February 25 2006

Andy Johnson

A resurgent Palace devastated Norwich at Selhurst to win 4-1, writes Peter Gillman.

Ben Watson had another outstanding game and AJ, linking up repeatedly with Clinton Morrison, was back to something like his sparkling best.

Palace went ahead in the 7th minute when Watson hit a superb 30-yard pass into the area for AJ, who outpaced Norwich defender Doherty and drove the ball past Robert Green from a tight angle.

Palace doubled the score on 33 minutes with Watson again to the fore. He picked up the ball from a free kick wide on the left, played it into Morrison who held off a defender and touched it back for Watson to slam home from 20 yards.

Number three came from Clinton on 54 minutes. AJ fed the ball to Soares who slid a pass to the edge of the six-yard box, where Clinton steered it home past Green’s near post.

Palace struck again on 62 minutes after Hughesey, picking up a pass from AJ in the area, won a corner. Watson hit an inswinger to the near post which Fitz Hall glanced home.

With the Palace fans jubilant, Palace went in search of number five. Sadly they scored it at the wrong end, when Darren Ward touched a cross past Kiraly, after the Palace keeper had hit a weak clearance straight to a Norwich attacker.

Otherwise Kiraly only had one serious save to make. It came just before half time when he diverted a curling shot from the ever-popular Darren Huckerby.

Palace’s win restores the gap of seven points over the team in seventh place, now occupied by Wolves after their win at Hull.

Palace: Kiraly; Boyce, Hall, Ward, Borrowdale; Soares (Leigertwood 74), Watson, Hughes, McAnuff (Andrews 64); Morrison, Johnson (Freedman 81).

Man of the match: Watson.

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