March 16 2007

Selhurst Park

LEWIS GRABBAN hopes his first senior goal will lead to a regular place in the Crystal Palace side.

The 19-year-old striker came off the bench to net a dramatic injury-time winner in the Eagles' 3-2 victory at West Brom on Wednesday night.

It pushed Palace up to within eight points of the play-offs and GRABBAN was overjoyed at getting on the score-sheet.

He said: "I got put through and had an awful first touch, but scored in the end from a little one-two off of their keeper. You need a bit of luck, which I got, and it was nice to score.

"It was nice for the whole team to come on the pitch at the end to congratulate me - it seems like the whole club is behind me and they're happy for me to get my first league goal for the club.

"Of course it's good playing for the first team, which is always my aim. It's good while I'm involved in it and I'm just trying to take my chance and make a claim for a permanent place.

"There are a lot of strikers here, which makes it harder for me to get in the first team, but they are also able to give me advice and make me a better player, so it works both ways. "