttle, Edworthy and Linighan formed a protective barrier around him that would have shamed Fort Knox. As the game wore on and extra time, or even penalties, began to loom large, Palace asserted a modicum of authority.

Dyer controlled Muscat's cross superbly but woefully mis-hit his shot; Shipperley headed wastefully wide from Rodger's corner; and then another effort from Dyer, an overhead kick, thumped into Tracey's sidenetting. From a low centre by Dyer, as the final whistle approached, Tracey only gathered the ball after an undignified scramble in his six-yard area.

With a minute left, Hopkin seized on the opportunity presented by Tiler's weak header from Rodger's cross. He looked up, spotted Tracey marginally off his line and curled in a delightful 20-yard shot for his seventeenth goal of the season. Justice, in the Palace minds, had been seen to be done; the ghosts of 1996 had been exorcised. Roll on the Premiership.

CRYSTAL PALACE (3-5-2): C Nash - D Tuttle, M Edworthy, A Linighan - K Muscat, A Roberts, D Hopkin, S Rodger, D Gordon - N Shipperley, B Dyer.

SHEFFIELD UNITED (3-5-2): S Tracey - D Holdsworth, C Tiler, R Nilsen - D White, D Hutchison (sub: L Sandford, 45min), N Spackman (sub: A Walker, 90), M Ward, D Whitehouse - P Katchouro (sub: G Taylor, 25), J A Fjortoft.

Referee: N Barry.


------------------
Damn I had a cigarette.

[James Varcoe]

Arsenal 1, Crystal Palace 2

THIS deserved victory should give Crystal Palace the belief to match their obvious ability. The Arsenal public will, on the other hand, wonder how long they can go on believing in a team who are continually failing to click.

``We didn't function in any department. I took Davis off, but it could have been any midfield player. It was much better in the second half and we could and should have had an equaliser,'' George Graham, the Arsenal manager, said. That wasn't far off the truth, but there used to be a time when Graham's team kept their foot on the accelerator for the full 90 minutes.

The early stages saw a succession of misplaced clearances. What little cohesion there was in the opening minutes came mostly from Arsenal. Selley picked his way around on the right, while Schwarz and Winterburn occasionally mustered some telepathy between them.

But Palace responded. Southgate seized on a scrap deep in his own half and played it perfectly into the path of Armstrong. He held it up before putting it into the path of Salako, who hit his shot high and wide over Seaman's goal. Salako made up for his profligacy a few seconds later.

Armstrong outpaced Linighan chasing Bowry's through-ball, and although Armstrong hit the post with his effort, Salako followed up to put the rebound past a prostrate Seaman.

Arsenal came back as they always do but for every blade of grass Merson covered, Southgate and Newman covered more. Confidence began to grow in every Palace shirt and showed in the runs of Gordon or Armstrong.

Smith was not helping Arsenal much, though. Everything he touched seemed to crumble, and he continually looked out of sorts. Salako, however, was having the opposite effect every time he touched the ball. Southgate, for the umpteenth time, found Armstrong, who again found Salako, who again found Seaman all at sea.

After the restart, Patterson blocked Adams as the Arsenal captain was about to turn and face an exposed Martyn. It was the sort of tackle made by a player refusing to relinquish the advantage his team had won with steely determination. When that determination lost its grip for a split second, Martyn reacted brilliantly to keep out Campbell's shot. Arsenal perpetually aimed corners into the heart of the Palace defence, while Palace perpetually cleared them again.

By this stage Armstrong had become a lonely figure, but when Salako joined him for virtually the first time in the second half, he was only just denied by a well-spread Seaman.

But then Arsenal finally made sense of a corner. Dixon worked it to Campbell and he crossed it to Wright, who headed in that 100th goal against his old club.

Arsenal, inevitably, turned the heat up on the visitors and at certain points in the last 10 minutes it was scorching, but the number of defenders in front of Martyn offered just enough insulation.

Arsenal: Seaman; Dixon, Adams, Linighan, Winterburn; Merson, Schwarz, Selley, Davis (Campbell 45min); Wright, Smith.

Crystal Palace: Martyn; Patterson, Coleman, Shaw, Gordon; Salako, Southgate, Bowry, Newman; Armstrong, Ndah.

