January 7 2007

Shefki Kuqi

Palace made heavy weather of making the 4th round to overcome a spirited Swindon fightback to win 2-1 at a sodden Selhurst Park, writes Simon Pophale.

The FA Cup gave us a chance to forget about our patchy league form and extend our unbeaten run. Peter TAYLOR made one change, bringing back Jobi McAnuff for the injured Marco Reich.

It was important for us to get a good start, as this has been an unfortunate constant problem all season. We took the lead after only 7 minutes with our first attack.

Jobi McAnuff had a 15 yard strike pushed away by Phil Smith for a corner. STUART Green floated the ball over and Shefki Kuqi, totally unmarked, headed us into the lead.

Swindon did not come to Selhurst to lie down and mustered a couple of close efforts. Christian Roberts crossed dangerously on 12 minutes but the 2 on-rushing Swindon players could not get on the end of it. Three minutes later from a corner, former Palace player Jamie Vincent headed wide.

On 20 minutes following a couple of blocked shots, Kuqi had a shot from just outside the area which appeared to strike Vincent's hand, but the penalty shouts fell on deaf ears.

Swindon, buoyed on by their 2000-odd fans that came down from the West, had the better of the chances towards half time.

Flinders was on hand to make a couple of saves, while Leon Cort was on hand to stop Ricky Shakes scoring, with a goal saving challenge after the ex-Bolton man had broken clear with only Flinders to beat, Shakes managed to get to the follow up but shot tamely at Flinders.

Cort then deflected a Micheal Pook goalbound effort over the bar for a corner.

Phil Smith then made the save of the half after a STUART Green free kick was heading towards the top left hand corner, until the Swindon custodian intervened.

1-0 up at half time, the break saw a torrent of rain engulf Selhurst. The pitch became heavy and while there was some respite as the players took to the pitch for the 2nd half, any advantage that we might have held due to our superior league position, would certainly be nullified.

The 2nd half started with Freedman and Kuqi exchanged passes but the Finn could only blast the ball over from close range.

Christian Roberts shot over for Swindon moments later and the match started to deteriorate with the conditions making any passing difficult. There was no discounting the effort from either side, but any creative invention was becoming bogged down in the mire of the midfield.

On 66 minutes McAnuff crossed but Kuqi could only head straight at Smith. TAYLOR brought on Mark Kennedy with a quarter of the match left and it proved a masterstroke as it was Kennedy that passed to McAnuff and, on the edge of the area he drifted past 2 Swindon players before arcing a shot into the top right hand corner.

We looked home, if not dry. Swindon are made of sterner stuff and on 83 minutes got themselves back into the game as Jerel Ifill scored from close range following a corner.

Swindon then lay siege to the Palace goal but and despite having a lot of the possession and with ourselves penned around our own box, they could not force Flinders into making a save.

The final whistle heralded our passage into round four and a potential banana-skin had been successfully, but not convincingly, negotiated.

Palace: Flinders; Hudson, Cort, Ward, Lawrence Green, Fletcher (Butterfield 76) , Hughes (Kennedy 69), McAnuff; Freedman (Morrison 79), Kuqi.

Subs not used: Wilkinson, Scowcroft.