October 21 2006

Tom Soares

Palace headed home from Leicester with a point after battling their way to a 1-1 draw, reports Peter Gillman.

Palace took an early lead but Leicester equalised through a penalty. The Eagles had chances to win the match but in the end had to settle for the draw.

After weathering early pressure, Palace began to create chances.

On 16 minutes Leon Cort met a Kennedy corner with a header which looked goalbound until a Leicester defender deflected it onto the crossbar. The ball rebounded to Tom Soares, lurking on the penalty spot, whose fierce shot hit the back of the net via another deflection.

Three minutes later Cort hit a post with a 12-yard header from a Soares cross, with the keeper beaten.

Leicester equalised in controversial manner on 36 minutes, when Darren Ward was judged by ref Salisbury to have tugged back Leicester's Hammond as he headed into the box. Ward was yellow-carded and Hume slotted the penalty into the bottom right of Kiraly's goal.

After a scrappy start to the second half, Palace missed a great opening. Clinton Morrison was perfectly placed to meet a Kennedy cross but Marco Reich took the ball off his head.

The arrival of Dougie on 72 minutes revitalised the Palace attack.

On 78 minutes Morrison broke through and shot against the Leicester keeper. The ball fell to Green in a great position but he sliced the ball wide.

Two minutes later the ref turned down a big Palace shout for handball in the area. But Leicester came back strongly and when Gabor Kiraly missed a cross he was saved by Cort at the cost of a corner.

Palace defended tenaciously as Leicester threw bodies forward and it was Morrison who headed clear to break up a late attack. Then with moments left Dougie went clear into the area and looked set to clinch a win, but keeper Logan made a brilliant save to touch the ball over.

Palace: Kiraly; Lawrence, Ward, Cort, Borrowdale; Reich (Green 72), Fletcher, Soares (Watson 84), Kennedy; Morrison, Kuqi (Freedman 72).

Subs (not used): Speroni, Hudson.

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