Referee: M Bodenham (Looe, Cornwall).


------------------
Damn I had a cigarette.

[James Varcoe]

BIRMINGHAM CITY felt the effects of working on a shoestring budget when they were hammered 6-0 by Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Manager Gary Pendrey was disgusted with their performance: 'I can appreciate just how the fans feel - nobody is more embarrassed than me. Obviously, changes will have to be made. '

Palace could hardly believe how easy it was. It is the second time in six months they have trounced Birmingham 6-0 - this time it was their worst home defeat in 30 years.

Palace manager Steve Coppell was delighted with a performance that brought four goals in the last 17 minutes.

Mark Bright, Neal Redfearn, Jeff Thomas, Andy Gray (2) and Jim Cannon scored the goals. But it could have been 10 - and demoralised Pendrey knows that only too well. VILLA new-boy Mark Lillis celebrated his debut goal against Leicester on Saturday.

His effort after 40 minutes set Villa on the road to their first league victory of the season.

Lillis killed the game with Villa's second goal on the hour.

------------------
Damn I had a cigarette.

[Strathclyde Eagle]

Originally posted by James on 02-08-2000 05:08 PM
... and here is an mpg clip of Mark Bright's amazing winner:


http://www.rosemead.co.uk/mpgold/mwll_89h.mpg




"It's a great finish. Millwall hold their heads..."

Brilliant stuff - a total classic!


------------------
Strathclyde Eagles
http://home.clara.net/tartan/palace/index.htm

[James]

I do have video clips of quite a few of the games mentioed above. I'll try and dig out a few and prepare some more mpg clips when I can find a spare hour or two. In the meantime, here is the clip showing the Hopkin Wembley winner twice, from behind the goal (which is the view I got on the day):

http://www.h-call-nottm.demon.co.uk/mpg/pof3.mpg



------------------

[gcwhite]

I found this with a few old programmes and bits and pieces. It's from the Daily Express of 20 March 1969. I was there. Happy days.


PALACE LEAP
Woodruff clinches No. 2 spot

Crystal Palace 4 Millwall 2

Crystal Palace breathlessly took over from Millwall last night as London's leading contenders for promotion from the Second Division. They leap-frogged over Millwall into second place with five successive victories in their reckless race for the First Division.

But Palace had to suffer the perils of promotion panic as Millwall came back with two second half goals. Palace were three goals clear at half-time and looking run-away winners. But the Millwall revival made it 3-2 and Palace were not able to breathe again until Bobby Woodruff snatched his second goal seven minutes from the end.

Millwall were struggling from the moment Colin Taylor lashed in a left-foot drive following a Steve Kember free kick in the 21st minute. Their disorganised defence were caught dithering nine minutes later as big John McCormick raced through to score from five yards after a Colin Taylor corner kick. Woodruff made it 3-0 seconds before half time when he coolly side footed in from a Mark Lazarus cross with the Millwall defenders standing like statues.

Millwall got the scent of success in the 57th minute when busy Derek Possee ran through to score. The Palace defence were caught in a careless mood. They were just as complacent seven minutes later when McCormick cancelled out his his first-half goal by turning a Dennis Burnett cross into his own net.

But Palace finally knocked the fight out of Millwall when Woodruff slammed a loose ball in after a left wing run by Colin Taylor. Palace forward Tony Taylor was booked for showing dissent in the 85th minute.

Now Palace have taken 13 points from their last 7 matches. And they move into second place by nine thousandths of a goal. On Saturday, Palace have a date at Charlton, the team they haven't beaten in three meetings this season. There could be another gate to rival last night's 32,516. It's all building up nicely for an Easter holiday crunch. On Good Friday Palace are at home to promotion rivals Middlesbrough; Charlton and Cardiff battle it out down the road on the same day.

Palace:- Jackson; Sewell, Loughlan, Hoy, McCormick, Blyth, Lazarus, Kember, Woodruff, Taylor A, Taylor C. Sub: Snowdon

Millwall:- King; Burnett, Cripps, Jacks, Kitchener, Jones, Possee, Dunphy, Weller, Bolland, Neil. Sub: Salvage

------------------