January 18 2006

Jon Macken

Crystal Palace striker Jon Macken admits the winning feeling around Selhurst Park at present has put the Eagles players in confident mood ahead of Friday night's game against leaders Reading, by Stuart Pink.

The Eagles victory over Hull City last Saturday was the club's sixth win in a row which has seen the previously gloomy mood at the club replaced by a more brighter outlook.

Macken himself has also blossomed in recent weeks after an indifferent start to life at Selhurst Park, which he puts down to the new breed of confidence within the ranks.

Macken said: "We've all got together as a group of players and as a club and we all seem to be performing like we should have been performing at the start.

"It's nice. It's nice to go out and play and be around the place. Now when you're winning everybody has a buzz and is looking forward to the next game and it's a big game on Friday night, one we're looking forward to and one we believe we can get a good result out of."

Whereas Palace are on the start of a good run, Steve Coppell's Reading side seem to have been on one for months, stretching their almost unassailable lead to the top of the Championship to nine points.

But despite the Royals domination of the division this year, Macken feels the Eagles will have no fear in their quest to become the first team to defeat Reading since the opening day.

Macken said: "We're all looking forward to Friday now we've got this result (against Hull).

"They're doing fantastic so why can't we beat them? I think when we played them down there we were very unfortunate to get beat so we've got to go out and expect to get the three points."

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