January 20 2007

Carl Fletcher

Palace toughed out a 1-1 draw with Hull at Selhurst Park, reports Peter Gillman.

The Eagles went ahead in the second half with a wonder goal from Carl Fletcher but a spirited Hull side fought back to equalise and with both sides looking for a winner the match could have gone either way.

Palace’s best chance in an even first half came on 24 minutes, when a corner was flicked on to Leon Cort, but his close-range header was blocked on the line.

There was a scare for Palace moments before the half-time whistle. Scott Flinders touched a swerving free kick by Dean Windass on to the post and Forster drove the rebound over the bar.

Palace went ahead five minutes after the break. Jobi McAnuff beat his man on the by-line and pulled the ball back to Fletcher, who blasted a swerving shot past Myhill from 25 yards - Fletcher's second goal for the club.

Kuqi missed a chance to clinch the match three minutes later, heading wide when he met a high centre from Kennedy in the Hull area.

Hull were pressing hard and created a series of openings. But the manner of their 70th minute equaliser was disappointing as number 4 Ashbee was unmarked in the area when he headed home from a corner.

Palace could have won the match on 74 minutes, when Cort lashed a shot straight at Myhill from six yards, hitting the keeper in the face. The rebound fell to Kuqi who headed for the far corner but a defender headed off the line. .

With both sides in search of a winner, play flowed from end to end. In the final seconds of added time Windass headed against the Palace crossbar.

Palace must have been disappointed to take only one point from the match but Hull were far from outplayed and probably deserved the draw.

Palace: Flinders; Hudson, Ward, Cort, Ward, Lawrence; Green (Ifill 61), Fletcher, Kennedy (Morrison 82), McAnuff; Freedman (Soares 70) ,Kuqi.

Subs not used: Kiraly, Butterfield.

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