December 29 2007

James Scowcroft

Crystal Palace boss Neil Warnock marked his return to Sheffield United with a 1-0 triumph.

Warnock quit the Blades after their relegation from the Premier League in May after spending almost eight years at his home town club.

But he was celebrating after James Scowcroft got the only goal of the game to maintain Palace's unbeaten run to a brilliant 12 matches.

Sean Scannell tested Paddy Kenny with an angled drive early on before United threatened through striker Rob Hulse but Julian Speroni was equal to his shot.

Seven minutes before half-time, target man Scowcroft put Palace in front for his sixth goal of the season. Ben Watson floated in a free-kick that the Blades failed to deal with and Scowcroft hooked a left shot past Kenny.

In the second half, the Eagles defended resolutely despite almost constant pressure from the home side.

The centre half pairing of Mark Hudson and Matt Lawrence stood firm and United found man-of the-match Speroni in excellent form.

He denied a Hulse effort with his feet and blocked Phil Bardsley's dipping free-kick. Then sub Billy Sharp saw a rocket fly over the bar while Hulse had an over-head kick saved by the Argentine keeper.

Boos rang out at the full-time whistle aimed towards Blades manager Bryan Robson, but Warnock's Palace now move up to seventh place.

Palace: Speroni, Butterfield, Lawrence, Hudson, Hill, Watson, Soares (Ifill 90), Derry, Scowcroft, Morrison (Fletcher 73), Scannell (Hills 78).

Not Used: Freedman, Fonte.