Peterborough 1-2 Crystal Palace- Match Report




Eagles soar to the summit

Crystal Palace came from behind to extend their unbeaten run to 13 npower Championship matches with a 2-1 victory at Peterborough that saw the Eagles return to the top of the table.

Ian Holloway, in his first away game as Palace boss, saw his team fall behind after just six minutes to a Grant McCann strike.

An inspired display from Posh goalkeeper Robert Olejnik looked like it might be enough to see the hosts hang on to that lead but Palace eventually made a breakthrough and won it with two late goals from Andre Moritz and Kagisho Dikgacoi.

McCann recovered from the groin injury that saw him withdrawn early in the second half during the midweek defeat at Brighton so Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson made just one change to his starting line up with Lee Tomlin replacing Tyrone Barnett.

Holloway named the same starting line-up against Ipswich on Tuesday night which had beaten Blackburn the previous weekend, and after seeing Palace go top of the Championship with a 5-0 win in his first game in charge he again picked the same XI.

McCann put Posh ahead from close range following some impressive trickery down the left-hand side of the penalty area from George Boyd.

Palace immediately had two chances to equalise. Peter Ramage headed powerfully wide from Owen Garvan's cross before Wilfried Zaha's effort from the edge of the box was diverted over the crossbar by the fingertips of Olejnik.

Holloway's team enjoyed plenty of possession during the remainder of the first half but Posh should have gone into half-time in front when Craig Alcock got on the end of Boyd's cross, however the full-back headed wide.

Palace continued to push for an equaliser after the break but the hosts had Olejnik to thank for keeping them ahead.

The Austrian pushed an 18-yard effort from Glenn Murray over the bar at the start of the second half and then tipped Zaha's 20-yarder round a post.

Murray headed a Garvan free-kick wide before he was then denied by Olejnik again, this time from close range when it looked like he would turn home Yannick Bolasie's cross.

Damien Delaney blazed over from six yards out following a corner before it was Bolasie's turn to be frustrated by Olejnik midway through the second half.

However, Olejnik's resistance was finally broken 10 minutes from time by substitute Moritz.

The Brazilian, on as a 74th-minute replacement for Garvan, had plenty of work to do when he received the ball on the left-hand side of the penalty area but he cut inside and sent a left-foot shot beyond Olejnik and into the net off the far post.

And Palace completed the turnaround two minutes later with a superb breakaway goal.

Zaha led the charge, sprinting free down the right before laying the ball into the path of Dikgacoi who stroked it home from 12 yards out.

Palace still went looking for more goals though, and would have got them had it not been for Olejnik who made late parrying saves to deny Zaha and Murray once more.

Source: PA

Source: PA